House File 2131 HOUSE FILE BY MADDOX Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act requiring counties to conduct referenda on sharing 2 services. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5590YH 80 5 sc/sh/8 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 331.910 REFERENDUM ON SHARING 1 2 SERVICES. 1 3 1. At the general election in 2004, and every four years 1 4 thereafter, the question of sharing services shall be placed 1 5 on the ballot in substantially the following form: 1 6 "Should the county of (Name of county where precinct is 1 7 located) enter into agreements to share delivery of county 1 8 services with one or more surrounding counties?" 1 9 2. If the question of sharing services is approved by a 1 10 majority of the votes cast in the county at the election, and 1 11 is approved by a majority of the votes cast in one or more 1 12 surrounding counties at the election, the boards of 1 13 supervisors in two or more of those counties shall, within 1 14 sixty days of the election, begin discussions to enter into 1 15 28E agreements for sharing services, to form a community 1 16 cluster pursuant to sections 28E.35 through 28E.38, or to 1 17 establish a regional metropolitan service area pursuant to 1 18 section 28E.40. The referendum required in section 28E.39 and 1 19 the referendum required when seeking to establish a 1 20 metropolitan service area are not required if a community 1 21 cluster is formed, or a metropolitan service area is 1 22 established, as a result of supervisor action required by this 1 23 section. 1 24 EXPLANATION 1 25 This bill provides that at the 2004 general election and 1 26 every four years thereafter, each county shall include on the 1 27 general election ballot the question of whether the county 1 28 should enter into agreements to share services with one or 1 29 more surrounding counties. If the question of sharing 1 30 services is approved by a majority of votes cast in the county 1 31 and by a majority of the votes cast in one or more surrounding 1 32 counties, the board of supervisors shall begin the process for 1 33 entering into 28E agreements for sharing services or for 1 34 forming a community cluster with a surrounding county, or for 1 35 establishing a metropolitan service area with a surrounding 2 1 county. 2 2 The bill also provides that the referendum requirements for 2 3 community clusters and metropolitan service areas shall not 2 4 apply if the cluster was formed, or the service area 2 5 established, as a result of the question of sharing services 2 6 placed on the ballot at the general election. 2 7 LSB 5590YH 80 2 8 sc/sh/8