Senate File 147 - Introduced SENATE FILE 147 BY MATHIS A BILL FOR An Act requiring the conducting of an underground facility 1 low-impact marking study. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1302XS (2) 86 rn/nh
S.F. 147 Section 1. UNDERGROUND FACILITY LOW-IMPACT MARKING —— 1 STUDY. 2 1. The utilities board of the utilities division of the 3 department of commerce, in consultation with the statewide 4 notification center established in section 480.3, shall 5 conduct an underground facility low-impact marking study. 6 The objective of the study shall be to determine underground 7 facility marking practices, procedures, and techniques 8 which will provide sufficient notice to excavators of the 9 existence and location of underground facilities in the least 10 conspicuous and least permanent manner possible. The study 11 shall include examination of underground facility low-impact 12 marking approaches undertaken in other states, the merits 13 of water-based marking formulations and the utilization of 14 nonpaint marking products, and methods for educating operators 15 regarding underground facility low-impact marking options. 16 2. For the purposes of this section, “excavator”, 17 “operator”, and “underground facility” mean the same as defined 18 in section 480.1. 19 3. The board shall submit a report containing findings 20 and recommendations to the members of the general assembly by 21 January 1, 2016. 22 EXPLANATION 23 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 24 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 25 This bill directs the Iowa utilities board, in consultation 26 with the statewide notification center established in Code 27 section 480.3, to conduct an underground facility low-impact 28 marking study. 29 The bill provides that the objective of the study shall 30 be to determine underground facility marking practices, 31 procedures, and techniques which will provide sufficient notice 32 to excavators of the existence and location of underground 33 facilities in the least conspicuous and least permanent manner 34 possible. The study is required to include examination of 35 -1- LSB 1302XS (2) 86 rn/nh 1/ 2
S.F. 147 underground facility low-impact marking approaches undertaken 1 in other states, the merits of water-based marking formulations 2 and the utilization of nonpaint marking products, and methods 3 for educating operators regarding underground facility 4 low-impact marking options. 5 The bill requires the board to submit a report containing 6 findings and recommendations to the members of the general 7 assembly by January 1, 2016. 8 -2- LSB 1302XS (2) 86 rn/nh 2/ 2