House File 357 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 55) Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act creating a disaster aid individual assistance grant fund. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1266HV 82 4 ec/gg/14 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 29C.20A DISASTER AID INDIVIDUAL 1 2 ASSISTANCE GRANT FUND. 1 3 1. A disaster aid individual assistance grant fund is 1 4 created in the state treasury for the use of the executive 1 5 council. Moneys in the fund may be expended following the 1 6 governor's proclamation of a state of disaster emergency. The 1 7 executive council may make financial grants to meet 1 8 disaster=related expenses or serious needs of individuals or 1 9 families adversely affected by a disaster which cannot 1 10 otherwise be met by other means of financial assistance. The 1 11 aggregate total of grants awarded shall not be more than one 1 12 million dollars during a fiscal year. However, within the 1 13 same fiscal year, additional funds may be specifically 1 14 authorized by the executive council to meet additional needs. 1 15 2. The grant funds shall be administered by the department 1 16 of human services. The department shall adopt rules to create 1 17 the Iowa disaster aid individual assistance grant program. 1 18 The rules shall specify the eligibility of applicants and 1 19 eligible items for grant funding. The rules shall be adopted 1 20 no later than January 1, 2008. The executive council shall 1 21 use grant funds to reimburse the department of human services 1 22 for its actual expenses associated with the administration of 1 23 the grants. 1 24 3. The amount of a grant shall not exceed twenty=five 1 25 percent of one hundred thirty percent of the federal poverty 1 26 level as defined by the most recently revised poverty income 1 27 guidelines published by the United States department of health 1 28 and human services. Expenses eligible for grant funding shall 1 29 be limited to personal property, home repair, and temporary 1 30 housing assistance. An applicant for a grant shall sign an 1 31 affidavit committing to refund any part of the grant that is 1 32 duplicated by any other assistance, such as but not limited to 1 33 insurance or assistance from community development groups, 1 34 charities, the small business administration, and the federal 1 35 emergency management agency. 2 1 EXPLANATION 2 2 This bill, in new Code section 29C.20A, creates a disaster 2 3 aid individual assistance grant fund for the use of the 2 4 executive council. The fund may be used to make financial 2 5 grants of up to $1 million in a fiscal year following a 2 6 governor's disaster proclamation to meet the needs of 2 7 individuals affected by the disaster. The fund will be 2 8 administered by the department of human services, which shall 2 9 adopt appropriate rules. In addition, the executive council 2 10 shall use grant funds to reimburse the department of human 2 11 services for its expenses in administering the fund. Grants 2 12 are limited to 25 percent of 130 percent of the federal 2 13 poverty level and may be used only for replacement of personal 2 14 property, home repair, and temporary housing assistance. 2 15 LSB 1266HV 82 2 16 ec:nh/gg/14