House File 2467 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY KRESSIG, BERRY, and
SHOULTZ
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to public safety communications, providing for
2 utilization of the Iowa communications network for public
3 safety interoperability purposes, and establishing an Iowa
4 statewide interoperable radio system board.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
6 TLSB 5933HH 81
7 rn/sh/8
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 8D.2, subsection 5, paragraph a, Code
1 2 Supplement 2005, is amended to read as follows:
1 3 a. "Public agency" means a state agency, an institution
1 4 under the control of the board of regents, the judicial branch
1 5 as provided in section 8D.13, subsection 17, a school
1 6 corporation, a city library, a library service area as
1 7 provided in chapter 256, a county library as provided in
1 8 chapter 336, or a judicial district department of correctional
1 9 services established in section 905.2, to the extent provided
1 10 in section 8D.13, subsection 15, an agency of the federal
1 11 government, or a United States post office which receives a
1 12 federal grant for pilot and demonstration projects, or a city
1 13 or county on behalf of a law enforcement agency, professional
1 14 or volunteer fire department, or emergency medical care
1 15 provider as defined in section 147A.1, strictly for the
1 16 purpose of connecting disparate communications systems to
1 17 provide for a multiagency or multijurisdictional public safety
1 18 response and training for that response.
1 19 Sec. 2. Section 8D.9, Code Supplement 2005, is amended by
1 20 adding the following new subsection:
1 21 NEW SUBSECTION. 5. A city or county on behalf of a law
1 22 enforcement agency, professional or volunteer fire department,
1 23 or emergency medical care provider as defined in section
1 24 147A.1, shall be authorized to access the Iowa communications
1 25 network for connection of disparate communications systems
1 26 between public agencies to provide for a multiagency or
1 27 multijurisdictional public safety response and training for
1 28 that response.
1 29 Sec. 3. Section 8D.13, Code Supplement 2005, is amended by
1 30 adding the following new subsection:
1 31 NEW SUBSECTION. 20. A city or county accessing the
1 32 network on behalf of a law enforcement agency, professional or
1 33 volunteer fire department, or emergency medical care provider
1 34 for the purpose of connecting disparate communications systems
1 35 to provide for a multiagency or multijurisdictional public
2 1 safety response, and training for that response, pursuant to
2 2 section 8D.9, subsection 5, shall be responsible for all costs
2 3 associated with becoming a part of the network.
2 4 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 80.28 STATEWIDE INTEROPERABLE RADIO
2 5 SYSTEM BOARD == ESTABLISHED == MEMBERS.
2 6 1. BOARD ESTABLISHED. A statewide interoperable radio
2 7 system board is established, under the joint purview of the
2 8 department and the state department of transportation. The
2 9 board shall develop, implement, and oversee policy,
2 10 operations, and fiscal components of communications
2 11 interoperability efforts at the state and local level, and
2 12 coordinate with similar efforts at the federal level, with the
2 13 ultimate objective of developing and overseeing the operation
2 14 of a statewide integrated public safety communications
2 15 interoperability system. For the purposes of this section and
2 16 section 80.29, "interoperability" means the ability of public
2 17 safety and public services personnel to communicate and to
2 18 share data on an immediate basis, on demand, when needed, and
2 19 when authorized.
2 20 2. MEMBERS. The board shall consist of fifteen voting
2 21 members, as follows:
2 22 a. The following members representing state agencies:
2 23 (1) One member representing the department of public
2 24 safety, who shall serve as chairperson.
2 25 (2) One member representing the state department of
2 26 transportation, who shall serve as vice chairperson.
2 27 (3) One member representing the homeland security and
2 28 emergency management division.
2 29 (4) One member representing the department of corrections.
2 30 (5) One member representing the department of natural
2 31 resources.
2 32 (6) One member representing the Iowa department of public
2 33 health.
2 34 b. The following members, to be appointed by the governor:
2 35 (1) Two members who are chiefs of police.
3 1 (2) Two members who are sheriffs.
3 2 (3) Two members who are fire chiefs.
3 3 (4) Two law communication center managers employed by
3 4 state or local government agencies.
3 5 (5) One at=large member.
3 6 Board members shall be appointed in compliance with
3 7 sections 69.16 and 69.16A. The members appointed by the
3 8 governor shall be appointed to three=year staggered terms and
3 9 the terms shall commence and end as provided by section 69.19.
3 10 If a vacancy occurs, a successor shall be appointed to serve
3 11 the unexpired term. A successor shall be appointed in the
3 12 same manner and subject to the same qualifications as the
3 13 original appointment to serve the unexpired term. Members of
3 14 the board are entitled to receive reimbursement for actual
3 15 expenses incurred while engaged in the performance of official
3 16 duties from funds appropriated to the department of public
3 17 safety and the state department of transportation for that
3 18 purpose. The departments shall enter into an agreement to
3 19 provide administrative assistance and support to the board.
3 20 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 80.29 BOARD DUTIES.
3 21 The statewide interoperable radio system board established
3 22 in section 80.28 shall:
3 23 1. Implement and maintain organizational and operational
3 24 elements of the board, including staffing and program
3 25 activity.
3 26 2. Review and monitor communications interoperability
3 27 performance and service levels on behalf of agencies.
3 28 3. Establish, monitor, and maintain appropriate policies
3 29 and protocols to ensure that interoperable communications
3 30 systems function properly.
3 31 4. Allocate and oversee state appropriations or other
3 32 funding received for interoperable communications.
3 33 5. Identify sources for ongoing, sustainable, longer=term
3 34 funding for communications interoperability projects,
3 35 including available and future assets that will leverage
4 1 resources and provide incentives for communications
4 2 interoperability participation, and develop and obtain
4 3 adequate funding in accordance with a communications
4 4 interoperability sustainability plan.
4 5 6. Develop and evaluate potential legislative solutions to
4 6 address the funding and resource challenges of implementing
4 7 statewide communications interoperability initiatives.
4 8 7. Develop a statewide integrated public safety
4 9 communications interoperability system that allows for shared
4 10 communications systems and costs, takes into account
4 11 infrastructure needs and requirements, improves reliability,
4 12 and addresses liability concerns of the shared network.
4 13 8. Investigate data and video interoperability systems.
4 14 9. Expand, maintain, and fund consistent, periodic
4 15 training programs for current communications systems and for
4 16 the statewide integrated public safety communications
4 17 interoperability system as it is implemented.
4 18 10. Expand, maintain, and fund stakeholder education,
4 19 public education, and public official education programs to
4 20 demonstrate the value of short=term communications
4 21 interoperability solutions, and to emphasize the importance of
4 22 developing and funding long=term solutions, including
4 23 implementation of the statewide integrated public safety
4 24 communications interoperability system.
4 25 11. Identify, promote, and provide incentives for
4 26 appropriate collaborations and partnerships among government
4 27 entities, agencies, businesses, organizations, and
4 28 associations, both public and private, relating to
4 29 communications interoperability.
4 30 12. Provide incentives to support maintenance and
4 31 expansion of regional efforts to promote implementation of the
4 32 statewide integrated public safety communications
4 33 interoperability system.
4 34 13. Submit a report by January 1, annually, to the members
4 35 of the general assembly regarding communications
5 1 interoperability efforts, activities, and effectiveness at the
5 2 local and regional level, and shall include a status report
5 3 regarding the development of a statewide integrated public
5 4 safety communications interoperability system, and funding
5 5 requirements relating thereto.
5 6 EXPLANATION
5 7 This bill concerns public safety communications and
5 8 enhancement of statewide communications interoperability
5 9 efforts.
5 10 The bill provides that for purposes of accessing the Iowa
5 11 communications network, a city or county on behalf of a law
5 12 enforcement agency, professional or volunteer fire department,
5 13 or emergency medical care provider as defined in Code section
5 14 147A.1, shall be considered a public agency and be authorized
5 15 access strictly for the purpose of connecting disparate
5 16 communications systems to provide for a multiagency or
5 17 multijurisdictional public safety response and training for
5 18 that response. The bill states that the city or county shall
5 19 be responsible for all costs associated with becoming a part
5 20 of the network.
5 21 The bill establishes a statewide interoperable radio system
5 22 board, under the joint purview of the department of public
5 23 safety and the state department of transportation. The bill
5 24 specifies that the board shall develop, implement, and oversee
5 25 policy, operations, and fiscal components of communications
5 26 interoperability efforts at the state and local level,
5 27 coordinate with similar efforts at the federal level, and
5 28 ultimately develop and oversee the operation of a statewide
5 29 integrated public safety communications interoperability
5 30 system. The bill defines "interoperability" as the ability of
5 31 public safety and public services personnel to communicate and
5 32 to share data on an immediate basis, on demand, when needed,
5 33 and when authorized.
5 34 The bill identifies 15 members of the board, all voting
5 35 members, and states that members not affiliated with or
6 1 representing a state agency shall be appointed by the
6 2 governor.
6 3 The bill includes provisions relating to the appointment of
6 4 members, terms of service, and vacancies. The bill states
6 5 that members shall receive reimbursement for actual expenses
6 6 incurred while engaged in the performance of official duties
6 7 from funds appropriated to the departments for that purpose,
6 8 and that the departments shall enter into an agreement to
6 9 provide administrative assistance and support to the board.
6 10 Regarding the duties of the board, the bill provides that
6 11 the board shall implement and maintain organizational and
6 12 operational elements of the board; review and monitor
6 13 communications interoperability performance and service levels
6 14 on behalf of participating agencies; establish, monitor, and
6 15 maintain appropriate policies and protocols to ensure that
6 16 interoperable communications systems function properly;
6 17 allocate and oversee state appropriations or other funding
6 18 received; identify longer=term funding sources for
6 19 communications interoperability projects, including assets
6 20 that will leverage resources and provide incentives for
6 21 communications interoperability participation; and develop and
6 22 obtain adequate funding in accordance with a communications
6 23 interoperability sustainability plan. The board shall,
6 24 additionally, develop a statewide integrated public safety
6 25 communications interoperability system that allows for shared
6 26 communications systems and costs, takes into account
6 27 infrastructure needs and requirements, improves reliability,
6 28 and addresses liability concerns of the shared network;
6 29 identify legislative solutions which could provide assistance
6 30 to the enhancement of communications interoperability;
6 31 investigate data and video interoperability systems, and
6 32 expand, maintain, and fund training programs relating to
6 33 current and long=term communications interoperability efforts.
6 34 Further, the board is directed to identify, promote, and
6 35 provide incentives for appropriate collaborations and
7 1 partnerships relating to communications interoperability and
7 2 to provide incentives to support maintenance and expansion of
7 3 regional efforts to promote implementation of the integrated
7 4 statewide public safety communications interoperability
7 5 system.
7 6 The bill provides that the board shall submit a report by
7 7 January 1, annually, to the members of the general assembly
7 8 regarding communications interoperability efforts, activities,
7 9 and effectiveness at the local and regional level. The report
7 10 is to include the status of efforts to develop the statewide
7 11 integrated public safety communications interoperability
7 12 system and funding requirements.
7 13 LSB 5933HH 81
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