House File 2321 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2321 BY GEARHART A BILL FOR An Act relating to membership in the protection occupation 1 category of the Iowa public employees’ retirement system for 2 certain social workers. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5671YH (3) 91 sc/ns
H.F. 2321 Section 1. Section 97B.49B, subsection 1, paragraph e, Code 1 2026, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph: 2 NEW SUBPARAGRAPH . (17) A social worker employed by the 3 department of health and human services who meets all of the 4 following criteria: 5 (a) Is assigned to conduct child protective assessments, 6 family assessments, safety planning, or a related field 7 investigation that requires in-person contact with children, 8 families, caregivers, or alleged perpetrators. 9 (b) Performs duties that regularly involve heightened risk, 10 including any of the following: 11 (i) Entering a private residence or uncontrolled 12 environment. 13 (ii) Interacting with an individual who may be violent, 14 intoxicated, unstable, or otherwise present a safety threat. 15 (iii) Evaluating an allegation of child abuse, neglect, or 16 imminent danger to a child. 17 (iv) Coordinating emergency removal or placement of 18 children. 19 Sec. 2. SERVICE RECLASSIFICATION. Notwithstanding any 20 provision of law to the contrary, a member of the Iowa public 21 employees’ retirement system whose prior regular service 22 position is reclassified by this Act as a protective occupation 23 service position shall have service by such member prior to the 24 effective date of this Act coded as service in a protection 25 occupation by the Iowa public employees’ retirement system 26 if certified by the employer of the member as constituting 27 protection occupation service under this Act. Membership 28 service shall be reclassified as provided by this Act without 29 any requirement to pay additional contributions for the payment 30 of the related actuarial costs of such reclassified service. 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 provides that a person employed as a social 35 -1- LSB 5671YH (3) 91 sc/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 2321 worker by the department of health and human services who 1 meets certain criteria shall be included within the protection 2 occupation category of the Iowa public employees’ retirement 3 system. The bill provides that membership service prior 4 to the effective date of the bill shall be reclassified 5 as protection occupation service without payment of any 6 additional contributions to pay the actuarial costs of the 7 reclassified service if the employer certifies the employment 8 as constituting protection occupation service under the bill. 9 -2- LSB 5671YH (3) 91 sc/ns 2/ 2