House File 2221 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2221 BY GAINES and ABDUL-SAMAD A BILL FOR An Act renaming the commission and office on the status of 1 African Americans to include Africans. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5922HH (2) 85 ec/sc

H.F. 2221 Section 1. Section 7E.5, subsection 1, paragraph s, Code 1 2014, is amended to read as follows: 2 s. The department of human rights, created in section 3 216A.1 , which has primary responsibility for services relating 4 to Latino persons, women, persons with disabilities, community 5 action agencies, criminal and juvenile justice planning, 6 Africans and African Americans, deaf and hard-of-hearing 7 persons, persons of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage, and 8 Native Americans. 9 Sec. 2. Section 216A.1, subsection 1, paragraph a, 10 subparagraph (5), Code 2014, is amended to read as follows: 11 (5) Office on the status of Africans and African Americans. 12 Sec. 3. Section 216A.3, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code 13 2014, is amended to read as follows: 14 a. The voting members shall consist of nine voting members 15 selected by each of the permanent commissions within the 16 department, and two voting members, appointed by the governor. 17 For purposes of this paragraph “a” , “permanent commissions” 18 means the commission of Latino affairs, commission on the 19 status of women, commission of persons with disabilities, 20 commission on community action agencies, commission of deaf 21 services, criminal and juvenile justice planning advisory 22 council, commission on the status of Africans and African 23 Americans, commission of Asian and Pacific Islander affairs, 24 and commission of Native American affairs. The term of office 25 for voting members is four years. 26 Sec. 4. Section 216A.4, subsection 4, Code 2014, is amended 27 to read as follows: 28 4. “Underrepresented” means the historical marginalization 29 of populations or groups in the United States and Iowa, 30 including but not limited to Africans and African Americans, 31 Asian and Pacific Islanders, persons who are deaf or hard of 32 hearing, persons with disabilities, Latinos, Native Americans, 33 women, persons who have low socioeconomic status, at-risk 34 youth, and adults or juveniles with a criminal history. 35 -1- LSB 5922HH (2) 85 ec/sc 1/ 3

H.F. 2221 Sec. 5. Section 216A.132, subsection 1, paragraph b, Code 1 2014, is amended to read as follows: 2 b. The departments of human services, corrections, and 3 public safety, the office on the status of Africans and African 4 Americans, the department of public health, the chairperson of 5 the board of parole, the attorney general, the state public 6 defender, and the governor’s office of drug control policy 7 shall each designate a person to serve on the council. 8 Sec. 6. Section 216A.141, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2014, 9 are amended to read as follows: 10 1. “Commission” means the commission on the status of 11 Africans and African Americans. 12 2. “Office” means the office on the status of Africans and 13 African Americans of the department of human rights. 14 Sec. 7. Section 216A.142, subsection 1, Code 2014, is 15 amended to read as follows: 16 1. The commission on the status of Africans and African 17 Americans is established and shall consist of seven members 18 appointed by the governor, subject to confirmation by the 19 senate. All members shall reside in Iowa. At least five 20 members shall be individuals who are African or African 21 American. 22 Sec. 8. Section 216A.143, subsection 1, Code 2014, is 23 amended to read as follows: 24 1. Study the opportunities for and changing needs of the 25 African and African American community communities in this 26 state. 27 Sec. 9. Section 216A.146, Code 2014, is amended to read as 28 follows: 29 216A.146 Office on the status of Africans and African 30 Americans. 31 The office on the status of Africans and African Americans is 32 established and shall do the following: 33 1. Serve as the central permanent agency to advocate for 34 Africans and African Americans. 35 -2- LSB 5922HH (2) 85 ec/sc 2/ 3

H.F. 2221 2. Coordinate and cooperate with the efforts of state 1 departments and agencies to serve the needs of Africans and 2 African Americans in participating fully in the economic, 3 social, and cultural life of the state, and provide direct 4 assistance to individuals who request it. 5 3. Develop, coordinate, and assist other public or private 6 organizations which serve Africans and African Americans. 7 4. Serve as an information clearinghouse on programs and 8 agencies operating to assist Africans and African Americans. 9 EXPLANATION 10 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 11 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 12 This bill renames the commission and office on the status of 13 African Americans to the commission and office on the status 14 of Africans and African Americans. The bill provides that the 15 duties of the commission, its office, and the department of 16 human rights includes Africans as well as African Americans. 17 -3- LSB 5922HH (2) 85 ec/sc 3/ 3