HF 506 (LSB 2409YH (3) 89)

HOUSE FILE 506

BY  MASCHER

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing a home modification grant program within the department on aging, and providing an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 8.57, subsection 1, paragraph b, Code 2021, is amended to read as follows:
   b.  The surplus existing in the general fund of the state at the conclusion of the fiscal year is appropriated for distribution in the succeeding fiscal year as provided in subsections 1A, 2, and 3. Moneys credited to the cash reserve fund from the appropriation made in this paragraph shall not exceed the amount necessary for the cash reserve fund to reach the cash reserve goal percentage for the succeeding fiscal year. As used in this paragraph, “surplus” means the excess of revenues and other financing sources over expenditures and other financing uses for the general fund of the state in a fiscal year.
    Sec. 2.  Section 8.57, Code 2021, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  1A.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, there is appropriated from the surplus as defined in subsection 1, paragraph “b”, at the conclusion of each fiscal year to the department on aging, an amount of up to one million dollars, prior to the crediting or appropriating of the surplus to any other fund or for any other purpose, to provide state matching funds for federal funds received in the prior fiscal year for the home modification grant program created in section 231.67. The department on aging shall report the receipt of any federal funding to the department of management upon receipt of such funds, and the department of management shall determine the amount of funds to be appropriated based on the reported amount of federal funds received.
    Sec. 3.  Section 8.57, subsection 2, Code 2021, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  Moneys appropriated under subsection 1 shall be first credited to the cash reserve fund following the appropriation of any moneys to the home modification grant program created in section 231.67. To the extent that moneys appropriated under subsection 1 would make the moneys in the cash reserve fund exceed the cash reserve goal percentage of the adjusted revenue estimate for the fiscal year, the moneys are appropriated to the department of management to be spent for the purpose of eliminating Iowa’s GAAP deficit, including the payment of items budgeted in a subsequent fiscal year which under generally accepted accounting principles should be budgeted in the current fiscal year. These moneys shall be deposited into a GAAP deficit reduction account established within the department of management. The department of management shall annually file with both houses of the general assembly at the time of the submission of the governor’s budget, a schedule of the items for which moneys appropriated under this subsection for the purpose of eliminating Iowa’s GAAP deficit, including the payment of items budgeted in a subsequent fiscal year which under generally accepted accounting principles should be budgeted in the current fiscal year, shall be spent. The schedule shall indicate the fiscal year in which the spending for an item is to take place and shall incorporate the items detailed in 
1994 Iowa Acts, ch. 1181, §17
. The schedule shall list each item of expenditure and the estimated dollar amount of moneys to be spent on that item for the fiscal year. The department of management may submit during a regular legislative session an amended schedule for legislative consideration. If moneys appropriated under this subsection are not enough to pay for all listed expenditures, the department of management shall distribute the payments among the listed expenditure items. Moneys appropriated to the department of management under this subsection shall not be spent on items other than those included in the filed schedule. On September 1 following the close of a fiscal year, moneys in the GAAP deficit reduction account which remain unexpended for items on the filed schedule for the previous fiscal year shall be credited to the Iowa economic emergency fund.
    Sec. 4.  NEW SECTION.  231.67  Home modification grant program —— established —— requirements.
   1.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
   a.  “Accommodate” means to make a residence accessible for a qualified person in a manner that is necessary due to the qualified person’s age, disability, or condition.
   b.  “Medical provider” means a physician, physician assistant, advanced registered nurse practitioner, physical therapist, or occupational therapist.
   c.  “Modification or improvement” means a modification of or improvement to a qualified person’s residence that is certified by a medical provider as being necessary to accommodate the qualified person.
   (1)  A “modification or improvement” includes one or more of the following:
   (a)  Providing for or installing a nonstep entrance.
   (b)  Providing for or installing exterior or interior ramps.
   (c)  Providing for or installing stairway lifts or elevators.
   (d)  Providing for or installing handrails or grab bars, or the reinforcement of grab bars.
   (e)  Providing for or installing hardware for doors.
   (f)  Widening exterior doors or interior hallways to more than thirty-six inches.
   (g)  Widening interior doors to more than thirty-two inches.
   (h)  Modifying electrical components, including moving electrical outlets and switches.
   (i)  Modifying bathrooms, including but not limited to providing for the modification or installation of accessible toilets, bathtubs, showers, plumbing, or fixtures.
   (j)  Modifying kitchens including but not limited to providing for the modification or installation of accessible countertops, cabinets, appliances, plumbing, or fixtures.
   (k)  Modifying bedrooms including but not limited to the relocation of a bedroom to an accessible space in the residence.
   (2)  A “modification or improvement” does not include the construction of a new residence, or an addition to or modification of an existing residence that expands the living area but is not otherwise described in this paragraph “c”, subparagraph (1).
   d.  “Qualified homeowner” means a person who meets all of the following conditions:
   (1)  Has an income at or below the annual Iowa median household income.
   (2)  Is the owner of residential real property in this state, including a condominium, that is the primary residence of the owner.
   (3)  Is a qualified person or resides with a spouse or dependent who is a qualified person.
   e.  “Qualified person” means a person who is at least sixty years of age, or who is living with a disability, as defined in 42 U.S.C. §12102, or who has a chronic condition the prognosis for which requires a permanent modification to the qualified person’s residence.
   2.  a.  A home modification grant program is established in the department. The department shall administer the program and provide grants through expenditure of funds appropriated to the department for this purpose. Grants shall be made, in amounts not to exceed five thousand dollars per primary residence, to qualified homeowners for the purposes of modification or improvement to a qualified person’s residence to accommodate the qualified person.
   b.  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer the program.
   c.  Notwithstanding section 8.33, funds appropriated to the department for the purposes of the home modification grant program under this section that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of a fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes a home modification grant program to be administered by the department on aging (IDA). To receive a grant under the program, a qualified homeowner must have an income at or below the annual Iowa median household income, be the owner of a residential real property in the state that is the primary residence of the owner, and be a qualified person or reside with a spouse or dependent who is a qualified person. Under the bill, a “qualified person” means a person who meets one of the following conditions: is at least 60 years of age, is living with a disability as defined under federal law, or has a chronic condition the prognosis for which requires a permanent modification to the qualified person’s residence. Grants under the program are limited to not more than $5,000 per primary residence and may only be used for modifications or improvements to a qualified person’s residence that are certified by a medical provider as necessary to accommodate the qualified person. Under the bill, a “modification or improvement” does not include the construction of a new residence, or an addition to or modification of an existing residence that expands the living area but is not otherwise described as an allowable modification or improvement under the bill.
   The bill makes an appropriation from the surplus of the general fund of the state remaining at the conclusion of each fiscal year, prior to the crediting or appropriating of the surplus to any other fund or for any other purpose, to IDA in an amount up to $1 million to provide state matching funds for federal funds received in the prior fiscal year for the home modification grant program. IDA shall report the receipt of any federal funding to the department of management upon receipt of such funds and the department of management shall determine the amount of funds to be appropriated based on the reported amount of federal funds received.