House Study Bill 239 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS BILL BY CHAIRPERSON MOHR) A BILL FOR An Act providing for a study to identify areas where the 1 governance and funding of levee districts could be improved 2 at the state and local level, and making appropriations. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2530YC (3) 89 da/ns
H.F. _____ Section 1. GOVERNANCE AND FUNDING OF LEVEE DISTRICTS STUDY. 1 1. The department of homeland security and emergency 2 management shall conduct a study to identify areas where the 3 governance and funding of levee districts as specified in 4 chapter 468 could be improved at the state and local level. 5 The study shall also provide recommendations regarding the 6 type and scope of necessary or desired improvements and the 7 implementation of such improvements. 8 2. The department of homeland security and emergency 9 management shall receive advisory support in the conducting 10 of the study from the department of natural resources, 11 department of agriculture and land stewardship, department of 12 transportation, the Iowa economic development authority, and 13 the Iowa flood center. The department of homeland security and 14 emergency management shall seek the participation of active 15 levee districts within Iowa as well as economists, engineers, 16 legislators, and others familiar with levee operations and 17 flood damages. 18 3. The department of homeland security and emergency 19 management shall evaluate in detail all of the following: 20 a. The status of present levee district operations, 21 including the structural status of levees, the financial status 22 of the levee districts, and any associated regulatory status. 23 b. The future operational and funding challenges for levee 24 district operations. 25 4. The department of homeland security and emergency 26 management shall submit a report containing the results of the 27 study and recommendations regarding the future governance and 28 funding of the levee districts, including the implementation of 29 improvements, to the general assembly by January 1, 2023. 30 Sec. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY 31 MANAGEMENT —— APPROPRIATION. There is appropriated from 32 the general fund of the state to the department of homeland 33 security and emergency management for the fiscal year beginning 34 July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2022, the following amount, 35 -1- LSB 2530YC (3) 89 da/ns 1/ 2
H.F. _____ or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used to conduct a 1 governance and funding of levee districts study as provided in 2 this Act: 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 400,000 4 EXPLANATION 5 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 6 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 7 This bill requires the department of homeland security and 8 emergency management (department) to conduct a governance and 9 funding of levee districts study. A number of agencies are 10 required to assist the department, including the department 11 of natural resources, department of agriculture and land 12 stewardship, department of transportation, Iowa economic 13 development authority, and Iowa flood center. The department 14 must submit a report containing the results of the study to the 15 general assembly by January 1, 2023. The bill appropriates 16 $400,000 to the department in order to conduct the study. 17 -2- LSB 2530YC (3) 89 da/ns 2/ 2