HF 2096 (LSB 5949YH (2) 83)

HOUSE FILE 2096

BY  ISENHART and KOESTER

A BILL FOR

An Act creating an Iowa institute for public policy.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  2E.1  IOWA INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY —— BOARD —— EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR —— FUNDING.
   1.  The Iowa institute for public policy shall be established as a nonprofit corporation under chapter 504 and section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The institute shall provide policymakers with timely information, research, and recommendations to assist policymakers in this state in making informed judgments about important long-term issues facing the state and to improve the effectiveness of government in the state.
   2.  a.  The board of directors of the Iowa institute for public policy shall consist of twelve members as follows:
   (1)  Two state representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one by the minority leader of the house, and two state senators, one appointed by the majority leader of the senate and one by the minority leader of the senate.
   (2)  Two members appointed by the governor.
   (3)  One member appointed by the president of the university of northern Iowa.
   (4)  One member appointed by the president of the university of Iowa.
   (5)  One member appointed by the president of Iowa state university of science and technology.
   (6)  One member appointed by the Iowa association of independent colleges and universities.
   (7)  One member appointed by the Iowa association of community college presidents.
   (8)  The director of the legislative services agency.
   b.  One co-chairperson shall be appointed by the board who is a state representative and one co-chairperson shall be appointed by the board who is a state senator. Members of the board other than the director of the legislative services agency shall serve two-year terms from the date of their appointment, and shall continue to serve until their successors have been appointed. A member shall not serve more than two consecutive terms. All members of the board serve at the pleasure of the respective appointing authority, if any.
   c.  The board of directors shall meet at least quarterly, or more frequently at the call of the co-chairpersons.
   d.  The board of directors shall adopt bylaws necessary for the conduct of the business of the institute consistent with this section.
   3.  The duties of the institute shall include but not be limited to the following:
   a.  Initiate, sponsor, conduct, and publish research useful to policymakers.
   b.  Organize conferences or other meetings on matters of common interest to policymakers, academic experts, and other stakeholders.
   c.  Conduct reviews and evaluations of state programs and policies for the purpose of enhancing their long-term effectiveness.
   d.  Provide technical and scientific assistance to policymakers in connection with long-term issues facing the state.
   e.  Strengthen the links between state government and Iowa’s academic, educational, and research communities in the interest of more informed policymaking and more relevant academic research.
   4.  a.  The board shall employ an executive director who shall serve as the chief executive officer for the institute. The executive director shall be responsible for all operations of the institute, including the hiring and supervision of staff which may be authorized by the board, contracting with university and other researchers, managing projects, and communicating with the public and other stakeholders, including the legislative council and legislative staff.
   b.  A person employed by the institute is a state employee for purposes of the Iowa public employees’ retirement system, state health and dental plans, and other state employee benefits plans and chapter 669. Chapters 8, 8A, and 20, and other provisions of law that relate to requirements or restrictions dealing with state personnel or state funds, do not apply to the institute or any employees of the board or the institute except to the extent provided in this chapter.
   5.  The institute shall be funded by appropriations by the general assembly and from other public sources which may be approved by the board. The institute shall accept no private funding, except long-term funding commitments of three years or more from private foundations or nonprofit organizations solely for the purpose of supporting the institute’s employment of students attending a postsecondary educational institution in Iowa, which funding may not be conditioned by the institute or the entity providing the funds to support any specific research project or any other program undertaken by the institute. The institute may employ such students directly or may support the employment of students by contract. The institute may impose registration fees on participants for conferences it organizes, and may retain the proceeds of such registration fees.
    Sec. 2.  REPEAL.  Section 7D.15, Code 2009, is repealed.
EXPLANATION
   This bill provides for the establishment of the Iowa institute for public policy as a nonprofit corporation for the purpose of assisting policymakers in this state in making informed judgments about important long-term issues facing the state and to improve the effectiveness of government in the state.
   The institute is governed by a 12-member board of directors. The membership of the board consists of two state representatives, two state senators, two members appointed by the governor, one member appointed by the president of the university of northern Iowa, one member appointed by the president of the university of Iowa, one member appointed by the president of Iowa state university of science and technology, one member appointed by the Iowa association of independent colleges and universities, one member appointed by the Iowa association of community college presidents, and the director of the legislative services agency. The bill provides that the board shall appoint co-chairpersons of the board, one who is a state representative and one who is a state senator. The bill provides for meetings of the board and for adoption of bylaws for the board and the institute.
   The bill provides that the board shall employ an executive director who shall be responsible for all operations of the institute, including the hiring and supervision of staff. The bill provides that employees of the institute or board shall be considered state employees for purposes of the Iowa public employees’ retirement system, state health and dental plans, and other state employee benefits plans and the state tort claims act. The bill also provides that the institute may be funded from public and private sources.
   Code section 7D.15, requiring the executive council to establish a public policy research foundation, is repealed.