Senate File 2134 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
(SUCCESSOR TO SSB 3033)
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to requirements and duties of members, directors,
2 and employees of county commissions of veteran affairs.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 5482SV 82
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 35A.5, subsection 9, Code Supplement
1 2 2007, is amended to read as follows:
1 3 9. After consultation with the commission, provide
1 4 training to executive commissioners, directors, and
1 5 administrators of county commissions of veteran affairs
1 6 pursuant to section 35B.6. The department may adopt rules in
1 7 accordance with chapter 17A to provide for training of county
1 8 veteran affairs executive commissioners, directors, and
1 9 administrators.
1 10 Sec. 2. Section 35B.6, Code 2007, is amended to read as
1 11 follows:
1 12 35B.6 QUALIFICATION == TRAINING == OFFICES.
1 13 1. a. The members of the commission shall qualify by
1 14 taking the usual oath of office, and give bond in the sum of
1 15 five hundred dollars each, conditioned for the faithful
1 16 discharge of their duties with sureties to be approved by the
1 17 county auditor. The commission shall organize by the
1 18 selection of one of their members as chairperson, and one as
1 19 secretary. The commission, subject to the approval of the
1 20 board of supervisors, shall have power to employ an executive
1 21 director and other necessary administrative or clerical
1 22 assistants when needed, the compensation of such employees to
1 23 be fixed by the board of supervisors, but no member of the
1 24 commission shall be so employed. The commission shall employ
1 25 a director or administrator, and other necessary
1 26 administrative or clerical assistants when needed. The
1 27 compensation of the director, administrator, or other
1 28 necessary administrative or clerical employees shall be set by
1 29 the commission at a rate comparable to the rate set for other
1 30 similar positions in the county. A commissioner shall not be
1 31 employed as a director, administrator, or an administrative or
1 32 clerical assistant. Commissioners shall complete a course of
1 33 initial training provided by the department of veterans
1 34 affairs pursuant to section 35A.5. The executive director
1 35 must possess the same qualifications as provided in section
2 1 35B.3 for commission members. However, this qualification
2 2 requirement shall not apply to a person employed as an
2 3 executive director prior to July 1, 1989.
2 4 b. The commission may employ an administrator in lieu of a
2 5 director. Administrators shall not be required to meet all
2 6 the qualifications provided in section 35B.3 for
2 7 commissioners. An administrator may hold another position
2 8 within the county or other government entity while serving as
2 9 an administrator only if such position does not adversely
2 10 affect the administrator's duties under this chapter.
2 11 c. Upon the employment of an executive a director or
2 12 administrator, the executive director or administrator shall
2 13 complete a course of initial training provided by the
2 14 department of veterans affairs pursuant to section 35A.5. If
2 15 an executive director is not appointed, a commissioner or a
2 16 clerical assistant shall complete the course of training. The
2 17 department shall issue the executive director, administrator,
2 18 commissioner, or clerical assistant a certificate of training
2 19 after completion of the initial training course. To maintain
2 20 annual certification, the executive director, administrator,
2 21 commissioner, or clerical assistant shall attend one
2 22 department training course each year. Failure to maintain
2 23 certification may be cause for removal from office. The
2 24 expenses of training shall be paid from the appropriation
2 25 authorized in section 35B.14.
2 26 d. The duties of the director, administrator, and clerical
2 27 assistant shall include all of the following:
2 28 (1) Inform members of the armed forces, veterans, and
2 29 their dependents of all federal, state, and local laws enacted
2 30 for their benefit.
2 31 (2) Assist all residents of the state who served in the
2 32 armed forces of the United States and their relatives,
2 33 beneficiaries, and dependents in receiving from the United
2 34 States and this state any and all compensation, pensions,
2 35 hospitalization, insurance, educational, employment pay and
3 1 gratuity, loan guarantees, or any other aid or benefit to
3 2 which they may be entitled under any law.
3 3 e. The department of veterans affairs or county veterans
3 4 affairs offices shall not charge for any service provided to
3 5 any individual.
3 6 2. Two or more boards of supervisors may agree, pursuant
3 7 to chapter 28E, to share the services of an executive a
3 8 director or administrator. The agreement shall provide for
3 9 the establishment of a commission of veteran affairs office in
3 10 each of the counties participating in the agreement.
3 11 3. The commission with the approval of the board of
3 12 supervisors shall appoint one of the deputies of the county
3 13 auditor to serve as administrative assistant to the
3 14 commission, to serve without additional compensation, unless
3 15 for good reasons shown, this arrangement is not feasible.
3 16 4. In counties where a The commission has established
3 17 shall establish an office, the office which shall be open a
3 18 minimum of four hours each workday twenty hours each workweek.
3 19 The hours that the office is open shall be posted in a
3 20 prominent position outside the office. In lieu of an office
3 21 being open a minimum of four hours each workday, the names,
3 22 home addresses, telephone numbers, and duties of commission
3 23 members shall be posted.
3 24 EXPLANATION
3 25 Current Code section 35B.6 allows county commissions of
3 26 veteran affairs to employ an executive director and other
3 27 necessary administrative or clerical assistants when needed.
3 28 This bill requires county commissions of veteran affairs to
3 29 employ a director or administrator, and other necessary
3 30 administrative or clerical employees. The bill changes the
3 31 term "executive director" to "director". If the county
3 32 commission of veteran affairs employs an administrator, the
3 33 administrator may hold another position within the county if
3 34 such position does not adversely affect the administrator's
3 35 duties. Compensation for the director, or administrator, and
4 1 other necessary employees shall be set by the commission at a
4 2 rate comparable to the rate set for similar positions in the
4 3 county. The bill prohibits commissioners from being employed
4 4 as a director, administrator, or other commission employee.
4 5 The bill also requires commissioners to complete a course
4 6 of initial training provided by the department of veterans
4 7 affairs. The director, administrator, commissioners, and
4 8 clerical assistants shall also attend one department training
4 9 course per year to maintain their annual certification.
4 10 The bill describes the duties of the director,
4 11 administrator, and clerical assistant. Those duties include
4 12 informing members of the armed forces, veterans, and their
4 13 dependents of all federal, state, and local laws enacted for
4 14 their benefit, and assisting all residents of the state who
4 15 served in the armed forces and their relatives, beneficiaries,
4 16 and dependents in receiving any and all compensation or any
4 17 other aid or benefit to which they may be entitled under any
4 18 law.
4 19 The bill allows two or more county boards of supervisors to
4 20 share the services of a director or administrator. The bill
4 21 requires each commission to establish an office which must be
4 22 open for at least 20 hours each workweek. The bill prohibits
4 23 charging any individual for any service provided by the
4 24 department of veterans affairs or county veteran affairs
4 25 offices.
4 26 LSB 5482SV 82
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