HF 156 (LSB 1959YH (1) 91)

HOUSE FILE 156

BY  RINKER

A BILL FOR

An Act raising the limit certain townships may levy for fire protection service and emergency medical service.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 359.43, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  The township trustees may levy an annual tax not exceeding forty and one-half ninety-one cents per thousand dollars of assessed value of the taxable property in the township, excluding property within a benefited fire district or within the corporate limits of a city, for the purpose of exercising the powers and duties specified in section 359.42. However, in a township having a fire protection service or emergency medical service agreement or both service agreements with a special charter city having a paid fire department, the township trustees may levy an annual tax not exceeding fifty-four cents per thousand dollars of the assessed value of the taxable property for the services authorized or required under section 359.42 and in a township which is located within a county having a population of three hundred thousand or more, the township trustees may levy an annual tax not exceeding sixty-seven and one-half cents per thousand dollars of assessed value of taxable property for the services authorized or required under section 359.42.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   Under current law, a township may levy taxes to provide for fire and emergency medical services. Townships with a population of 300,000 or more may levy an annual tax not to exceed 67.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed value of taxable property. Townships with a fire protection service agreement, an emergency medical service agreement, or both with a special charter city may levy an annual tax not to exceed 54 cents per $1,000 of assessed value of taxable property. All other townships may levy an annual tax not to exceed 40.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed value of taxable property.
   This bill raises the maximum a township without a fire protection or emergency medical service agreement with a special charter city, and with a population below 300,000, may levy for providing fire and emergency medical services from 40.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed value of taxable property in the township to 91 cents per $1,000 of assessed value of taxable property in the township.