House File 2129 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2129 BY GEARHART A BILL FOR An Act establishing a water and wastewater operator 1 apprenticeship and work release pilot program for inmates, 2 and making appropriations. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5260YH (5) 91 as/js

H.F. 2129 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 904.914 Water and wastewater 1 operator apprenticeship and work release pilot program. 2 1. The department, in coordination with the Iowa department 3 of natural resources and Iowa workforce development, shall 4 establish an apprenticeship and work release pilot program for 5 inmates to train and work as certified water and wastewater 6 operators and to meet all of the following goals: 7 a. Address the shortage of qualified water and wastewater 8 operators in the state. 9 b. Provide inmates with meaningful vocational training, work 10 experience, and a pathway to post-release employment. 11 c. Promote rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. 12 2. An inmate is eligible to participate in the program if 13 the inmate meets all of the following conditions: 14 a. The inmate is serving a sentence for a nonviolent 15 offense. 16 b. The inmate is within twenty-four months of the inmate’s 17 earliest possible release date. 18 c. The inmate has participated and demonstrated good 19 behavior in prison programming. 20 d. The inmate meets the minimum qualifications established 21 by the department of natural resources and Iowa workforce 22 development for apprentices in water and wastewater operations. 23 e. The inmate is approved by the department and the board of 24 parole for work release. 25 3. The program shall include all of the following: 26 a. Classroom instruction aligned with the department of 27 natural resources certified water and wastewater operator 28 curriculum. 29 b. On-the-job training with participating municipalities or 30 utilities through registered apprenticeships. 31 c. Supervised work release placements to perform operator 32 duties in a real-world setting. 33 d. Assistance with certification exams and job placement 34 upon release. 35 -1- LSB 5260YH (5) 91 as/js 1/ 4

H.F. 2129 4. The department of natural resources shall ensure 1 that training and experience obtained through participation 2 in the program qualifies toward the requirements for state 3 certification as a water or wastewater operator. 4 5. The department shall collaborate with the following: 5 a. Municipalities and rural water utilities. 6 b. Community colleges and certified apprenticeship sponsors. 7 c. The department of natural resources and Iowa workforce 8 development for technical guidance and support. 9 d. Employers willing to hire former inmates upon release. 10 6. The department shall submit an annual report to the 11 general assembly by January 15, 2027, and by January 15 12 each year thereafter, that includes inmate participation, 13 certification rates, employment outcomes, and recidivism 14 statistics for program participants. 15 7. Employers participating in the program in good 16 faith shall be afforded the same liability protections 17 as those currently existing for work release programs and 18 apprenticeships. 19 8. This section is repealed January 16, 2029. 20 Sec. 2. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS —— WATER AND WASTEWATER 21 OPERATOR APPRENTICESHIP AND WORK RELEASE PILOT PROGRAM —— 22 APPROPRIATION. There is appropriated from the general fund of 23 the state to the department of corrections for the fiscal year 24 beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following 25 amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the 26 purposes designated: 27 For the purpose of implementing and administering the water 28 and wastewater operator apprenticeship and work release pilot 29 program established in section 904.914, as enacted by this Act: 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 500,000 31 EXPLANATION 32 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 33 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 34 This bill establishes a water and wastewater operator 35 -2- LSB 5260YH (5) 91 as/js 2/ 4

H.F. 2129 apprenticeship and work release pilot program for inmates. 1 The bill provides that the department of corrections 2 (department), in coordination with the Iowa department of 3 natural resources (DNR) and Iowa workforce development (IWD), 4 shall establish an apprenticeship and work release pilot 5 program for inmates to train and work as certified water and 6 wastewater operators and to address the shortage of qualified 7 water and wastewater operators in the state; provide inmates 8 with meaningful vocational training, work experience, and a 9 pathway to post-release employment; and promote rehabilitation 10 and reduce recidivism. 11 The bill provides that an inmate is eligible to participate 12 in the program if the inmate: is serving a sentence for 13 a nonviolent offense; is within 24 months of the inmate’s 14 earliest possible release date; has participated and 15 demonstrated good behavior in prison programming; meets 16 the minimum qualifications established by DNR and IWD for 17 apprentices in water and wastewater operations; and is approved 18 by the department and the board of parole for work release. 19 The bill provides that the program will include classroom 20 instruction, on-the-job training, supervised work release 21 placements, and assistance with certification exams and job 22 placement. DNR must ensure that training and experience 23 obtained through participation in the program qualifies 24 toward the requirements for state certification as a water or 25 wastewater operator. The department shall collaborate with 26 municipalities and rural water utilities, community colleges 27 and certified apprenticeship sponsors, DNR, IWD, and employers 28 willing to hire former inmates upon release. 29 The bill requires the department to submit an annual report 30 to the general assembly by January 15, 2027, and by January 31 15 each year thereafter, that includes inmate participation, 32 certification rates, employment outcomes, and recidivism 33 statistics for program participants. 34 The bill appropriates $500,000 from the general fund of the 35 -3- LSB 5260YH (5) 91 as/js 3/ 4

H.F. 2129 state to the department of corrections, for FY 2026-2027, to 1 implement and administer the program. 2 The pilot program is repealed January 16, 2029. 3 -4- LSB 5260YH (5) 91 as/js 4/ 4