House Study Bill 293
HOUSE FILE
BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON
STATE GOVERNMENT BILL
BY CHAIRPERSON MASCHER)
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act establishing an Iowa institute for public policy.
2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
3 TLSB 2705HC 83
4 ec/nh/14
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 2E.1 IOWA INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC
1 2 POLICY == BOARD == EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR == FUNDING.
1 3 1. The Iowa institute for public policy shall be
1 4 established as a nonprofit corporation under chapter 504 and
1 5 section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The institute
1 6 shall provide policymakers with timely information, research,
1 7 and recommendations to assist policymakers in this state in
1 8 making informed judgments about important long=term issues
1 9 facing the state and to improve the effectiveness of
1 10 government in the state.
1 11 2. a. The board of directors of the Iowa institute for
1 12 public policy shall consist of twelve members as follows:
1 13 (1) Two state representatives, one appointed by the
1 14 speaker of the house of representatives and one by the
1 15 minority leader of the house, and two state senators, one
1 16 appointed by the majority leader of the senate and one by the
1 17 minority leader of the senate.
1 18 (2) Two members appointed by the governor.
1 19 (3) One member appointed by the president of the
1 20 university of northern Iowa.
1 21 (4) One member appointed by the president of the
1 22 university of Iowa.
1 23 (5) One member appointed by the president of Iowa state
1 24 university of science and technology.
1 25 (6) One member appointed by the Iowa association of
1 26 independent colleges and universities.
1 27 (7) One member appointed by the Iowa association of
1 28 community college presidents.
1 29 (8) The director of the legislative services agency.
1 30 b. One co=chairperson shall be appointed by the board who
1 31 is a state representative and one co=chairperson shall be
1 32 appointed by the board who is a state senator. Members of the
1 33 board other than the director of the legislative services
1 34 agency shall serve two=year terms from the date of their
1 35 appointment, and shall continue to serve until their
2 1 successors have been appointed. A member shall not serve more
2 2 than two consecutive terms. All members of the board serve at
2 3 the pleasure of the respective appointing authority, if any.
2 4 c. The board of directors shall meet at least quarterly,
2 5 or more frequently at the call of the co=chairpersons.
2 6 d. The board of directors shall adopt bylaws necessary for
2 7 the conduct of the business of the institute consistent with
2 8 this section.
2 9 3. The duties of the institute shall include but not be
2 10 limited to the following:
2 11 a. Initiate, sponsor, conduct, and publish research useful
2 12 to policymakers.
2 13 b. Organize conferences or other meetings on matters of
2 14 common interest to policymakers, academic experts, and other
2 15 stakeholders.
2 16 c. Conduct reviews and evaluations of state programs and
2 17 policies for the purpose of enhancing their long=term
2 18 effectiveness.
2 19 d. Provide technical and scientific assistance to
2 20 policymakers in connection with long=term issues facing the
2 21 state.
2 22 e. Strengthen the links between state government and
2 23 Iowa's academic, educational, and research communities in the
2 24 interest of more informed policymaking and more relevant
2 25 academic research.
2 26 4. a. The board shall employ an executive director who
2 27 shall serve as the chief executive officer for the institute.
2 28 The executive director shall be responsible for all operations
2 29 of the institute, including the hiring and supervision of
2 30 staff which may be authorized by the board, contracting with
2 31 university and other researchers, managing projects, and
2 32 communicating with the public and other stakeholders,
2 33 including the legislative council and legislative staff.
2 34 b. A person employed by the institute is a state employee
2 35 for purposes of the Iowa public employees' retirement system,
3 1 state health and dental plans, and other state employee
3 2 benefits plans and chapter 669. Chapters 8, 8A, and 20, and
3 3 other provisions of law that relate to requirements or
3 4 restrictions dealing with state personnel or state funds, do
3 5 not apply to the institute or any employees of the board or
3 6 the institute except to the extent provided in this chapter.
3 7 5. The institute shall be funded by appropriations by the
3 8 general assembly and from other public sources which may be
3 9 approved by the board. The institute shall accept no private
3 10 funding, except long=term funding commitments of three years
3 11 or more from private foundations or nonprofit organizations
3 12 solely for the purpose of supporting the institute's
3 13 employment of students attending a postsecondary educational
3 14 institution in Iowa, which funding may not be conditioned by
3 15 the institute or the entity providing the funds to support any
3 16 specific research project or any other program undertaken by
3 17 the institute. The institute may employ such students
3 18 directly or may support the employment of students by
3 19 contract. The institute may impose registration fees on
3 20 participants for conferences it organizes, and may retain the
3 21 proceeds of such registration fees.
3 22 Sec. 2. Section 7D.15, Code 2009, is repealed.
3 23 EXPLANATION
3 24 This bill provides for the establishment of the Iowa
3 25 institute for public policy as a nonprofit corporation for the
3 26 purpose of assisting policymakers in this state in making
3 27 informed judgments about important long=term issues facing the
3 28 state and to improve the effectiveness of government in the
3 29 state.
3 30 The institute is governed by a 12=member board of
3 31 directors. The membership of the board consists of two state
3 32 representatives, two state senators, two members appointed by
3 33 the governor, one member appointed by the president of the
3 34 university of northern Iowa, one member appointed by the
3 35 president of the university of Iowa, one member appointed by
4 1 the president of Iowa state university of science and
4 2 technology, one member appointed by the Iowa association of
4 3 independent colleges and universities, one member appointed by
4 4 the Iowa association of community college presidents, and the
4 5 director of the legislative services agency. The bill
4 6 provides that the board shall appoint co=chairpersons of the
4 7 board, one who is a state representative and one who is a
4 8 state senator. The bill provides for meetings of the board
4 9 and for adoption of bylaws for the board and the institute.
4 10 The bill provides that the board shall employ an executive
4 11 director who shall be responsible for all operations of the
4 12 institute, including the hiring and supervision of staff. The
4 13 bill provides that employees of the institute or board shall
4 14 be considered state employees for purposes of the Iowa public
4 15 employees' retirement system, state health and dental plans,
4 16 and other state employee benefits plans and the state tort
4 17 claims act. The bill also provides that the institute may be
4 18 funded from public and private sources.
4 19 Code section 7D.15, requiring the executive council to
4 20 establish a public policy research foundation, is repealed.
4 21 LSB 2705HC 83
4 22 ec/nh/14