HSB 162 (LSB 2619YC (1) 87)

HOUSE FILE _____ 

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT BILL BY CHAIRPERSON RIZER)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to local emergency management agencies designating such agencies as public safety agencies entitled to voting membership on joint E911 service boards. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 29C.2, subsection 6, Code 2017, is amended to read as follows:
   6.  “Local emergency management agency” means a countywide joint county-municipal public safety agency organized to administer this chapter under the authority of a commission.
    Sec. 2.  Section 34A.2, Code 2017, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  9A.  “Local emergency management agency” means the same as defined in section 29C.2.
    Sec. 3.  Section 34A.2, subsection 15, Code 2017, is amended to read as follows:
   15.  “Public or private safety agency” means a unit of state or local government, a local emergency management agency, a special purpose district, or a private firm which provides or has the authority to provide fire fighting, police, ambulance, emergency medical services, or hazardous materials response.
    Sec. 4.  Section 34A.3, subsection 1, paragraph a, subparagraph (1), Code 2017, is amended to read as follows:
   (1)  (a)  Each political subdivision of the state having a public safety agency serving territory within the county is entitled to voting membership on the joint E911 service board. For the purposes of this section subparagraph division, a township that operates a volunteer fire department providing fire protection services to the township, or a city which provides fire protection services through the operation of a volunteer fire department not financed through city government, shall be considered a political subdivision of the state having a public safety agency serving territory within the county.
   (b)  Each local emergency management agency operating within the area is entitled to voting membership on the joint E911 service board.
   (c)  Each private safety agency operating within the area is entitled to nonvoting membership on the board.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to local emergency management agencies. 
   The bill modifies the definition of “local emergency management agency” in Code section 29C.2(6) by specifying that such an agency is a public safety agency. The bill adds the same definition of “local emergency management agency” to Code section 34A.2, relating to enhanced 911 emergency telephone systems. The bill modifies the definition of “public or private safety agency” in Code section 34A.2(15) to include local emergency management agencies. 
   The bill provides local emergency management agencies with voting membership on joint E911 service boards, in addition to political subdivisions served by public safety agencies, as currently provided in Code section 34A.3(1)(a)(1).