SENATE FILE 189

BY  FEENSTRA

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the mechanism by which a county may consolidate the functions of certain county officers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 331.323, subsection 1, paragraphs b and c, Code 2011, are amended to read as follows:
   b.  If a petition of electors equal in number to twenty-five percent of the votes cast for the county office receiving the greatest number of votes at the preceding general election is filed with the auditor the board of supervisors adopts a resolution for officer consolidation no later than five working days before the filing deadline for candidates for county offices as specified in section 44.4 for the next general election, the board shall direct the commissioner of elections to call an election for the purpose of voting on the proposal proposition. If the petition resolution contains more than one proposal for combining duties, each proposal shall be listed on the ballot as a separate issue. If the majority of the votes cast is in favor of a proposal, the board shall take all steps necessary to combine the duties as specified in the petition resolution.
   c.  The petition resolution shall state the offices and positions to be combined and the offices or positions to be abolished. Offices and positions that have been combined may be subsequently separatedby a petition and election in the same manner as provided in paragraph “b”.
EXPLANATION
   This bill relates to the mechanism by which a county may consolidate the functions of certain county officers.
   Current law allows a county to consolidate the duties of 11 county officers or employees, including the sheriff, treasurer, recorder, auditor, medical examiner, general assistance director, county care facility administrator, commission on veterans affairs, director of social welfare, county assessor, or county weed commissioner. The county may consolidate two or more of these officers or employees.
   Current law requires that in order for a county to combine the duties of any of these officers, a petition of eligible electors equal to 25 percent of votes cast for the county office receiving the most votes at the most recent general election must be filed with the county auditor no later than five days before the deadline for filing nomination papers for county office. If such a petition is filed, the board of supervisors is required to direct the commissioner of elections to call an election to vote on the proposal. The proposal is adopted if a simple majority of voters approves it.
   This bill would transfer the authority to submit a proposal for combining duties from a petition process to adoption of a resolution by the board of supervisors. If the board of supervisors adopts a resolution to combine duties, then the board must direct the commissioner of elections to call an election to vote on the proposition.