CHAPTER 27
HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT GRANTS
721—27.1(47,80GA,SF2298) Purpose. The Help America Vote Act (Pub. Law 107-252, Sec. 261-265) and 2004 Iowa Acts, Senate File 2298, provide funds to replace lever voting equipment, upgrade voting equipment, provide training to election officials, provide additional information to voters and improve election accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The purpose of these rules is to establish a grant program for providing funds to the counties of Iowa for the above purposes.
721—27.2(47,80GA,SF2298) Definitions.
“Act” means Public Law 107-252, the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
“Secretary” means the secretary of state created pursuant to Article 4, section 22, of the Constitution of the State of Iowa.
721—27.3(47,80GA,SF2298) Eligibility and requirements.
	27.3(1) Any Iowa county is eligible to receive funds.
	27.3(2) For each grant program, the secretary will develop the requirements and criteria for awards and publish the information on the secretary’s Web site www.sos.state.ia.us. In addition, the secretary will also notify each county of grant programs.
721—27.4(47,80GA,SF2298) Application process. The secretary shall establish the application and review deadlines for each grant program. Notice of the deadlines and application forms shall be sent to each county and shall also be available on the secretary’s Web site. Applications shall be submitted to HAVA Grants, Secretary of State’s Office, First Floor, Lucas State Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319.
721—27.5(47,80GA,SF2298) Application contents. Applications shall be submitted on forms developed and made available by the secretary. Contents of the application shall include:
	1.	Description of the proposed project.
	2.	Budget to complete the project.
	3.	Local funds or effort on the project.
	4.	Other information as requested by the secretary.
721—27.6(47,80GA,SF2298) Application review. The secretary shall review the applications and make awards based on the criteria as announced and published on the secretary’s Web site.
721—27.7(47,80GA,SF2298) Award process. The secretary will award grants to counties. Upon award to a county, the secretary shall send a grant agreement to the county. The county auditor, the chair of the county board of supervisors, or other designated county representative shall sign the agreement and return it to the secretary. The grant award agreement will outline procedures for payment of grant funds. The grant recipient county must submit all documentation as required by the secretary.
721—27.8(47,80GA,SF2298) Reports. Annually and at the completion of each project, each grant recipient shall make a report to the secretary. The report shall include the expenditures made on the project and shall also include an assessment of the impact of the project.
721—27.9(47,80GA,SF2298) Access to records. Representatives of the secretary, the state auditor, and appropriate federal authorities shall have access to all books, accounts, and documents belonging to or in use by the grant recipient and pertaining to the receipt of assistance through this program.
These rules are intended to implement 2004 Iowa Acts, Senate File 2298, Iowa Code section 47.1 and the Help America Vote Act, Public Law 107-252.
[Filed emergency 8/20/04—published 9/15/04, effective 8/20/04]
[Filed 10/21/04, Notice 9/15/04—published 11/10/04, effective 12/15/04]