HF 2345 (LSB 5904YH (4) 90)

HOUSE FILE 2345

BY  DUNWELL

A BILL FOR

An Act abolishing county compensation boards.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 331.212, subsection 2, Code 2024, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  i.  Setting the compensation schedule of elected county officers.
    Sec. 2.  Section 331.321, subsection 1, paragraph l, Code 2024, is amended by striking the paragraph.
    Sec. 3.  Section 331.322, subsection 6, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   6.  Review Annually prepare and review the final compensation schedule of the county compensation board and determine the final compensation schedule in accordance with section 331.907.
    Sec. 4.  Section 331.322, subsection 7, Code 2024, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 5.  Section 331.323, subsection 1, paragraph e, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   e.  When If the duties of an officer or employee are assigned to one or more elected officers, the board shall set the an initial salary for each elected officer. Thereafter, the salary and, thereafter, shall be determined determine the salary as provided in section 331.907.
    Sec. 6.  Section 331.907, subsections 1, 2, 3, and 4, Code 2024, are amended to read as follows:
   1.  The annual compensation of the auditor, treasurer, recorder, sheriff, county attorney, and supervisors shall be determined as provided in this section. The county compensation board annually shall review the compensation paid to comparable officers in other counties of this state, other states, private enterprise, and the federal government. In setting the salary of the county sheriff, the county compensation board shall set the sheriff’s salary so that it is comparable to salaries paid to professional law enforcement administrators and command officers of the state patrol, and the division of criminal investigation of the department of public safety, and to city police chiefs employed by cities of similar population to the population of the county. The county compensation board shall prepare a compensation schedule for the elective elected county officers for the succeeding fiscal year with an annual salary increase based on the consumer price index but not to exceed a three percent increase. A recommended compensation schedule requires a majority vote of the membership of the county compensation board.  The board may increase the annual salary of an elected county officer by resolution and budgetary procedures set forth in section 331.434, but a salary increased by resolution shall not take effect until the first fiscal year following the next regular election for which the affected position was on the ballot. For purposes of determining a salary increase under this subsection, the board shall initially use the salary of a position as of the effective date of this Act.
   2.  At the public hearing held on the county budget as provided in section 331.434, the county compensation board shall submit its recommended compensation schedule for the next fiscal year to the board of supervisors for inclusion in the county budget. The board of supervisors shall review the recommended compensation schedule for the elected county officers and determine the final compensation schedule which shall not exceed the compensation schedule recommended by the county compensation board. In determining the final compensation schedule if the board of supervisors wishes to reduce the amount of the recommended compensation schedule, the amount of salary increase proposed for each elected county officer, except as provided in subsection 3, shall be reduced an equal percentage. A copy of the final compensation schedule shall be filed with the county budget at the office of the director of the department of management. The final compensation schedule takes effect on July 1 following its adoption by the board of supervisors.
   3.  The board of supervisors may adopt a decrease in compensation paid to supervisors irrespective of the county compensation board’s recommended compensation schedule or other approved changes in compensation paid to other elected county officers. A decrease in compensation paid to supervisors shall be adopted by the board of supervisors no less than thirty days before the county budget is certified under section 24.17.
   4.  The elected county officers are also entitled to receive their actual and necessary expenses incurred in performance of official duties of their respective offices. The board of supervisors may authorize the reimbursement of expenses related to an educational course, seminar, or school which that is attended by a county officer after the county officer is elected, but prior to the county officer taking office.
    Sec. 7.  Section 331.907, Code 2024, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  6.  The board shall not adopt a salary increase for the auditor, treasurer, recorder, county attorney, or supervisors unless the board provides county employees with an annual cost-of-living pay adjustment.
    Sec. 8.  REPEAL.  Section 331.905, Code 2024, is repealed.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill eliminates county compensation boards. The bill grants county boards of supervisors the responsibility of annually preparing and reviewing the compensation schedule for certain elected county officers. Under current law, a county compensation board annually prepares a recommended compensation schedule for certain elected county officers for a succeeding fiscal year subject to adoption by the county board of supervisors.
   The bill requires the county board of supervisors to increase an elected county officer’s annual salary based on the consumer price index but not by more than 3 percent each year. The bill permits the county board of supervisors to increase elected county officer salaries by resolution and budgetary procedures, but the salary increase shall not go into effect until the next regular election for which the affected position was on the ballot. For purposes of determining salary increases, the bill requires the county board of supervisors to initially use the salary of a position as of the effective date of the bill.
   The bill prohibits the county board of supervisors from adopting a salary increase for the auditor, treasurer, recorder, county attorney, or supervisors unless the county board of supervisors provides county employees with an annual cost-of-living pay adjustment.