HF 744 (LSB 1891YH (3) 91)

HOUSE FILE 744

BY  WICHTENDAHL

A BILL FOR

An Act concerning local government processes and forms.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 331.301, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  27.  A county shall furnish or make available on a publicly accessible internet site electronic forms required by the county or county officers, including but not limited to the auditor, treasurer, recorder, and sheriff, that may include required filings, documents, and requests for services such as licenses or other information as required by law. The publicly accessible internet site shall also be capable of electronically receiving a document submitted to the county and shall ensure all confidential information, including a person’s identity, is protected. The internet site shall not use a person’s social security number as an identifier in the system.
    Sec. 2.  Section 364.3, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  20.  A city shall furnish or make available on a publicly accessible internet site electronic forms required by the city or city officers, including but not limited to the city clerk, that may include required filings, documents, and requests for services such as licenses or other information as required by law. The publicly accessible internet site shall also be capable of electronically receiving a document submitted to the city and shall ensure all confidential information, including a person’s identity, is protected. The internet site shall not use a person’s social security number as an identifier in the system.
    Sec. 3.  Section 554D.120, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  Except as otherwise provided in section 554D.114, subsection 6, a governmental agency of this state, other than a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of a state or a state executive branch agency, department, board, commission, authority, or institution, shall determine whether, and the extent to which, the governmental agency will send and accept electronic records and electronic signatures to and from other persons and otherwise create, generate, communicate, store, process, use, and rely upon electronic records and electronic signatures.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires counties and cities to make available required forms, documents, and requests for services by a county or county officer or a city or city officer on a publicly accessible internet site. The bill also requires the publicly accessible internet site to be capable of electronically receiving a document submitted to a county or a city while protecting confidential information.
   The bill modifies Code section 554D.120, subsection 1, which currently allows a governmental agency, including a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state, to determine whether, and the extent to which, the governmental agency will send and accept electronic records and electronic signatures to and from other persons and otherwise create, generate, communicate, store, process, use, and rely upon electronic records and electronic signatures.