House File 2574 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2574 BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS (SUCCESSOR TO HF 750) (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 197) A BILL FOR An Act authorizing length of service award programs for 1 volunteer fire fighters, volunteer emergency medical 2 care providers, and reserve peace officers, and making 3 appropriations. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 1702HZ (2) 89 js/ns
H.F. 2574 Section 1. Section 99G.39, Code 2022, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 5A. One million dollars in lottery revenues 3 shall be transferred each fiscal year to the length of service 4 award program grant fund created in section 100B.52 prior to 5 deposit of the lottery revenues in the general fund pursuant 6 to section 99G.40. 7 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 100B.51 Length of service award 8 programs —— authorization. 9 The governing body of a municipality, as defined in section 10 100B.21, is authorized to establish a length of service award 11 program for volunteer fire fighters as defined in section 12 85.61, emergency medical care providers as defined in section 13 147A.1 who are volunteers, and reserve peace officers as 14 defined in section 80D.1A. The program shall provide length 15 of service awards, as described in section 457(e)(11) of the 16 Internal Revenue Code, to volunteer fire fighters, volunteer 17 emergency medical care providers, and reserve peace officers 18 serving a municipality that elects to establish a program. The 19 program shall be designed to treat awards from the program as 20 a tax-deferred benefit under the Internal Revenue Code. The 21 governing body of the municipality shall, in consultation with 22 the chief or other person in command of the fire department 23 and police department serving the municipality, as applicable, 24 adopt guidelines providing for eligibility requirements for 25 participation by volunteer fire fighters, volunteer emergency 26 medical care providers, and reserve peace officers, minimum 27 vesting requirements, distribution requirements, and such other 28 guidelines as deemed necessary to operate the program. 29 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 100B.52 Length of service award 30 program grant fund —— appropriation. 31 1. A length of service award program grant fund is created 32 in the state treasury under the control of the state fire 33 service and emergency response council. The fund shall consist 34 of all moneys appropriated to the fund. 35 -1- LSB 1702HZ (2) 89 js/ns 1/ 3
H.F. 2574 2. Moneys in the length of service award program grant 1 fund are appropriated to the state fire service and emergency 2 response council for the purpose of providing grants to 3 municipalities that have established a length of service 4 award program as described in section 100B.51 to provide 5 contributions to the program on behalf of participants in the 6 program. The state fire service and emergency response council 7 shall develop and submit to the state fire marshal for adoption 8 rules establishing a grant application process. The state 9 fire service and emergency response council shall consult with 10 the Iowa firefighters association and issue grants based on 11 the recommendations from the Iowa firefighters association. 12 The grant process shall provide for up to a dollar-for-dollar 13 funding match from a municipality that has established a length 14 of service award program. 15 3. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or 16 earnings on moneys deposited in the fund shall be credited to 17 the fund. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys credited to the 18 fund shall not revert at the close of a fiscal year. 19 EXPLANATION 20 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 21 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 22 This bill authorizes a municipality, defined as a city, 23 county, township, benefited fire district, or agency authorized 24 by law to provide emergency response services, to establish 25 a length of service award program as described in section 26 457(e)(11) of the Internal Revenue Code for volunteer fire 27 fighters, volunteer emergency medical care providers, and 28 reserve peace officers. The bill provides that the governing 29 body of a municipality that establishes a program shall, in 30 consultation with the chief or other person in command of the 31 fire department and police department serving the municipality, 32 as applicable, adopt guidelines providing for eligibility 33 requirements for participation by volunteer fire fighters, 34 volunteer emergency medical care providers, and reserve 35 -2- LSB 1702HZ (2) 89 js/ns 2/ 3
H.F. 2574 peace officers, minimum vesting requirements, distribution 1 requirements, and such other guidelines as deemed necessary to 2 operate the program. 3 The bill also establishes a length of service award program 4 grant fund under the control of the state fire service and 5 emergency response council (council). Each fiscal year, $1 6 million in lottery revenues shall be transferred to the fund 7 prior to deposit of lottery revenues in the general fund of 8 the state. Moneys in the fund are appropriated to the council 9 for grants to municipalities that have established a length of 10 service award program to provide contributions to the program 11 on behalf of participants. The bill requires the council to 12 develop and submit to the state fire marshal for adoption rules 13 establishing a grant application process that shall provide for 14 up to a dollar-for-dollar funding match from a municipality 15 that has established a length of service award program. The 16 bill requires the council to consult with the Iowa firefighters 17 association and issue grants based on the association’s 18 recommendations. 19 -3- LSB 1702HZ (2) 89 js/ns 3/ 3