HF 738 (LSB 2774YH (3) 91)

HOUSE FILE 738

BY  TUREK

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing a centralized accommodation grant program and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  231.81  Centralized accommodation grant program.
   1.  The department shall establish and administer a centralized accommodation grant program. The program shall provide grants to individuals with disabilities and employers thereof for the purposes of funding repairs to mobility devices and improving accessibility of workplaces.
   2.  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer the program, including but not limited to rules establishing eligibility requirements, an application process, and award criteria.
   3.  A centralized accommodation fund is created in the state treasury under the control of the department. The fund shall consist of all moneys deposited in the fund pursuant to section 602.8108, subsection 12, and appropriations made to the fund. Moneys in the fund are appropriated to the department for purposes of the centralized accommodation grant program. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys deposited in the fund shall be credited to the fund. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys credited to the fund shall not revert at the close of a fiscal year.
    Sec. 2.  Section 602.8108, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  12.  The state court administrator shall allocate all of the fines and fees attributable to citations for violations under section 321L.2A, subsections 2 and 3, section 321L.3, section 321L.4, subsection 2, and section 321L.7 to the treasurer of state for deposit in the centralized accommodation fund created in section 231.81.
    Sec. 3.  Section 602.8108A, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  The Iowa prison infrastructure fund is created and established as a separate and distinct fund in the state treasury. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary, the first eight million dollars and, beginning July 1, 1997, the first nine million five hundred thousand dollars, of moneys remitted to the treasurer of state from fines, fees, costs, and forfeited bail collected by the clerks of the district court in criminal cases, including those collected for both scheduled and nonscheduled violations, collected in each fiscal year commencing with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1995, shall be deposited in the fund. Beginning July 1, 2009, the treasurer of state shall certify to the judicial branch the annual amount of funds necessary to be remitted for deposit into the fund for that fiscal year and such moneys shall be remitted to the treasurer of state from fines, fees, costs, and forfeited bail collected by the clerks of the district court in criminal cases, including those collected for both scheduled and nonscheduled violations, for debt payments expected to be paid from the fund. Interest and other income earned by the fund shall be deposited in the fund. However, beginning with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1998, all fines and fees attributable to commercial vehicle violation citations issued after July 1, 1998, shall be deposited as provided in section 602.8108, subsection 8.  Additionally, beginning with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, all fines and fees attributable to citations for violations under section 321L.2A, subsections 2 and 3, section 321L.3, section 321L.4, subsection 2, and section 321L.7 issued on or after July 1, 2025, shall be deposited as provided in section 602.8108, subsection 12. The moneys in the fund are appropriated and shall have priority and precedence for the purpose of paying the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on bonds issued by the Iowa finance authority under section 16.177. Any remaining moneys not otherwise appropriated for purposes of paying the principal, premium, and interest on the bonds issued by the Iowa finance authority pursuant to section 16.177 shall be available and appropriated to the treasurer of state pursuant to section 12.80. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, amounts in the funds shall not be subject to appropriation for any purpose by the general assembly, but shall be used only for the purposes set forth in this section. The treasurer of state shall act as custodian of the fund and disburse amounts contained in it as directed by the department of corrections including the automatic disbursement of funds pursuant to the terms of bond indentures and documents and security provisions to trustees and custodians. The treasurer of state is authorized to invest the funds deposited in the fund subject to any limitations contained in any applicable bond proceedings. Any amounts remaining in the fund at the end of each fiscal year shall be transferred to the general fund of the state.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill directs the department of health and human services to establish a centralized accommodation grant program. The program shall provide grants to individuals with disabilities and employers thereof for the purposes of funding repairs to mobility devices and improving accessibility of workplaces.
   The bill directs the department to adopt administrative rules to administer the program, including but not limited to rules establishing eligibility requirements, an application process, and award criteria.
   The bill creates a centralized accommodation fund under the control of the department consisting of all moneys deposited in the fund pursuant to the bill and appropriations made to the fund. Moneys in the fund are appropriated to the department for purposes of the centralized accommodation grant program.
   The bill directs the state court administrator to allocate all of the fines and fees attributable to citations for specified violations of Code chapter 321L (parking for persons with disabilities) to the treasurer of state for deposit in the centralized accommodation fund.