HOUSE FILE 83

BY  LUKAN

A BILL FOR

An Act related to civil service employees by removing state residency requirements and modifying a city’s authority to set distance or travel-based residency requirements.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 400.17, subsection 3, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   3.  Employees shall not be required to be a resident of the city in which they are employed, but they shall become a resident of the state within two years of such appointment or the date employment begins and shall remain a resident of the state during the remainder of employment. However, cities Cities may set a reasonable maximum distance outside of the corporate limits of the city, or a reasonable maximum travel time, that police officers, fire fighters, and other critical municipal city employees may live from their place of employment. Each employee residing outside the state on the date of appointment or on the date employment begins shall take reasonable steps to become a resident of the state as soon as practicable following appointment or beginning of employment.
EXPLANATION
   This bill relates to residency requirements for civil service employees.
   The bill removes the requirement that civil service employees obtain state residency within two years of appointment to a position with the city, and throughout their employment. The bill further removes the requirement that employees residing outside of the state take reasonable actions to attain Iowa residency as soon as practicable after appointment.
   Current law allows a city to set distance and travel-time limits for police, fire fighters, and other critical employees who live outside the city. The bill expands this authority to allow a city to set such limits for all nonresident employees.