House File 2216 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2216 BY NIELSEN A BILL FOR An Act relating to the issuance of general obligation bonds for 1 certain general county purposes. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5910YH (2) 87 md/jh
H.F. 2216 Section 1. Section 331.442, subsection 5, paragraph a, 1 subparagraphs (1), (2), and (3), Code 2018, are amended to read 2 as follows: 3 (1) In counties having a population of twenty thousand or 4 less, in an amount of not more than one four hundred thousand 5 dollars. 6 (2) In counties having a population of over twenty thousand 7 and not over fifty thousand, in an amount of not more than two 8 seven hundred thousand dollars. 9 (3) In counties having a population of over fifty thousand, 10 in an amount of not more than three hundred thousand one 11 million dollars. 12 EXPLANATION 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 14 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 15 If a county proposes to carry out a general county purpose 16 using funds from the issuance of general obligation bonds, 17 generally the issuance of such bonds must first be approved by 18 the registered voters of the county. Current law establishes 19 an exception by providing that a county, in lieu of calling an 20 election, may institute proceedings for the issuance of bonds 21 for a general county purpose by notice and publication of the 22 proposal to issue the bonds that includes a notice of the right 23 to petition for an election, subject to the following bond 24 amount and city population limitations: (1) in counties having 25 a population of 20,000 or less, in an amount of not more than 26 $100,000; (2) in counties having a population of over 20,000 27 and not over 50,000, in an amount of not more than $200,000; 28 and (3) in counties having a population of over 50,000, in an 29 amount of not more than $300,000. However, if at any time 30 before the date fixed for taking action for the issuance of the 31 bonds, a valid petition is filed with the county auditor asking 32 that the question of issuing the bonds be submitted to the 33 registered voters of the county, the board of supervisors shall 34 either by resolution declare the proposal to issue the bonds 35 -1- LSB 5910YH (2) 87 md/jh 1/ 2
H.F. 2216 to have been abandoned or shall direct the county commissioner 1 of elections to call a special election upon the question of 2 issuing the bonds. 3 This bill increases the bond amount limitations for each of 4 the county population categories to the following amounts: (1) 5 in counties having a population of 20,000 or less, in an amount 6 of not more than $400,000; (2) in counties having a population 7 of over 20,000 and not over 50,000, in an amount of not more 8 than $700,000; and (3) in counties having a population of over 9 50,000, in an amount of not more than $1 million. 10 -2- LSB 5910YH (2) 87 md/jh 2/ 2