House File 599 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY GASKILL, KRESSIG, and KELLEY Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act expanding Iowa communications network access to include 2 counties. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2505HH 83 5 rn/nh/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 8D.2, subsection 5, paragraph a, Code 1 2 2009, 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 county, a city library, a library service area 1 7 as 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. 1 13 Sec. 2. Section 8D.3, subsection 3, paragraph i, Code 1 14 2009, is amended to read as follows: 1 15 i. Evaluate existing and projected rates for use of the 1 16 system and ensure that rates are sufficient to pay for the 1 17 operation of the system excluding the cost of construction and 1 18 lease costs for Parts I, II, and III. The commission shall 1 19 establish all hourly rates to be charged to all authorized 1 20 users for the use of the network and shall consider all costs 1 21 of the network in establishing the rates. A fee established 1 22 by the commission to be charged to a hospital licensed 1 23 pursuant to chapter 135B, a physician clinic, a county, or the 1 24 federal government shall be at an appropriate rate so that, at 1 25 a minimum, there is no state subsidy related to the costs of 1 26 the connection or use of the network related to such user. 1 27 Sec. 3. Section 8D.13, subsection 2, paragraph c, Code 1 28 2009, is amended to read as follows: 1 29 c. "Part III" means the communications connection between 1 30 the secondary switching centers and the agencies defined in 1 31 section 8D.2, subsections 4 and 5, excluding state agencies, 1 32 institutions under the control of the board of regents, 1 33 nonprofit institutions of higher education eligible for 1 34 tuition grants, and the judicial branch, judicial district 1 35 departments of correctional services, hospitals and physician 2 1 clinics, counties, agencies of the federal government, and 2 2 post offices. 2 3 Sec. 4. Section 8D.13, subsection 16, Code 2009, is 2 4 amended to read as follows: 2 5 16. Access shall be offered to hospitals licensed pursuant 2 6 to chapter 135B and physician clinics for diagnostic, 2 7 clinical, consultative, data, and educational services for the 2 8 purpose of developing a comprehensive, statewide telemedicine 2 9 network, to an agency of the federal government, to a county, 2 10 and to a post office defined as a public agency pursuant to 2 11 section 8D.2, subsection 5. A hospital, physician clinic, an 2 12 agency of the federal government, a county, or a post office 2 13 defined as a public agency pursuant to section 8D.2, 2 14 subsection 5, shall be responsible for all costs associated 2 15 with becoming a part of the network. 2 16 EXPLANATION 2 17 This bill expands the definition of a "public agency", 2 18 which is authorized to access the Iowa communications network, 2 19 to include counties. The bill provides that a county shall be 2 20 responsible for all costs associated with becoming a part of 2 21 the network. 2 22 LSB 2505HH 83 2 23 rn/nh/5