Senate File 2386 - Introduced SENATE FILE 2386 BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 3165) A BILL FOR An Act establishing a task force relating to the reunification 1 of an unaccompanied child or dependent adult with the 2 child’s or dependent adult’s parent, guardian, or custodian 3 following a disaster. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 5962SV (2) 88 as/rh
S.F. 2386 Section 1. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY 1 MANAGEMENT —— CHILD OR DEPENDENT ADULT REUNIFICATION FOLLOWING 2 A DISASTER —— TASK FORCE. 3 1. The department of homeland security and emergency 4 management shall convene a task force to study the current 5 status of unaccompanied children and dependent adults following 6 a disaster, who are not under the supervision of a school or 7 the department of human services, to ascertain gaps, assess 8 capacity concerns, identify resources, and examine issues 9 including specifically the dangers that a child or dependent 10 adult separated from a parent, guardian, or custodian may face 11 including victimization, abuse, kidnapping, or exploitation, 12 and reunification efforts that need to be addressed by all 13 agencies and organizations across the response community. 14 The task force shall develop specific policy recommendations 15 relating to the reunification of an unaccompanied child or 16 dependent adult with the child’s or dependent adult’s parent, 17 guardian, or custodian following a disaster. 18 2. The task force members shall include but are not limited 19 to representatives from the department of public safety, the 20 department of human services, the department of homeland 21 security and emergency management, the Iowa state sheriffs and 22 deputies association, a police officers association, a fire 23 fighters association, and other agencies as deemed appropriate. 24 The task force members shall also include four legislators as 25 ex officio, nonvoting members. The four legislators shall 26 be appointed one each by the majority leader of the senate, 27 the minority leader of the senate, the speaker of the house 28 of representatives, and the minority leader of the house of 29 representatives for terms as provided in section 69.16B. 30 3. The task force shall convene by October 2, 2020, and 31 shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to 32 the general assembly for consideration by December 15, 2020. 33 EXPLANATION 34 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 35 -1- LSB 5962SV (2) 88 as/rh 1/ 2
S.F. 2386 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 1 This bill establishes a task force relating to the 2 reunification of an unaccompanied child or dependent adult with 3 the child’s or dependent adult’s parent, guardian, or custodian 4 following a disaster. 5 The bill requires the department of homeland security and 6 emergency management to convene a task force to study the 7 current status of unaccompanied children and dependent adults 8 following a disaster, who are not under the supervision of 9 a school or the department of human services, to ascertain 10 gaps, assess capacity concerns, identify resources, examine 11 issues including specific issues relating to the dangers a 12 child or dependent adult may face and reunification efforts by 13 all agencies and organizations across the response community. 14 The task force shall develop specific policy recommendations 15 relating to the reunification of an unaccompanied child or 16 dependent adult with the child’s or dependent adult’s parent, 17 guardian, or custodian following a disaster. 18 The bill provides that task force members shall include 19 but are not limited to representatives from the department of 20 public safety, the department of human services, the department 21 of homeland security and emergency management, the Iowa 22 state sheriffs and deputies association, a police officers 23 association, a fire fighters association, and other agencies 24 as deemed appropriate. The task force members shall also 25 include four legislators as ex officio, nonvoting members. The 26 task force shall convene by October 2, 2020, and shall submit 27 a report of its findings and recommendations to the general 28 assembly for consideration by December 15, 2020. 29 -2- LSB 5962SV (2) 88 as/rh 2/ 2