Senate File 2205 - Introduced SENATE FILE 2205 BY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO SF 454) (SUCCESSOR TO SF 266) A BILL FOR An Act relating to civil service requirements for the hiring of 1 certain public safety positions. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2363SZ (2) 90 lh/js

S.F. 2205 Section 1. Section 400.8, subsection 2, Code 2024, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 2. The commission shall establish the guidelines for 3 conducting the examinations under subsection 1 of this section . 4 The commission shall hire persons with expertise to prepare 5 and administer the examinations approved by the commission. 6 It may also hire persons with expertise to consult in the 7 preparation of such examinations if the persons so hired are 8 employed to aid personnel of the commission in assuring that 9 a fair examination is conducted. A fair examination shall 10 explore the competence of the applicant in the particular 11 field of examination. An applicant who has successfully 12 completed training at the Iowa law enforcement academy or 13 another training facility certified by the director of the 14 Iowa law enforcement academy does not need to retake a civil 15 service examination upon changing employment from one Iowa law 16 enforcement agency to another Iowa law enforcement agency, or 17 upon becoming employed by more than one Iowa law enforcement 18 agency simultaneously, if the applicant has previously passed 19 a civil service examination when the applicant was initially 20 hired as a certified peace officer and if, without a break 21 of not more than one hundred eighty days from prior law 22 enforcement service, the applicant is hired by another Iowa law 23 enforcement agency. 24 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 400.12A Hiring practices —— suspension 25 —— reinstatement. 26 1. For purposes of this section, “sworn public safety 27 personnel” includes fire fighters, fire chiefs, assistant fire 28 chiefs, police officers, police chiefs, and assistant police 29 chiefs for the respective fire department or police department 30 of a city. 31 2. A city council, by majority vote, may suspend the 32 practices specified in subsection 3 that are generally required 33 pursuant to this chapter for the hiring of sworn public safety 34 personnel. A suspension shall not be in effect for more 35 -1- LSB 2363SZ (2) 90 lh/js 1/ 3

S.F. 2205 than one year, but a city council may immediately vote to 1 implement a new suspension of the required practices upon the 2 expiration of the prior suspension. Upon the expiration of a 3 suspension, hiring practices required under this chapter shall 4 be immediately reinstated for the applicable positions. A 5 city council, by majority vote, may reinstate hiring practices 6 suspended pursuant to this section prior to the expiration 7 of the suspension. A subsequent vote to suspend required 8 hiring practices, even if the vote occurs prior to the original 9 expiration date of the prior suspension, shall be considered a 10 vote for a new suspension. 11 3. The provisions of section 400.11, subsection 1, 12 paragraph “a” may be suspended as provided in subsection 2. 13 4. a. This section does not relieve sworn public safety 14 personnel from the requirements to complete all examinations 15 and tests applicable to those persons for positions subject to 16 the provisions of this chapter. 17 b. This section shall not be construed to preclude sworn 18 public safety personnel from accessing rights, benefits, or 19 privileges provided outside of this chapter. 20 5. Unless otherwise provided by law, a city council may 21 suspend the generally required hiring practices specified in 22 this section only for sworn public safety personnel as provided 23 in this section. 24 EXPLANATION 25 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 26 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 27 This bill relates to civil service requirements for the 28 hiring of certain city public safety positions. Under current 29 law, Code chapter 400 (civil service) sets forth a variety 30 of provisions relating to hiring civil service employees, 31 including examinations, probationary periods, veteran 32 preferences, and other qualifications. 33 The bill allows an applicant changing law enforcement 34 agencies to forego the civil service examination if the 35 -2- LSB 2363SZ (2) 90 lh/js 2/ 3

S.F. 2205 applicant meets certain criteria. 1 The bill allows a city council to suspend the requirement 2 that a civil service commission submit to the city council 3 a certified list of 40 persons who qualify with the highest 4 standing as a result of each examination for an original 5 appointment for the hiring of sworn public safety personnel. 6 A suspension shall not be in effect for more than one 7 year, but a city council may immediately vote to implement a 8 new suspension upon the expiration of the prior suspension. 9 Required hiring practices shall be immediately reinstated 10 upon the expiration of a suspension. A city council may vote 11 to reinstate hiring practices prior to the expiration of a 12 suspension. A subsequent vote to suspend required hiring 13 practices is considered a vote for a new suspension. 14 -3- LSB 2363SZ (2) 90 lh/js 3/ 3