HF 459 (LSB 2356YH (3) 85)

HOUSE FILE 459

BY  ROGERS and BERRY

A BILL FOR

An Act making an appropriation to the department of education for purposes of high school equivalency diploma test costs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 259A.1, Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   259A.1  Tests
 
—— appropriation.
   1.  The department of education shall cause to be made available for qualified individuals a high school equivalency diploma. The diploma shall be issued on the basis of satisfactory competence as shown by tests covering all of the following:  reading, arts, language arts, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies.
   2.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of education for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and each succeeding fiscal year, the sum of fifty thousand dollars to be allocated to community colleges as provided in paragraph “a” to assist qualified individuals in paying the costs of tests administered pursuant to this section. 
   a.  Allocation of the moneys appropriated pursuant to subsection 1 shall be based upon the proportion that the sum of the tests administered pursuant to this section by a community college for the previous fiscal year bears to the sum of the tests administered pursuant to this section by all of the community colleges in the state for the previous fiscal year, as reported to the department.
   b.  Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in this subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the close of the succeeding fiscal year, and shall not be transferred, used, obligated, appropriated, or otherwise encumbered except as provided in this section.
EXPLANATION
   This bill appropriates $50,000 annually from the general fund of the state to the department of education to be allocated to community colleges to assist qualified individuals in paying the costs of tests administered for purposes of achieving a high school equivalency diploma.
   Allocation of the moneys appropriated is based upon the proportion that the sum of the high school equivalency tests administered by a community college for the previous fiscal year bears to the sum of the high school equivalency tests administered by all of the community colleges in the state for the previous fiscal year, as reported to the department.
   Moneys appropriated that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the same purpose until the close of the succeeding fiscal year, and shall not be transferred, used, obligated, appropriated, or otherwise encumbered for any other purpose.