SENATE FILE 71

BY  DVORSKY

A BILL FOR

An Act providing for waivers of certain community attraction and tourism program requirements and including retroactive applicability provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  15F.207  Waivers of matching funds requirements.
   1.  An applicant for financial assistance under the provisions of this subchapter may apply to the vision Iowa board for a waiver of any local or private matching moneys required of the applicant by the board pursuant to section 15F.202.
   2.  To qualify for a waiver pursuant to this section, an applicant shall meet all of the following requirements:
   a.  The applicant shall be located in an area declared a disaster area by the governor or by a federal official.
   b.  The applicant shall apply for the waiver within two years of the date the disaster declaration was issued.
   c.  The applicant shall demonstrate that a waiver is necessary as a result of the natural disaster. For the purposes of this paragraph, a waiver shall be considered necessary if the disaster has materially contributed to difficulties in financing the applicant’s project.
   3.  The board may grant a waiver for all or a portion of the amount requested to be waived pursuant to this section.
   4.  The board may place reasonable conditions or requirements specific to the project on any applicant receiving a waiver pursuant to this section.
   Sec. 2.  RETROACTIVE APPLICABILITY.  This Act applies retroactively to July 1, 2010, for applicants applying on or after that date whose applications are still pending before the vision Iowa board.
EXPLANATION
   This bill provides for waivers of the matching funds requirements for applicants under the community attraction and tourism program and the river enhancement community attraction and tourism program if the applicants are located in declared disaster areas.
   In 2009, the general assembly passed Senate File 336 providing for such waivers, but only between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010. In order to extend the availability of waivers for the remainder of calendar year 2010, the bill applies retroactively to July 1, 2010, for applicants applying on or after that date whose applications are still pending before the vision Iowa board.