Senate File 155 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1161) Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to local governments by creating a local 2 government innovation commission and fund, creating a center 3 for governing excellence, and including an effective date. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 1624SV 82 6 sc/cf/24 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 8.64, Code 2007, is amended by striking 1 2 the section and inserting in lieu thereof the following: 1 3 8.64 DEFINITIONS. 1 4 For purposes of sections 8.65 through 8.68: 1 5 1. "Commission" means the local government innovation 1 6 commission. 1 7 2. "Community=wide area" means a distinct geographical 1 8 area voluntarily formed by and comprised of counties, cities, 1 9 or townships, or any combination thereof, all of which possess 1 10 a degree of autonomy in a varying number of matters. State 1 11 agencies and school districts may also participate in a 1 12 community=wide area if joined by a county, city, or township. 1 13 3. "Department" means the department of management. 1 14 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 8.65 LOCAL GOVERNMENT INNOVATION 1 15 COMMISSION. 1 16 1. A local government innovation commission is created 1 17 consisting of fifteen voting members and six nonvoting 1 18 members. 1 19 a. Voting members of the commission shall be appointed for 1 20 a term of three years as follows: 1 21 (1) One member representing the executive branch appointed 1 22 by the governor. 1 23 (2) Two members representing county government appointed 1 24 by the president of the Iowa state association of counties. 1 25 (3) Two members representing city government appointed by 1 26 the president of the Iowa league of cities. 1 27 (4) One member representing community colleges appointed 1 28 by the president of the Iowa association of community college 1 29 presidents. 1 30 (5) One member representing school districts appointed by 1 31 the president of the Iowa association of school boards. 1 32 (6) One member representing the councils of governments 1 33 appointed by the president of the Iowa association of councils 1 34 of government. 1 35 (7) One member representing local law enforcement or fire 2 1 protection appointed by the governor. 2 2 (8) Two members appointed by the governor, both of whom 2 3 shall possess private business expertise and who are not 2 4 employees of any level of government. 2 5 (9) Four members representing the general public, one each 2 6 appointed by the majority leader of the senate, the minority 2 7 leader of the senate, the speaker of the house of 2 8 representatives, and the minority leader of the house of 2 9 representatives. 2 10 b. Four nonvoting members of the general assembly shall be 2 11 appointed for a term of two years commencing at the convening 2 12 of each general assembly, one each appointed by the majority 2 13 leader of the senate, the minority leader of the senate, the 2 14 speaker of the house of representatives, and the minority 2 15 leader of the house of representatives. However, initial 2 16 appointments of members under this paragraph shall be made on 2 17 the effective date of this Act. 2 18 c. Two nonvoting members shall be appointed for a term of 2 19 three years. One of the members shall be the administrator of 2 20 the homeland security and emergency management division of the 2 21 Iowa department of public defense, and the other member shall 2 22 be the director of the department of economic development or 2 23 the director's designee. 2 24 2. a. Terms of voting members and of nonvoting members 2 25 specified in subsection 1, paragraph "c", shall begin and end 2 26 as provided by section 69.19. Any vacancy shall be filled in 2 27 the same manner as regular appointments are made for the 2 28 unexpired portion of the regular term. 2 29 b. Members of the commission shall be allowed their actual 2 30 and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their 2 31 duties. The members of the commission representing the 2 32 general public shall also be compensated as provided in 2 33 section 7E.6. Per diem and expenses paid to commission 2 34 members shall be paid from moneys appropriated to the local 2 35 government innovation fund, except that the per diem and 3 1 expenses of members of the general assembly shall be paid 3 2 pursuant to section 2.12. 3 3 c. The commission shall meet in May of each year for the 3 4 purpose of electing one of its voting members as chairperson. 3 5 The commission shall meet at the call of the chairperson or 3 6 when a majority of the voting members of the commission files 3 7 a written request with the chairperson for a meeting. Written 3 8 notice of the time and place of each meeting shall be given to 3 9 each member of the commission. 3 10 d. A majority of the voting members of the commission 3 11 constitutes a quorum. Any action taken by the commission must 3 12 be adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of its voting 3 13 membership. 3 14 e. The commission is located for administrative purposes 3 15 within the department. The department shall provide office 3 16 space, staff assistance, administrative support, and necessary 3 17 supplies and equipment to the commission. 3 18 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 8.66 DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 3 19 The commission shall do all of the following: 3 20 1. Promote, encourage, and advance innovation and 3 21 creativity in local governance. 3 22 2. Develop an application and review process for local 3 23 governance and revenue models submitted to the commission by a 3 24 community=wide area. Results, strategies, and desired 3 25 outcomes identified by the commission in developing its 3 26 application and review process shall include but not be 3 27 limited to the following: 3 28 a. Cost savings to citizens, in particular lowering of 3 29 local government property taxes. 3 30 b. Creation of, or inducement to create, high=wage, stable 3 31 employment opportunities for a local government's citizens and 3 32 more effective leveraging of resources to improve competitive 3 33 advantage. 3 34 c. Elimination of duplication of government 3 35 administration. 4 1 d. More efficient and effective delivery of services by 4 2 government, including eliminating duplication of service 4 3 delivery by more than one unit of government in the same area 4 4 and modernizing services and service delivery to meet the 4 5 changing public service needs of the area. 4 6 e. Creation of a state=local partnership in one or more 4 7 areas of service delivery and governance that would increase 4 8 quality and efficiency on the local level. 4 9 3. Design an application form to be completed by a 4 10 community=wide area seeking review of a local governance and 4 11 revenue model. The application form shall require the 4 12 community=wide area to demonstrate how the local governance 4 13 and revenue model will result in reduced local government or 4 14 state general fund expenditures, how local government fund 4 15 revenues will increase without an increase in state costs, how 4 16 local government services will be provided more efficiently or 4 17 will be of increased quality resulting in greater value from 4 18 the expenditure of local government revenues, or how the model 4 19 develops partnerships with the state to provide increased 4 20 quality and efficiency on the local level. 4 21 4. Utilize the department of management, the department of 4 22 revenue, or other sources of technical expertise designated by 4 23 the commission to certify savings projected for a proposed 4 24 local governance and revenue model. 4 25 5. On or before January 1, 2009, submit to the general 4 26 assembly and to the office of the governor recommendations for 4 27 legislation that would provide flexibility and freedom to 4 28 local governments in implementing governance and revenue 4 29 models. 4 30 6. a. Prepare a request for proposals for establishment 4 31 of an Iowa center for governing excellence as provided in 4 32 section 8.68, and prepare procedures and a timetable for 4 33 submission and review of proposals and for selection of a 4 34 proposal. The proposal process shall be open to public and 4 35 private not=for=profit institutions of higher education, 5 1 either individually or in collaboration, located in this state 5 2 and accredited by the north central association of colleges 5 3 and secondary schools. 5 4 b. The request for proposals shall require each proposal 5 5 to provide for employment of a full=time director and 5 6 administrative assistant at the center. 5 7 c. The request for proposals shall require each proposal 5 8 to specify all of the following: 5 9 (1) The number and subject area specialties of the 5 10 research staff; the office space; the support staff; and the 5 11 computer, library, and research facilities to be provided by 5 12 the proposing institution or institutions. 5 13 (2) The personnel, facilities, and support provided for 5 14 the training of policymakers, public officials, and students 5 15 in areas including but not limited to public administration 5 16 and management, budgetary preparation and analysis, electronic 5 17 government, local=state government relations, and public 5 18 policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation. 5 19 (3) The funding to be committed by the proposing 5 20 institution or institutions. 5 21 7. Oversee and direct the activities of the Iowa center 5 22 for governing excellence. 5 23 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 8.67 LOCAL GOVERNMENT INNOVATION 5 24 FUND. 5 25 1. A local government innovation fund is created in the 5 26 state treasury under the control of the department of 5 27 management for the purpose of stimulating and encouraging 5 28 innovation in local government by providing moneys for the 5 29 purpose of providing grants to assist in the implementation of 5 30 local governance and revenue models. 5 31 2. Officials of a community=wide area who have submitted a 5 32 local governance and revenue model to the commission for 5 33 review may apply to the commission for a grant from the local 5 34 government innovation fund to implement all or a portion of 5 35 such governance and revenue model. Officials seeking a grant 6 1 from the fund shall complete an application form designed by 6 2 the commission. Minimum requirements for local government 6 3 grant requests shall be determined by the commission and 6 4 adopted by rule by the department of management. 6 5 3. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest 6 6 or earnings on moneys deposited in the local government 6 7 innovation fund shall be credited to the local government 6 8 innovation fund. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys 6 9 appropriated to and moneys remaining in the local government 6 10 innovation fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert 6 11 to the general fund of the state. 6 12 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 8.68 IOWA CENTER FOR GOVERNING 6 13 EXCELLENCE. 6 14 1. The commission shall establish an Iowa center for 6 15 governing excellence. The purpose of the Iowa center for 6 16 governing excellence is to do all of the following: 6 17 a. Enhance the accountability, effectiveness, and 6 18 efficiency of Iowa's local governments and state agencies by 6 19 providing objective and nonpartisan research and training 6 20 support for policymakers and government officials. 6 21 b. Integrate the research capacities of the community 6 22 colleges and public and private universities located in this 6 23 state and of organizations representing local governments to 6 24 support management and policy research. 6 25 c. Facilitate dialogues among Iowa's state agencies, local 6 26 governments, community colleges, public and private 6 27 universities, organizations representing local governments, 6 28 and citizens on government policy design, implementation, and 6 29 evaluation. 6 30 2. After its creation, the center may solicit, accept, and 6 31 administer moneys contributed to the center by any source, and 6 32 may enter into contracts with public or private agencies or 6 33 may enter into agreements subject to chapter 28E with public 6 34 and private agencies in order to carry out its purposes. All 6 35 records of the center including but not limited to records of 7 1 donations to the center and contracts or agreements entered 7 2 into by the center shall be public records for purposes of 7 3 chapter 22. 7 4 3. The center shall submit an annual report of the 7 5 activities of the center to the governor and to the general 7 6 assembly as provided in section 7A.11A by January 15 of each 7 7 year. 7 8 4. The local government innovation commission created in 7 9 section 8.65 shall oversee and direct the activities of the 7 10 Iowa center for governing excellence. 7 11 Sec. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of 7 12 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment. 7 13 EXPLANATION 7 14 This bill makes changes relating to local governments by 7 15 creating a local government innovation commission and fund and 7 16 by creating a center for governing excellence. 7 17 The bill creates the local government innovation 7 18 commission, which is located in the department of management 7 19 for administrative purposes. Members of the commission 7 20 represent the executive branch, county and city governments, 7 21 school districts, community colleges, councils of governments, 7 22 local law enforcement or fire protection, the homeland 7 23 security and emergency management division of the Iowa 7 24 department of public defense, the department of economic 7 25 development, and the private business sector. Four members of 7 26 the general assembly are appointed as nonvoting members of the 7 27 commission. The commission is to develop a request for 7 28 results application and review process to review local 7 29 governance and revenue models submitted by community=wide 7 30 areas. The bill requires the commission to report to the 7 31 general assembly and to the governor's office on or before 7 32 January 1, 2009, with recommendations for legislative changes 7 33 that would provide flexibility and freedom to community=wide 7 34 areas in implementing governance and revenue models. The bill 7 35 defines "community=wide area". 8 1 The bill directs the commission to prepare a request for 8 2 proposals for establishment of an Iowa center for governing 8 3 excellence. The bill provides that the purpose of the center 8 4 for governing excellence is to provide objective and 8 5 nonpartisan research and training for policymakers and 8 6 government officials; to integrate the research capacities of 8 7 community colleges and public and private universities and of 8 8 local government organizations; and to facilitate dialogues 8 9 among Iowa's state agencies, local governments, community 8 10 colleges, universities, and citizens on government policy 8 11 design, implementation, and evaluation. The bill provides 8 12 that the activities of the Iowa center for governing 8 13 excellence shall be directed and supervised by the local 8 14 government innovation commission. 8 15 The bill creates a local government innovation fund for the 8 16 purpose of providing grants to community=wide areas to assist 8 17 in the implementation of local governance and revenue models 8 18 that have been reviewed by the commission. 8 19 The bill takes effect upon enactment. 8 20 LSB 1624SV 82 8 21 sc:rj/cf/24