Senate File 2488 S-5244 Amend Senate File 2488 as follows: 1 1. By striking everything after the enacting clause and 2 inserting: 3 < DIVISION I 4 EARLY CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY SERVICES SYSTEM 5 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 234A.1 Definitions. 6 For the purposes of this chapter, unless the context 7 otherwise requires: 8 1. “Community resources” means locally focused, 9 strength-based programs and supports that aim to enhance family 10 functioning and resilience, promote child development and 11 safety, and prevent future involvement with child protective 12 services or the juvenile justice system. 13 2. “Department” means the department of health and human 14 services. 15 3. “Early childhood and family services district” or “ECFS 16 district” means a health and human services district utilized 17 for the purpose of administering the ECFS system. 18 4. “Early childhood and family services district advisory 19 council” or “ECFS district advisory council” means an advisory 20 council established under section 234A.3. 21 5. “Early childhood and family services district plan” or 22 “ECFS district plan” means a plan developed by the department 23 to outline the ECFS system infrastructure of a district and 24 the programs and services intended to be provided within that 25 district. 26 6. “Early childhood and family services state plan” or “ECFS 27 state plan” means the plan developed by the department that 28 describes the key components of the state’s ECFS system. 29 7. “Early childhood and family services system” or “ECFS 30 system” means the system established in section 234A.2. 31 8. “Early childhood and family services system fund” or “ECFS 32 system fund” means the fund created in section 234A.6. 33 9. “Early intervention strategies” means services and 34 supports designed to proactively identify and address risk 35 -1- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 1/ 20 #1.
factors and includes services that aim to strengthen families, 1 promote healthy development, and reduce the likelihood of abuse 2 or neglect by providing timely, targeted assistance to children 3 and caregivers through the ECFS system. 4 10. “Evidence-based” means practices, programs, and policies 5 grounded in the best available research and data, and that have 6 been scientifically tested and shown to be effective through 7 rigorous evaluation. 8 11. “Family support services” include group-based parent 9 education and home visiting programs designed to strengthen 10 protective factors including parenting skills, increase 11 parental knowledge of child development, and increase family 12 functioning and problem-solving skills. Family support 13 services may be used as an early intervention strategy to 14 improve birth outcomes, parental knowledge, family economic 15 success, the home learning environment, family and child 16 involvement with others, and coordination with other community 17 resources. Family support services may have a specific focus 18 on preventing child maltreatment or ensuring children are safe, 19 healthy, and ready to succeed in school. 20 12. “Health and human services district” means the same as 21 defined in section 217.1. 22 13. “HOPES-HFI program” means the healthy opportunities for 23 parents to experience success healthy families Iowa program 24 established in section 234A.5. 25 14. “Ongoing family and community resources” means a 26 continuum of sustained, accessible, and family-centered 27 resources provided through the ECFS system that help families 28 meet their needs, strengthen protective factors, and prevent 29 child abuse and neglect. 30 15. “Primary prevention strategies” means a comprehensive 31 set of services and supports provided through the ECFS system 32 that are designed to strengthen families, promote healthy child 33 development, and prevent adverse outcomes before they occur. 34 These activities focus on addressing the underlying social, 35 -2- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 2/ 20
economic, and environmental conditions that place children and 1 families at risk, such as poverty, social isolation, and lack 2 of access to quality early care and education. 3 16. “Protective factor” means an inherent strength, 4 resource, or capacity of a family, or a resource that helps a 5 family thrive, buffer against stress, and reduce the likelihood 6 of child abuse, neglect, or other poor outcome. 7 17. “Strength-based” means an approach that focuses 8 on identifying and building upon the inherent strengths, 9 resources, and capacities of a family to support the family’s 10 growth, resilience, and well-being. 11 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 234A.2 Early childhood and family 12 services system —— department powers and duties. 13 1. An early childhood and family services system is 14 established under the control of the department for the 15 purposes of implementing a statewide array of primary 16 prevention strategies, early intervention strategies, and 17 ongoing family and community resources for families and their 18 children under nineteen years of age. 19 2. The ECFS system shall be administered in a manner to 20 maximize funding opportunities, interagency collaboration, and 21 integration of activities and services that support positive 22 outcomes for children and families. 23 3. The ECFS system shall support equitable statewide access 24 to all services, supports, and other resources offered through 25 the ECFS system that, at a minimum, shall include all of the 26 following: 27 a. Evidence-based primary prevention strategies, including 28 family support services, designed to assist families in 29 establishing healthy, successful futures. 30 b. Tailored early intervention strategies for children and 31 families to ensure long-term well-being, including economic 32 self-sufficiency. 33 c. Ongoing family and community resources for children and 34 families to address the root causes of child abuse and neglect 35 -3- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 3/ 20
and enhance protective factors. 1 d. Specific service components including early childhood 2 services, evidence-based family support services, and community 3 resources. 4 4. To the extent funding is available, the department 5 shall do all of the following to develop and administer the 6 ECFS system and carry out the department’s duties under this 7 chapter: 8 a. Plan, establish, and maintain primary prevention 9 strategies, early intervention strategies, and ongoing family 10 and community resources. 11 b. (1) Develop an early childhood and family services state 12 plan that is consistent with the department’s agency strategic 13 plan adopted pursuant to section 8E.204, and the state health 14 improvement plan developed under section 217.17. 15 (2) When developing the ECFS state plan, the department 16 shall do all of the following: 17 (a) Collaborate with stakeholders including but not 18 limited to experienced public health and medical providers, law 19 enforcement, educators, the early childhood Iowa state board, 20 the early childhood Iowa area boards, and organizations that 21 represent populations including but not limited to children to 22 be served by the ECFS system. 23 (b) Publish the proposed ECFS state plan on the department’s 24 internet site and allow the public to review and comment on the 25 proposed ECFS state plan prior to adoption. 26 c. Administer the ECFS system in each ECFS district based on 27 early childhood and family services district plans. 28 d. Develop ECFS district plans in collaboration with ECFS 29 system partners and stakeholders. 30 e. Establish ECFS district advisory councils pursuant to 31 section 234A.3. 32 f. Coordinate administration of each ECFS district plan with 33 federal and state resources. 34 g. Enter into contracts as necessary to perform activities, 35 -4- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 4/ 20
and provide services, supports, and other resources in 1 accordance with each ECFS district plan. 2 h. Coordinate district activities with other state agencies 3 and state-funded initiatives that support positive outcomes for 4 children and families. 5 i. Administer and distribute federal aid received, and state 6 appropriations, grants, and other moneys deposited into the 7 early childhood and family services system fund. 8 j. Oversee, provide technical assistance to, and monitor 9 department contractors to ensure compliance with ECFS district 10 plans. 11 k. Establish and maintain data collection and management 12 information systems to identify, collect, and analyze service 13 outcomes and performance data to address the needs of clients, 14 providers, the department, and ECFS system programs. 15 l. Collect, maintain, monitor, analyze, and utilize 16 information including but not limited to ECFS client records 17 and programmatic, state, and national data, engage in studies 18 and analyses, and gather relevant statistics to understand 19 emerging needs and effectively deploy information, resources, 20 and technical assistance in response. 21 m. Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this 22 chapter. 23 n. Take any other necessary actions to execute the 24 department’s duties under this chapter or maintain compliance 25 with federal requirements. 26 5. The department may do all of the following to develop and 27 administer the ECFS system: 28 a. Cooperate with any state agency, political subdivision, 29 or federal governmental agency to apply for grants. 30 b. Solicit and accept for use any gift of money, by will or 31 otherwise, and any grant of money or services from the federal 32 government, the state, a political subdivision of the state or 33 federal government, or a private source. 34 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 234A.3 Early childhood and family 35 -5- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 5/ 20
services district advisory councils. 1 1. The department shall establish an early childhood 2 and family services district advisory council in each ECFS 3 district. The department shall develop policies and procedures 4 for the operational functions of each ECFS district advisory 5 council. 6 2. An ECFS district advisory council shall consist of ten 7 members appointed by the department. Individuals eligible 8 for appointment include but are not limited to all of the 9 following: 10 a. Elected public officials who currently hold office within 11 the ECFS district. 12 b. Individuals who have experience or expertise related to 13 health, education, domestic assault response, abuse response, 14 or community-based child abuse prevention. 15 c. Individuals who are representative of the populations 16 served in the ECFS district advisory council’s ECFS district. 17 d. Individuals who represent the faith community or 18 community partners in the ECFS district advisory council’s ECFS 19 district. 20 3. An ECFS district advisory council shall do all of the 21 following: 22 a. Identify opportunities and address challenges based 23 on updates received from the department relating to the 24 implementation of the ECFS district plan for the ECFS district 25 advisory council’s ECFS district. 26 b. Provide feedback to the department while the department 27 is developing ECFS system policies. 28 c. Advise the department on how to best provide families 29 access to primary prevention strategies, early intervention 30 strategies, and ongoing family and community resources 31 throughout the ECFS district advisory council’s ECFS district. 32 4. An ECFS district advisory council shall perform the 33 duties required under this section regardless of whether any 34 seat on the ECFS district advisory council is vacant. 35 -6- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 6/ 20
Sec. 4. NEW SECTION . 234A.4 Data collection and use. 1 1. The department shall perform all of the following actions 2 related to ECFS system data: 3 a. (1) Collect, maintain, monitor, analyze, and utilize 4 data, including but not limited to child welfare data, Medicaid 5 data, ECFS system data, and other data depicting the status of 6 children and families in the state, as necessary to issue cost 7 estimates for serving populations, make and receive payments, 8 conduct operations, and perform ECFS system activities. 9 (2) When performing duties under this paragraph, the 10 department shall maintain compliance with applicable federal 11 and state privacy laws to ensure the confidentiality and 12 integrity of individually identifiable data. 13 (3) The department shall periodically assess the status of 14 the department’s compliance with subparagraph (2) to ensure 15 that data collected and maintained by the department under this 16 paragraph is protected. 17 b. To the extent possible, establish a record for each 18 individual receiving publicly funded ECFS system services. 19 Each record established under this paragraph shall include a 20 unique client identifier for the purposes of identifying and 21 tracking the individual’s record. 22 c. Consult with department contractors and other ECFS system 23 stakeholders on an ongoing basis relating to the administration 24 of the ECFS system, including but not limited to reviewing 25 trends and outcomes as indicators for improving or modifying 26 administration of the ECFS system. 27 d. Engage with entities that maintain information the 28 department is required to collect pursuant to this section to 29 integrate data relating to individuals receiving ECFS system 30 services. 31 e. Engage with entities that maintain general population 32 data relating to the ECFS system to develop action plans, 33 create projections relating to a population’s ECFS system 34 needs, develop ECFS system policies, and otherwise perform 35 -7- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 7/ 20
activities as necessary to support families in achieving a 1 healthy, successful future. 2 2. The department shall ensure that public and private 3 agencies, organizations, and individuals that operate within 4 the ECFS system use uniform methods to maintain statistical 5 information relating to ECFS system outcomes and performance. 6 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION . 234A.5 Healthy families programs —— 7 HOPES-HFI program. 8 1. The department may establish the HOPES-HFI program to 9 provide services to families and children during a child’s 10 prenatal through preschool years. If established, the 11 HOPES-HFI program shall do all of the following: 12 a. Promote optimal child health and development. 13 b. Improve family coping skills and functioning. 14 c. Promote positive parenting skills and intrafamilial 15 interaction. 16 d. Prevent child abuse, child neglect, infant mortality, and 17 infant morbidity. 18 2. The department shall administer the HOPES-HFI program, 19 in whole or in part, by contracting with local organizations 20 that use evidence-based home visiting models. 21 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION . 234A.6 Early childhood and family 22 services system fund. 23 1. An early childhood and family services system fund 24 is created in the state treasury under the control of the 25 department and consisting of any moneys appropriated to the 26 department for the ECFS system fund’s purposes by the general 27 assembly and any other moneys available and obtained or 28 accepted by the department for deposit in the ECFS system fund. 29 The ECFS system fund shall be used to implement and administer 30 the ECFS system. 31 2. Moneys in the ECFS system fund are appropriated to the 32 department for the purposes of implementing and administering 33 the ECFS system. 34 3. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in 35 -8- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 8/ 20
this section that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the 1 close of a fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain 2 available for expenditure for the purposes designated. 3 4. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or 4 earnings on moneys in the ECFS system fund shall be credited 5 to the ECFS system fund. 6 Sec. 7. REPEAL. Section 135.106, Code 2026, is repealed. 7 Sec. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. The section of this division of 8 this Act enacting section 234A.6, being deemed of immediate 9 importance, takes effect upon enactment. 10 DIVISION II 11 DECATEGORIZATION INITIATIVE 12 Sec. 9. Section 235.7, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended 13 to read as follows: 14 2. Membership. The department may authorize the governance 15 boards of decategorization of child welfare and juvenile 16 justice funding projects established under section 232.188 to 17 appoint the transition committee membership and may utilize 18 the boundaries of decategorization projects to establish 19 the service areas for transition committees. The committee 20 A committee’s membership may include but is not limited to 21 department staff involved with foster care, child welfare, 22 and adult services, juvenile court services staff, staff 23 involved with county general assistance or emergency relief 24 under chapter 251 or 252 , school district and area education 25 agency staff involved with special education, and a child’s 26 court appointed special advocate, guardian ad litem, service 27 providers, and other persons knowledgeable about the child. 28 Sec. 10. Section 237A.1, subsection 2, paragraph j, 29 subparagraph (2), Code 2026, is amended by striking the 30 subparagraph. 31 Sec. 11. Section 249A.26, subsection 5, Code 2026, is 32 amended by striking the subsection. 33 Sec. 12. Section 256I.4, subsection 6, Code 2026, is amended 34 by striking the subsection. 35 -9- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 9/ 20
Sec. 13. REPEAL. Section 232.188, Code 2026, is repealed. 1 Sec. 14. DECATEGORIZATION FUNDING AND INITIATIVES. 2 1. For purposes of this section, unless the context 3 otherwise requires: 4 a. “Carryover funding” means unobligated or unencumbered 5 moneys described in section 232.188, subsection 5, paragraph 6 “b”, Code 2026, at the close of the fiscal year beginning July 7 1, 2025. 8 b. “Decategorization initiative” means the services and 9 activities funded through a funding pool. 10 c. “Department” means the department of health and human 11 services. 12 d. “Funding” means moneys transferred to and remaining in a 13 funding pool at the close of the fiscal year that began July 1, 14 2025, and that consist of any of the following: 15 (1) Moneys appropriated by the general assembly and 16 designated for a decategorization initiative. 17 (2) Moneys appropriated by the general assembly to the 18 department for child welfare and juvenile justice services and 19 designated for a decategorization initiative by the department. 20 (3) Moneys appropriated to juvenile court services for 21 juvenile justice programs and designated for a decategorization 22 initiative. 23 (4) Carryover funding. 24 e. “Funding pool” means the same as defined in section 25 232.188, Code 2026. 26 f. “Governance board” means the same as defined in section 27 232.188, Code 2026. 28 2. a. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, 29 funding that consists of moneys designated for decategorization 30 initiatives and transferred to a funding pool by the department 31 that remains in a funding pool at the close of the fiscal year 32 beginning July 1, 2025, that has been encumbered or obligated 33 by the governance board for a decategorization initiative or 34 by contract beyond the end of that fiscal year, shall remain 35 -10- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 10/ 20
available for expenditure to ensure continuation of such 1 decategorization initiative or contract until the close of the 2 succeeding fiscal year, unless otherwise determined by the 3 department under subsection 5. 4 b. Any encumbered or obligated moneys remaining in a funding 5 pool as specified in paragraph “a” at the close of the fiscal 6 year that begins July 1, 2026, which are not encumbered or 7 obligated by the department as determined under subsection 5 8 shall be transferred and appropriated to the department. 9 3. a. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, 10 juvenile court services shall terminate all decategorization 11 initiative contracts funded through moneys designated for a 12 decategorization initiative and transferred to a funding pool 13 by juvenile court services at the close of the fiscal year 14 that began July 1, 2025, and shall not renew or extend such 15 contracts. 16 b. Moneys encumbered or obligated under a contract 17 terminated under this subsection that remain in a funding pool 18 at the close of the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, shall 19 be transferred and appropriated to juvenile court services. 20 4. a. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the 21 contrary, moneys that remain in a funding pool at the end of 22 the fiscal year that began July 1, 2025, that are unencumbered 23 or unobligated by the governance board for a decategorization 24 initiative or by contract at the close of the fiscal year, 25 shall be transferred and appropriated to the department and 26 juvenile court services proportionately based on the percentage 27 of moneys designated for decategorization initiatives and 28 transferred to funding pools by each entity for each fiscal 29 year for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 2020, and ending 30 June 30, 2026. 31 b. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary 32 including section 8.33, moneys transferred and appropriated 33 to the department and juvenile court services under this 34 subsection shall not revert but shall remain available to those 35 -11- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 11/ 20
entities to be used for child welfare and juvenile justice 1 services until expended. 2 5. a. With input from appropriate stakeholders, the 3 department shall identify each contract funded through a 4 funding pool impacted by this division of this Act. 5 b. The department shall evaluate each contract identified 6 under paragraph “a” to determine the following: 7 (1) If termination is permitted by the terms of a contract 8 being evaluated, whether the department should exercise the 9 option to terminate the contract by June 30, 2026, or continue 10 the contract until the end of the current contract term. 11 (2) If termination is not permitted by the terms of the 12 contract, whether the contract should be renewed or extended by 13 the department at the end of the current contract term. 14 (3) Whether the department should assume responsibility 15 for a contract for the remainder of the current term of the 16 contract, for the term of the contract if the contract is 17 renewed, or for the term of the contract if the contract is 18 extended to avoid service interruption. 19 c. Unless otherwise provided under this section, a 20 governance board or other entity shall not execute a contract 21 for a decategorization initiative if the contract is funded 22 through moneys in a funding pool after the effective date of 23 this section of this division of this Act, or if the term of the 24 contract extends beyond, or the deliverables under the contract 25 would be provided after, June 30, 2027. 26 Sec. 15. EFFECTIVE DATE. The section of this division of 27 this Act related to decategorization funding and initiatives, 28 being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon 29 enactment. 30 Sec. 16. RETROACTIVE APPLICABILITY. The section of this 31 division of this Act related to decategorization funding and 32 initiatives applies retroactively to July 1, 2025. 33 DIVISION III 34 CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM 35 -12- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 12/ 20
Sec. 17. Section 144.13A, subsection 5, paragraph a, Code 1 2026, is amended to read as follows: 2 a. Ten dollars of each registration fee is appropriated and 3 shall be used for primary and secondary child abuse prevention 4 programs pursuant to section 235A.1 , and ten dollars of each 5 registration fee is appropriated and shall be used for the 6 congenital and inherited disorders central registry established 7 pursuant to section 136A.6 . Notwithstanding section 8.33 , 8 moneys appropriated in this paragraph that remain unencumbered 9 or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert 10 but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes 11 designated until the close of the succeeding fiscal year, and 12 shall not be transferred, used, obligated, appropriated, or 13 otherwise encumbered except as provided in this paragraph. 14 Sec. 18. Section 422.12K, Code 2026, is amended to read as 15 follows: 16 422.12K Income tax checkoff for child abuse prevention 17 program fund . 18 1. A person who files an individual or a joint income tax 19 return with the department of revenue under section 422.13 may 20 designate one dollar or more to be paid to the child abuse 21 prevention program early childhood and family services system 22 fund created in section 235A.2 234A.6, to be used for the 23 purpose of child abuse prevention . If the refund due on the 24 return or the payment remitted with the return is insufficient 25 to pay the additional amount designated by the taxpayer to 26 the child abuse prevention program early childhood and family 27 services system fund, the amount designated shall be reduced to 28 the remaining amount remitted with the return. The designation 29 of a contribution to the child abuse prevention program early 30 childhood and family services system fund under this section 31 is irrevocable. 32 2. The director of revenue shall draft the income tax form 33 to allow the designation of contributions to the child abuse 34 prevention program early childhood and family services system 35 -13- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 13/ 20
fund on the tax return. The department of revenue, on or 1 before January 31, shall transfer the total amount designated 2 on the tax return forms due in the preceding calendar year to 3 the child abuse prevention program early childhood and family 4 services system fund. However, before a checkoff pursuant 5 to this section shall be permitted, all liabilities on the 6 books of the department and accounts identified as owing under 7 section 421.65 shall be satisfied. 8 3. The department of health and human services may authorize 9 payment of moneys from the child abuse prevention program early 10 childhood and family services system fund for the purpose 11 of child abuse prevention in accordance with section 235A.2 12 234A.6 . 13 4. The department of revenue shall adopt rules to administer 14 this section . 15 5. This section is subject to repeal under section 422.12E . 16 Sec. 19. REPEAL. Sections 235A.1, 235A.2, and 235A.3, Code 17 2026, are repealed. 18 Sec. 20. CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM FUND —— TRANSFER 19 OF MONEYS. Any unencumbered or unobligated moneys remaining 20 in the child abuse prevention program fund created in section 21 235A.2, on June 30, 2026, shall be transferred to the early 22 childhood and family services system fund created in section 23 234A.6, as enacted in this Act. 24 Sec. 21. CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM —— REVIEW OF 25 CONTRACTS IMPACTED BY TRANSITION TO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD 26 AND FAMILY SERVICES SYSTEM. With input from appropriate 27 stakeholders, the department shall review the child abuse 28 prevention program’s contract for program administration and 29 each grant project funded through the child abuse prevention 30 program for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending 31 June 30, 2026, impacted by this division of this Act. The 32 department shall work with the child abuse prevention program’s 33 program administrator, local child abuse stakeholders, and 34 grant project recipients to transition the funding and child 35 -14- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 14/ 20
abuse prevention administration and service delivery to the 1 early childhood and family services system established in 2 division I of this Act. 3 Sec. 22. EFFECTIVE DATE. The section of this division of 4 this Act relating to the review of contracts impacted by the 5 transition of the child abuse prevention program to the early 6 childhood and family services system, being deemed of immediate 7 importance, takes effect upon enactment. 8 Sec. 23. RETROACTIVE APPLICABILITY. The section of this 9 division of this Act relating to the review of contracts 10 impacted by the transition of the child abuse prevention 11 program to the early childhood and family services system 12 applies retroactively to July 1, 2025. 13 DIVISION IV 14 EARLY CHILDHOOD IOWA INITIATIVE —— EARLY CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY 15 SERVICES 16 Sec. 24. EARLY CHILDHOOD IOWA INITIATIVE —— EARLY CHILDHOOD 17 AND FAMILY SERVICES. 18 1. For purposes of this section, unless the context 19 otherwise requires: 20 a. “Department” means the department of health and human 21 services. 22 b. “Early childhood Iowa area” means the same as defined in 23 section 256I.1. 24 c. “Early childhood Iowa area board” means the same as 25 defined in section 256I.1. 26 d. “Early childhood Iowa initiative” means the same as 27 described in section 256I.2. 28 e. “ECFS system” means the same as defined in section 29 234A.1, as enacted in division I of this Act. 30 2. If the department receives a request from an early 31 childhood Iowa area board to transition administration of home 32 visiting services to the ECFS system, the department shall 33 develop and implement a plan to facilitate the transfer. The 34 department’s plan shall, at a minimum, include all of the 35 -15- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 15/ 20
following: 1 a. With input from appropriate stakeholders, the department 2 shall identify each current home visiting services contract 3 executed by the early childhood Iowa area board requesting the 4 transfer of administration of home visiting services. The 5 early childhood Iowa area board shall, if permitted by the 6 terms of a contract, exercise the option to terminate the 7 contract. If a contract does not permit early termination, the 8 contract shall be terminated at the end of the current term of 9 the contract. A contract identified under this paragraph shall 10 not be renewed or extended at the end of the current contract 11 term. 12 b. All debts, claims, or other liabilities owed to an early 13 childhood Iowa area board, or the board’s early childhood 14 Iowa area, due to home visiting services provided or rendered 15 pursuant to chapter 256I prior to transfer of administration 16 of home visiting services to the ECFS system shall remain due 17 and owing after administration of home visiting services is 18 transferred to the ECFS system. Each fiscal agent contracted 19 with an early childhood Iowa area board shall collect such 20 outstanding debts, claims, or other liabilities. 21 c. An early childhood Iowa area board or an agent of an 22 early childhood Iowa area board shall not enter into, renew, or 23 extend a home visiting services contract related to the early 24 childhood Iowa initiative or related activities if the term 25 of the contract extends past, or the deliverables under the 26 contract would be provided after, the date administration of 27 the home visiting services is transferred to the ECFS system. 28 d. The department shall ensure that individuals currently 29 receiving home visiting services provided through the early 30 childhood Iowa initiative by the early childhood Iowa area 31 board requesting the transfer of administration of home 32 visiting services have uninterrupted continuity of care during 33 the transition. 34 e. The department shall maintain ongoing communication 35 -16- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 16/ 20
with, and provide a means to receive input from, the early 1 childhood Iowa area board requesting the transfer of 2 administration of home visiting services during the selection 3 process for home visiting services providers in the early 4 childhood Iowa area board’s early childhood Iowa area. The 5 department shall collaborate with the director of the early 6 childhood Iowa area board when selecting a home visiting 7 services provider. The department shall ensure that each 8 contract the department enters into for home visiting services 9 requires that the contracted home visiting services provider 10 inform the early childhood Iowa area board that the home 11 visiting services provider will provide home visiting services 12 in the early childhood Iowa area board’s early childhood Iowa 13 area. 14 3. During and after the transfer of administration of home 15 visiting services to the ECFS system, and contingent upon the 16 department’s receipt of additional federal funds for home 17 visiting services pursuant to the Social Security Act, Tit. 18 IV-E, the department shall annually redistribute among all 19 early childhood Iowa areas that made a request under subsection 20 2 the following percentages of the additional federal funds 21 received for coordination of early childhood services for 22 children from age zero through age five: 23 a. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2027, and ending 24 June 30, 2028, twenty-five percent. 25 b. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2028, and ending 26 June 30, 2029, fifteen percent. 27 c. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2029, and ending 28 June 30, 2030, five percent. 29 DIVISION V 30 EARLY CHILDHOOD IOWA INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE 31 Sec. 25. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL —— EARLY CHILDHOOD IOWA 32 INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE. 33 1. The legislative council shall convene a study committee 34 during the 2026 legislative interim to review the most 35 -17- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 17/ 20
efficient means to transition home visiting services offered 1 through an early childhood Iowa area, as that term is defined 2 in section 256I.1, to another system based on districts created 3 by the department of health and human services and to implement 4 the transition with minimal disruption to home visitation 5 services. At a minimum, the study committee shall review all 6 of the following: 7 a. The financial and logistical consequences to the early 8 childhood Iowa system and home visitation services. 9 b. The effects on statewide access to services currently 10 provided through early childhood Iowa, including but not 11 limited to the quality of services and the coordination between 12 providers and the department. 13 c. The impact on rural and underserved communities. 14 d. Possible courses of action to transition home visitation 15 services to ensure the early childhood Iowa system remains 16 viable and effective in the long term. 17 2. a. The study committee’s voting members shall consist 18 of the following: 19 (1) Two members of the senate appointed by the senate 20 majority leader. 21 (2) One member of the senate appointed by the senate 22 minority leader. 23 (3) Two members of the house of representatives appointed 24 by the house majority leader. 25 (4) One member of the house of representatives appointed by 26 the house minority leader. 27 b. The study committee’s nonvoting members shall consist of 28 the following: 29 (1) Two members of the association of early childhood Iowa 30 area boards and advocates appointed by the association of early 31 childhood Iowa area boards and advocates. 32 (2) Two early childhood Iowa stakeholders appointed by the 33 association of early childhood Iowa area boards and advocates. 34 (3) Two persons with relevant expertise appointed by the 35 -18- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 18/ 20
association of early childhood Iowa area boards and advocates. 1 (4) Two representatives of the department of health and 2 human services. 3 (5) One representative of the department of education. 4 (6) One representative of the department of workforce 5 development. 6 (7) One representative of the economic development 7 authority. 8 3. The department of health and human services shall 9 cooperate with any formal request for data from the study 10 committee. All personal identifying information shall be 11 redacted prior to submitting the requested data to the study 12 committee. 13 4. The study committee shall submit a final report with the 14 study committee’s findings and recommendations to the general 15 assembly no later than January 8, 2027. In lieu of a final 16 report, the study committee may submit a bill draft to the 17 general assembly with proposed changes to the Code based on the 18 study committee’s findings. 19 DIVISION VI 20 CONFORMING CHANGES 21 Sec. 26. Section 232.69, subsection 1, paragraph b, 22 subparagraph (5), Code 2026, is amended to read as follows: 23 (5) An employee or operator of a licensed child care center, 24 registered child development home, head start program, family 25 development and self-sufficiency grant program under section 26 216A.107 , or healthy opportunities for parents to experience 27 success healthy families Iowa program under section 135.106 28 234A.5 . 29 Sec. 27. Section 237A.30, subsection 1, Code 2026, is 30 amended to read as follows: 31 1. The department shall work with the early childhood 32 Iowa program established in section 256I.5 in designing and 33 implementing implement a voluntary quality rating system for 34 each provider type of child care facility. 35 -19- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 19/ 20
Sec. 28. Section 256I.13, subsection 1, Code 2026, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 1. In order to implement the legislative intent stated 3 in sections 135.106 and section 256I.9 , that priority for 4 family support program funding be given to programs using 5 evidence-based or promising models for family support, it is 6 the intent of the general assembly that ninety percent of state 7 funds expended for family support programs shall be used for 8 evidence-based or promising program models. The remaining ten 9 percent of funds may be used for innovative program models that 10 do not yet meet the definition of evidence-based or promising 11 programs. 12 DIVISION VII 13 CODE EDITOR DIRECTIVES 14 Sec. 29. CODE EDITOR DIRECTIVES. The Code editor is 15 directed to do all of the following: 16 1. Make changes in any Code sections amended or enacted 17 by any other Act to correspond with the changes made in this 18 Act if there appears to be no doubt as to the proper method of 19 making the changes and the changes would not be contrary to or 20 inconsistent with the purposes of this Act or any other Act. 21 2. Correct internal references in the Code and in enacted 22 legislation as necessary due to the enactment of this Act. > 23 2. Title page, line 3, after < appropriations, > by inserting 24 < convening an early childhood Iowa interim study committee, > 25 ______________________________ KARA WARME -20- SF 2488.4444 (2) 91 dg/ko 20/ 20 #2.