House File 2526 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2170) Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act establishing an Iowa Civil War sesquicentennial commission 2 and fund and providing for its prospective repeal. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5083HV 81 5 ec/gg/14 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 7G.1 IOWA CIVIL WAR 1 2 SESQUICENTENNIAL COMMISSION. 1 3 1. ORGANIZATION. An Iowa Civil War sesquicentennial 1 4 commission is established in the office of the governor. The 1 5 commission shall be chartered and shall operate as a nonprofit 1 6 corporation within the state of Iowa, according to the 1 7 provisions of chapter 504. 1 8 2. PURPOSE. The purpose of the commission shall be to 1 9 plan, coordinate, and administer activities and programs 1 10 during the years 2011 through 2015 relating to the 1 11 commemoration of the sesquicentennial of Iowa's involvement in 1 12 the American Civil War. 1 13 3. MEMBERSHIP. The commission shall consist of twenty= 1 14 five members, five of whom shall be appointed by the governor, 1 15 and twenty of whom shall be selected by leaders of the general 1 16 assembly. Of the five members appointed by the governor, one 1 17 member shall be the administrator of the state historical 1 18 society within the department of cultural affairs. Of the 1 19 twenty members selected by leaders of the general assembly, 1 20 five public members each shall be selected by the majority 1 21 leader of the senate and the speaker of the house, and the 1 22 minority leaders of each body respectively. The governor 1 23 shall appoint the chairperson and co=chairperson of the 1 24 commission, subject to confirmation by the senate. Persons 1 25 making appointments shall consult with one another to ensure 1 26 that the commission is balanced by gender, political 1 27 affiliation, and geographic location, and to ensure selection 1 28 of members representing diverse interest groups. The 1 29 provisions of chapters 21 and 22 shall apply to meetings and 1 30 records of the commission. 1 31 4. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY. The commission may adopt rules 1 32 in accordance with chapter 17A in order to accomplish the 1 33 purpose of the commission. 1 34 5. AUTHORITY. The commission may receive and make grants, 1 35 receive and expend appropriations, contract for services, hold 2 1 licenses and copyrights, and otherwise act as is necessary to 2 2 accomplish the purpose of the commission. 2 3 6. FUND ESTABLISHED. The sesquicentennial fund is 2 4 established as a separate fund in the state treasury under the 2 5 control of the commission. 2 6 7. FUNDS RECEIVED. All funds received by the commission, 2 7 including but not limited to gifts, transfers, endowments, 2 8 moneys from the sale of mementos and products related to the 2 9 purposes of the commission, and appropriations, shall be 2 10 credited to the sesquicentennial fund and are appropriated to 2 11 the commission to be invested or used to support the 2 12 activities of the commission. Notwithstanding section 8.33, 2 13 any balance in the fund on June 30 of any fiscal year shall 2 14 not revert to the general fund of the state. 2 15 8. PERSONNEL. 2 16 a. The commission may employ personnel, including an 2 17 executive director whose salary shall not exceed executive 2 18 branch pay grade classification 40, to administer its programs 2 19 and services. The personnel shall be considered state 2 20 employees. 2 21 b. Personnel employed by the commission shall be exempt 2 22 from the merit system provisions of chapter 8A, subchapter IV. 2 23 9. EXPIRATION. The commission shall expire no later than 2 24 June 30, 2016. Upon expiration, all fund balances from 2 25 appropriations of state funds shall be returned to the general 2 26 fund of the state, and all other assets shall be transferred 2 27 to the Iowa historical foundation authorized pursuant to 2 28 section 303.9, subsection 3, subject to any conditions or 2 29 restrictions previously placed on the assets. 2 30 10. This section is repealed June 30, 2016. 2 31 EXPLANATION 2 32 This bill establishes an Iowa Civil War sesquicentennial 2 33 commission as established in the office of the governor. The 2 34 commission shall be chartered and shall operate as a nonprofit 2 35 corporation within the state of Iowa. The purpose of the 3 1 commission is to plan, coordinate, and administer activities 3 2 and programs during the years 2011 through 2015 relating to 3 3 the commemoration of the sesquicentennial of Iowa's 3 4 involvement in the American Civil War. 3 5 The bill provides that the commission consist of 25 3 6 members, with five members appointed by the governor and 20 3 7 public members selected by legislative leaders. The bill 3 8 grants authority to the commission to adopt rules, receive and 3 9 expend funds, and to employ personnel, including an executive 3 10 director. The bill establishes a sesquicentennial fund under 3 11 the control of the commission. The bill provides that the 3 12 commission expires no later than June 30, 2016, and all fund 3 13 balances from state appropriations shall be returned to the 3 14 general fund of the state and all other assets shall be 3 15 transferred to the Iowa historical foundation. 3 16 The bill also provides that it is repealed on June 30, 3 17 2016. 3 18 LSB 5083HV 81 3 19 ec:rj/gg/14