House File 302

                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  HUSER


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act providing for a length of service award program for
  2    volunteer fire fighters.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 2356HH 80
  5 ec/pj/5

PAG LIN

  1  1    Section 1.  Section 100B.2, Code 2003, is amended by adding
  1  2 the following new subsection:
  1  3    NEW SUBSECTION.  9.  Establish a length of service award
  1  4 program for volunteer fire fighters pursuant to the
  1  5 requirements of section 100B.12.
  1  6    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  100B.12  LENGTH OF SERVICE AWARD
  1  7 PROGRAM.
  1  8    The state fire service and emergency response council
  1  9 shall, in consultation with the department of personnel,
  1 10 establish a length of service award program for volunteer fire
  1 11 fighters as defined in section 85.61.  The program shall
  1 12 provide length of service awards, as described in section
  1 13 457(e)(11) of the Internal Revenue Code, to volunteer fire
  1 14 fighters of a fire department of a municipality, township, or
  1 15 benefited fire district that elects to participate in the
  1 16 program.  The program shall be designed as a defined
  1 17 contribution pension plan, consistent, to the extent possible,
  1 18 with the requirements of section 509A.12, requiring mandatory
  1 19 employer contributions from a participating municipality,
  1 20 township, or benefited fire district.  The program shall be
  1 21 designed to treat awards from the program as a tax=deferred
  1 22 benefit under the Internal Revenue Code.  The council shall
  1 23 adopt rules providing for minimum contribution requirements,
  1 24 eligibility requirements for participation by volunteer fire
  1 25 fighters, and such other rules as deemed necessary to operate
  1 26 the program.
  1 27                           EXPLANATION
  1 28    This bill requires the state fire service and emergency
  1 29 response council, in consultation with the department of
  1 30 personnel, to establish a length of service award program for
  1 31 volunteer fire fighters.  The program shall be designed as a
  1 32 defined contribution pension plan consistent with the
  1 33 requirements for a deferred compensation program for
  1 34 governmental employees as provided by Code section 509A.12.
  1 35 The program shall provide for a minimum contribution to the
  2  1 plan from a participating municipality, township, or benefited
  2  2 fire district but participation in the plan by such an entity
  2  3 is optional.  The council is also required to adopt rules
  2  4 governing minimum contribution requirements, eligibility
  2  5 requirements for participation by volunteer fire fighters, and
  2  6 such other rules as deemed necessary to operate the program.
  2  7 LSB 2356HH 80
  2  8 ec/pj/5