HF 561 (LSB 2270YH (1) 90)

HOUSE FILE 561

BY  SIEGRIST

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing grants for county park improvements, and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  COUNTY PARK IMPROVEMENT GRANTS —— APPROPRIATION.
   1.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of natural resources for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purpose designated:
   To issue grants to counties for the improvement of county parks:
   ...................................................................... $ 10,000,000

   2.  The department of natural resources shall issue a grant of fifty thousand dollars to each county in this state from the moneys appropriated pursuant to this section. Of the amount remaining, the department shall issue a grant to each county based proportionally on the population of the county according to the 2020 federal decennial census.
   3.  A county shall use moneys received pursuant to subsection 2 to fund improvement projects at county parks within the county. A county has until June 30, 2027, to use moneys granted for this purpose. Moneys that fail to be used for the improvement of county parks in a timely manner shall be made available to the department of natural resources for the improvement of state parks.
   4.  For purposes of section 8.33, unless specifically provided otherwise, moneys appropriated in subsection 1 that remain unencumbered or unobligated shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the close of the fiscal year that ends four years after the end of the fiscal year for which the appropriation was made.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill appropriates $10 million to the department of natural resources (DNR) for FY 2023-2024 for the purpose of issuing grants to counties for the improvement of county parks. DNR shall issue a grant of $50,000 to each county and a grant from the remaining amount of the appropriation to each county based proportionally on the population of the county according to the 2020 federal decennial census.
   A county shall use moneys received pursuant to the bill to fund improvement projects at county parks within the county. A county has until June 30, 2027, to use moneys granted for this purpose. Moneys that fail to be used for the improvement of county parks in a timely manner shall be made available to DNR for the improvement of state parks. Moneys appropriated pursuant to the bill that remain unencumbered or unobligated shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated in the bill until the close of FY 2027-2028.