Senate File 2186 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY DOTZLER, HANCOCK,
and DANIELSON
(COMPANION TO LSB 5933HH
BY KRESSIG)
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, 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 5933SS 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.
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.
1 28 Sec. 3. Section 8D.13, Code Supplement 2005, is amended by
1 29 adding the following new subsection:
1 30 NEW SUBSECTION. 20. A city or county accessing the
1 31 network on behalf of a law enforcement agency, professional or
1 32 volunteer fire department, or emergency medical care provider
1 33 for the purpose of connecting disparate communications systems
1 34 to provide for a multiagency or multijurisdictional public
1 35 safety response pursuant to section 8D.9, subsection 5, shall
2 1 be responsible for all costs associated with becoming a part
2 2 of the network.
2 3 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 80.28 STATEWIDE INTEROPERABLE RADIO
2 4 SYSTEM BOARD == ESTABLISHED == MEMBERS.
2 5 1. BOARD ESTABLISHED. A statewide interoperable radio
2 6 system board is established, under the joint purview of the
2 7 department and the state department of transportation. The
2 8 board shall develop, implement, and oversee policy,
2 9 operations, and fiscal components of communications
2 10 interoperability efforts at the state and local level, and
2 11 coordinate with similar efforts at the federal level, with the
2 12 ultimate objective of developing and overseeing the operation
2 13 of a statewide integrated public safety communications
2 14 interoperability system. For the purposes of this section and
2 15 section 80.29, "interoperability" means the ability of public
2 16 safety and public services personnel to communicate and to
2 17 share data on an immediate basis, on demand, when needed, and
2 18 when authorized.
2 19 2. MEMBERS. The board shall consist of fifteen voting
2 20 members, as follows:
2 21 a. The following members representing state agencies:
2 22 (1) One member representing the department of public
2 23 safety, who shall serve as chairperson.
2 24 (2) One member representing the state department of
2 25 transportation, who shall serve as vice chairperson.
2 26 (3) One member representing the homeland security and
2 27 emergency management division.
2 28 (4) One member representing the department of corrections.
2 29 (5) One member representing the department of natural
2 30 resources.
2 31 (6) One member representing the Iowa department of public
2 32 health.
2 33 b. The following members, to be appointed by the governor:
2 34 (1) Two members who are chiefs of police.
2 35 (2) Two members who are sheriffs.
3 1 (3) Two members who are fire chiefs.
3 2 (4) Two law enforcement communications experts employed by
3 3 state or local government agencies.
3 4 (5) One at=large member.
3 5 Board members shall be appointed in compliance with
3 6 sections 69.16 and 69.16A. The members appointed by the
3 7 governor shall be appointed to three=year staggered terms and
3 8 the terms shall commence and end as provided by section 69.19.
3 9 If a vacancy occurs, a successor shall be appointed to serve
3 10 the unexpired term. A successor shall be appointed in the
3 11 same manner and subject to the same qualifications as the
3 12 original appointment to serve the unexpired term. Members of
3 13 the board are entitled to receive reimbursement for actual
3 14 expenses incurred while engaged in the performance of official
3 15 duties from funds appropriated to the department of public
3 16 safety and the state department of transportation for that
3 17 purpose. The departments shall enter into an agreement to
3 18 provide administrative assistance and support to the board.
3 19 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 80.29 BOARD DUTIES.
3 20 The statewide interoperable radio system board established
3 21 in section 80.28 shall:
3 22 1. Implement and maintain organizational and operational
3 23 elements of the board, including staffing and program
3 24 activity.
3 25 2. Review and monitor communications interoperability
3 26 performance and service levels on behalf of agencies.
3 27 3. Establish, monitor, and maintain appropriate policies
3 28 and protocols to ensure that interoperable communications
3 29 systems function properly.
3 30 4. Allocate and oversee state appropriations or other
3 31 funding received for interoperable communications.
3 32 5. Identify sources for ongoing, sustainable, longer=term
3 33 funding for communications interoperability projects,
3 34 including available and future assets that will leverage
3 35 resources and provide incentives for communications
4 1 interoperability participation, and develop and obtain
4 2 adequate funding in accordance with a communications
4 3 interoperability sustainability plan.
4 4 6. Develop and evaluate potential legislative solutions to
4 5 address the funding and resource challenges of implementing
4 6 statewide communications interoperability initiatives.
4 7 7. Develop a statewide integrated public safety
4 8 communications interoperability system that allows for shared
4 9 communications systems and costs, takes into account
4 10 infrastructure needs and requirements, improves reliability,
4 11 and addresses liability concerns of the shared network.
4 12 8. Investigate data and video interoperability systems.
4 13 9. Expand, maintain, and fund consistent, periodic
4 14 training programs for current communications systems and for
4 15 the statewide integrated public safety communications
4 16 interoperability system as it is implemented.
4 17 10. Expand, maintain, and fund stakeholder education,
4 18 public education, and public official education programs to
4 19 demonstrate the value of short=term communications
4 20 interoperability solutions, and to emphasize the importance of
4 21 developing and funding long=term solutions, including
4 22 implementation of the statewide integrated public safety
4 23 communications interoperability system.
4 24 11. Identify, promote, and provide incentives for
4 25 appropriate collaborations and partnerships among government
4 26 entities, agencies, businesses, organizations, and
4 27 associations, both public and private, relating to
4 28 communications interoperability.
4 29 12. Provide incentives to support maintenance and
4 30 expansion of regional efforts to promote implementation of the
4 31 statewide integrated public safety communications
4 32 interoperability system.
4 33 13. Submit a report by January 1, annually, to the members
4 34 of the general assembly regarding communications
4 35 interoperability efforts, activities, and effectiveness at the
5 1 local and regional level, and shall include a status report
5 2 regarding the development of a statewide integrated public
5 3 safety communications interoperability system, and funding
5 4 requirements relating thereto.
5 5 EXPLANATION
5 6 This bill concerns public safety communications and
5 7 enhancement of statewide communications interoperability
5 8 efforts.
5 9 The bill provides that for purposes of accessing the Iowa
5 10 communications network, a city or county on behalf of a law
5 11 enforcement agency, professional or volunteer fire department,
5 12 or emergency medical care provider as defined in Code section
5 13 147A.1, shall be considered a public agency and be authorized
5 14 access strictly for the purpose of connecting disparate
5 15 communications systems to provide for a multiagency or
5 16 multijurisdictional public safety response. The bill states
5 17 that the city or county shall be responsible for all costs
5 18 associated with becoming a part of the network.
5 19 The bill establishes a statewide interoperable radio system
5 20 board, under the joint purview of the department of public
5 21 safety and the state department of transportation. The bill
5 22 specifies that the board shall develop, implement, and oversee
5 23 policy, operations, and fiscal components of communications
5 24 interoperability efforts at the state and local level,
5 25 coordinate with similar efforts at the federal level, and
5 26 ultimately develop and oversee the operation of a statewide
5 27 integrated public safety communications interoperability
5 28 system. The bill defines "interoperability" as the ability of
5 29 public safety and public services personnel to communicate and
5 30 to share data on an immediate basis, on demand, when needed,
5 31 and when authorized.
5 32 The bill identifies 15 members of the board, all voting
5 33 members, and states that members not affiliated with or
5 34 representing a state agency shall be appointed by the
5 35 governor.
6 1 The bill includes provisions relating to the appointment of
6 2 members, terms of service, and vacancies. The bill states
6 3 that members shall receive reimbursement for actual expenses
6 4 incurred while engaged in the performance of official duties
6 5 from funds appropriated to the departments for that purpose,
6 6 and that the departments shall enter into an agreement to
6 7 provide administrative assistance and support to the board.
6 8 Regarding the duties of the board, the bill provides that
6 9 the board shall implement and maintain organizational and
6 10 operational elements of the board; review and monitor
6 11 communications interoperability performance and service levels
6 12 on behalf of participating agencies; establish, monitor, and
6 13 maintain appropriate policies and protocols to ensure that
6 14 interoperable communications systems function properly;
6 15 allocate and oversee state appropriations or other funding
6 16 received; identify longer=term funding sources for
6 17 communications interoperability projects, including assets
6 18 that will leverage resources and provide incentives for
6 19 communications interoperability participation; and develop and
6 20 obtain adequate funding in accordance with a communications
6 21 interoperability sustainability plan. The board shall,
6 22 additionally, develop a statewide integrated public safety
6 23 communications interoperability system that allows for shared
6 24 communications systems and costs, takes into account
6 25 infrastructure needs and requirements, improves reliability,
6 26 and addresses liability concerns of the shared network;
6 27 identify legislative solutions which could provide assistance
6 28 to the enhancement of communications interoperability;
6 29 investigate data and video interoperability systems, and
6 30 expand, maintain, and fund training programs relating to
6 31 current and long=term communications interoperability efforts.
6 32 Further, the board is directed to identify, promote, and
6 33 provide incentives for appropriate collaborations and
6 34 partnerships relating to communications interoperability and
6 35 to provide incentives to support maintenance and expansion of
7 1 regional efforts to promote implementation of the integrated
7 2 statewide public safety communications interoperability
7 3 system.
7 4 The bill provides that the board shall submit a report by
7 5 January 1, annually, to the members of the general assembly
7 6 regarding communications interoperability efforts, activities,
7 7 and effectiveness at the local and regional level. The report
7 8 is to include the status of efforts to develop the statewide
7 9 integrated public safety communications interoperability
7 10 system and funding requirements.
7 11 LSB 5933SS 81
7 12 rn:nh/sh/8