House File 2167 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2167 BY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 549) A BILL FOR An Act relating to disaster aid including the disaster aid 1 individual assistance grant fund and program and the 2 disaster case advocacy grant fund and program. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5300HV (1) 90 as/js

H.F. 2167 Section 1. Section 29C.2, Code 2024, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 5A. “Local administrative entity” means 3 a countywide provider, or a provider of a statewide program 4 with local offices throughout the state, contracted for the 5 administration of the disaster aid individual assistance grant 6 program and the disaster case advocacy program. 7 Sec. 2. Section 29C.20A, subsection 2, unnumbered paragraph 8 1, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows: 9 The grant funds shall be administered by the department. 10 The department shall adopt rules to create the Iowa disaster 11 aid individual assistance grant program. The rules shall 12 specify the eligibility of applicants and eligible items for 13 grant funding. The executive council shall use grant funds to 14 reimburse the department for its actual expenses associated 15 with the administration of the grants. The department may 16 implement an ongoing contract with a provider or providers of a 17 statewide program with local offices throughout the state to 18 serve as the local administrative entity for the grant program 19 so that the program can be implemented with minimal delay when 20 a disaster occurs in a local area. The rules adopted by the 21 department for the program shall include but are not limited 22 to all of the following: 23 Sec. 3. Section 29C.20A, subsection 3, Code 2024, is amended 24 to read as follows: 25 3. To be eligible for a grant, an applicant shall have 26 an annual household income that is less than two hundred 27 percent of the federal poverty level based on the number of 28 people in the applicant’s household as defined by the most 29 recently revised poverty income guidelines published by the 30 United States department of health and human services. The 31 amount of a grant for a household shall not exceed five seven 32 thousand dollars. Expenses eligible for grant funding shall be 33 limited to personal property, home repair, food assistance, and 34 temporary housing assistance. An applicant for a grant shall 35 -1- LSB 5300HV (1) 90 as/js 1/ 4

H.F. 2167 sign an affidavit committing to refund any part of the grant 1 that is duplicated by any other assistance, such as but not 2 limited to insurance or assistance from community development 3 groups, charities, the small business administration, and the 4 federal emergency management agency. 5 Sec. 4. Section 29C.20B, subsection 1, paragraph b, Code 6 2024, is amended to read as follows: 7 b. The executive council may make financial grants to meet 8 disaster-related case advocacy needs of disaster-affected 9 individuals. The aggregate total of grants awarded shall 10 not be more than one million dollars during a fiscal year. 11 However, within the same fiscal year, additional funds 12 may be specifically authorized by the executive council to 13 meet additional needs. Upon request of the department, the 14 executive council may make available up to one hundred thousand 15 dollars, or so much as is necessary, for contract entity staff 16 support and case management advocacy training. 17 Sec. 5. Section 29C.20B, subsection 2, Code 2024, is amended 18 to read as follows: 19 2. The department shall administer disaster case advocacy 20 grants. The department shall establish a disaster case 21 advocacy program and adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A 22 necessary to administer the program. The executive council 23 shall use grant moneys to reimburse the department for actual 24 expenses associated with the administration of the grants. 25 Under the program, the department shall coordinate case 26 advocacy services locally through one or more contracted 27 entities. The department may implement an ongoing contract 28 with a provider of a statewide program with local offices 29 throughout the state to serve as the local administrative 30 entity for the grant program to allow implementation of the 31 program with minimal delay following a governor’s proclamation 32 of a state of disaster emergency or a declaration of a major 33 disaster by the president of the United States. 34 EXPLANATION 35 -2- LSB 5300HV (1) 90 as/js 2/ 4

H.F. 2167 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 1 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 2 This bill relates to the disaster aid individual assistance 3 grant fund and program and the disaster case advocacy grant 4 fund and program. 5 A disaster aid individual assistance grant fund exists 6 in the state treasury to meet disaster-related expenses or 7 serious needs of individuals or families adversely affected 8 by a disaster. Current law provides that the department of 9 homeland security and emergency management (department) shall 10 administer the grant funds and shall adopt rules to create the 11 Iowa disaster aid individual assistance grant program. 12 The bill authorizes the department to implement an ongoing 13 contract with a local administrative entity for the grant 14 program so that the program can be implemented with minimal 15 delay when a disaster occurs in a local area. 16 Current law limits the grant amount for a household to 17 $5,000. The bill increases the grant limit per household to 18 $7,000. 19 A disaster case advocacy grant fund exists in the state to 20 meet disaster-related case advocacy needs of disaster-affected 21 individuals. Current law requires the department to administer 22 disaster case advocacy grants and establish a disaster case 23 advocacy program. Under the program, the department shall 24 coordinate case advocacy services locally through one or more 25 contracted entities. 26 The bill authorizes the department to implement an ongoing 27 contract with a local administrative entity for the grant 28 program to allow implementation of the program with minimal 29 delay following a governor’s proclamation of a state of 30 disaster emergency or a declaration of a major disaster by the 31 president of the United States. 32 The bill defines “local administrative entity” as a 33 countywide provider, or a provider of a statewide program 34 with local offices throughout the state, contracted for the 35 -3- LSB 5300HV (1) 90 as/js 3/ 4

H.F. 2167 administration of the disaster aid individual assistance grant 1 program and the disaster case advocacy program. 2 -4- LSB 5300HV (1) 90 as/js 4/ 4