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[Dome]Interim Calendar and Briefing

June 14, 1996

Contents:
Calendar of Scheduled Meetings
Agenda Information Regarding Scheduled Meetings
BRIEFINGS - Information Regarding Recent Meetings

Calendar of Scheduled Meetings

Thursday, June 20, 1996
Administration Committee of the Legislative Council
11:00 a.m., Room 22
Service Committee of the Legislative Council
11:30 a.m., Room 22
Studies Committee of the Legislative Council
12:15 p.m., Room 22
Sine Die Session
1:00 p.m., Senate and House Chambers
Legislative Council
1:30 p.m., Room 22
Tuesday, July 9, 1996
Administrative Rules Review Committee
10:00 a.m., Room 22
Wednesday, July 10, 1996
Administrative Rules Review Committee
9:00 a.m., Room 22

Agenda Information Regarding Scheduled Meetings

Legislative Council and Council Committees and Sine Die Session

Chairperson: Speaker Ron Corbett
Vice Chairperson: Senator Wally Horn

Administrative Rules Review Committee

Co-chairperson: Senator Berl E. Priebe
Co-chairperson: Representative Janet Metcalf

BRIEFINGS - Information Regarding Recent Meetings

ETHICS AND CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE BOARD (ECDB)

May 30, 1996

Legislative Update.
Commission Director Kay Williams reported that none of the Board's recommended changes to the Campaign Disclosure Law were enacted by the Legislature during the 1996 Session.
Electronic Reporting.
Progress continues towards software that will permit candidates to file their reports with ECDB electronically. Approximately 30 political committees volunteered to try the most recent version of the software, and have given input to ECDB. An updated version of the software will be available soon.
Board Action.
Among matters relating to particular political committees, the Board reviewed documents and heard a presentation related to allegations that the Republican Legislative Leadership Unity PAC had sent letters that violated Code section 56.42, subsection 5, regarding candidate direction of a political committee other than the candidate's own committee. The Board concluded that there is probable cause to believe that a violation had occurred, and directed legal counsel for the Board to negotiate a voluntary informal settlement agreement in lieu of filing a contested case.
Fine Reduction.
Following the first filing of reports by executive branch lobbyists on April 30, the Board approved a one-time-only reduction of fines of $100 for late reports to $25.
Next Meeting.
The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for July 11, 1996.

STATE-COUNTY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

May 14, 1996, June 5, 1996

Background Information.
The Committee was created in the 1994 Session in H.F. 2430 to make recommendations for joint state and county planning, implementing, and funding of mental health, mental retardation, and developmental disabilities (MH/MR/DD) services. The Committee includes state, county, and Governor's appointees, as well as legislative members. It is jointly staffed by the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC).
County Management Plans.
The Committee is directed by law to make recommendations to the Director of Human Services concerning county management plans for mental health, mental retardation, and developmental disabilities (MH/MR/DD) services. It was noted that while the law requires counties to submit their plans for MH services in April and MR/DD later in the year, most county plans covered all populations. Department of Human Services staff summarized and made initial recommendations concerning the plans. Discussion included the following points:
Legal Settlement.
The Committee continues to discuss legal settlement issues raised by the implementation of fixed budgets for MH/MR/DD services and other related reforms. A representative of the Office of Attorney General presented case law information concerning legal settlement. A United States Supreme Court ruling prohibits durational residency requirements to determine access to publicly funded services. Language in the Iowa statute requiring county management plans implies that a county of legal settlement could refuse to pay for services provided by a county of residence. It was projected there would be litigation on these issues by the end of the year.
Staffing.
The committee agreed to a work plan to address the tasks assigned by law to the committee. Concern was raised about the absence of resources to staff the committee. It was noted that current staffing is provided as an additional duty for administrators from the Department of Human Services and the Iowa State Association of Counties. The responsibilities of the committee have been considerably increased since its inception two years ago and the committee expressed hope that in the future, funding will be appropriated for staff assistance.
Work Groups.
Work groups will be meeting to develop recommendations concerning specific tasks statutorily assigned to the committee. The following work groups were established:
Next Meeting.
The next meeting of the full committee is tentatively set for August 22, 1996.

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