HF 499 (LSB 1267YH (1) 91)

HOUSE FILE 499

BY  SORENSEN

A BILL FOR

An Act providing for the establishment of a disaster assistance grant program, and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  16.57E  Disaster assistance grant program —— fund.
   1.  A disaster assistance grant program is established under the administration and control of the authority to award grants to Iowa homeowners whose primary residences have been damaged by a natural disaster.
   2.  A disaster assistance grant fund is created within the state treasury under the control of the authority. The fund shall consist of moneys appropriated to the fund by the general assembly and any other moneys available to and obtained or accepted by the authority for deposit in the fund. Moneys in the fund are appropriated to the authority for purposes of administering the program and providing grants under the program. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the fund that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of a fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund.
   3.  a.  In administering the program, the authority shall award grants to Iowa homeowners for the purpose of paying for damage to the homeowner’s primary residence that was caused by a natural disaster.
   b.  To be eligible for a grant under the program, the homeowner’s primary residence must have sustained damage greater than the damage that is covered by the homeowner’s property and casualty insurance policy insuring the residence, plus any other state or federal disaster-related financial assistance that the homeowner is eligible to receive.
   4.  The authority shall adopt, as necessary, application procedures, forms, administrative guidelines, and other rules pursuant to chapter 17A for purposes of implementing and administering the program.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes a disaster assistance grant program (program) under the administration of the Iowa finance authority (authority) for the purpose of providing grants to Iowa homeowners whose primary residences have been damaged by a natural disaster. The bill creates a disaster assistance grant fund under the control of the authority to support the program. To be eligible to receive a grant, a homeowner’s primary residence must have sustained damage that is not covered by the homeowner’s insurance policy or by other federal or state disaster-related financial assistance. The bill requires the authority to adopt application procedures, forms, administrative guidelines, and other rules for implementing and administering the program.