HF 949 (LSB 2602HV (3) 91)

HOUSE FILE 949

BY  COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

(SUCCESSOR TO HSB 250)

A BILL FOR

An Act concerning the duties of county commissioners and county auditors.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 47.5, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  a.  Except for legal services and printing of ballots, the commissioner shall take bids for goods and services which that are needed in connection with registration of voters or preparation for or administration of elections and which that will be performed or provided by persons who are not employees of the commissioner under the following circumstances:
   a.  (1)  In any case where when it is proposed to purchase data processing services. The commissioner shall give the registrar written notice in advance on each occasion when it is proposed to have data processing services, necessary in connection with the administration of elections, performed by any person other than the registrar or an employee of the county. Such notice shall be made at least thirty days prior to publication of the specifications.
   b.  (2)  In all other cases, where the cost of the goods or services to be purchased will exceed one thousand dollars For the purchase of goods or services when the anticipated cost of the goods or services exceeds fifty thousand dollars.
   b.  Notwithstanding paragraph “a”, if the anticipated cost of goods or services to be purchased by the commissioner is equal to or less than fifty thousand dollars, the commissioner may use an informal bid process to solicit written bids from at least three qualified contractors that either sell the needed goods or provide the needed services in accordance with applicable local, state, or federal law.
    Sec. 2.  Section 64.24, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  a.  The secretary of state, each county auditor, each district court clerk, and each auditor or clerk of a city shall keep a book, to be known as the “Record of Official Bonds”, and all official bonds shall be recorded therein in full as follows:
   (1)  a.  In the record kept by the secretary of state, the official bonds of all state officers, elective or appointive, except the bonds of notaries public.
   (2)  b.  In the record kept by the county auditor, the official bonds of all county officers, elective or appointive, and township clerks.
   (3)  c.  In the record kept by the city auditor or clerk, the official bonds of all city officers, elective or appointive.
   (4)  d.  In the record kept by the district court clerk, the official bonds of judicial magistrates.
   b.  The records shall have an index which, under the title of each office, shall show the name of each principal and the date of the filing of the bond.
    Sec. 3.  Section 64.24, subsection 1, paragraph b, Code 2025, is amended by striking the paragraph.
    Sec. 4.  Section 331.502, subsections 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 30, 35, and 36, Code 2025, are amended by striking the subsections.
    Sec. 5.  Section 331.508, subsections 4 and 5, Code 2025, are amended by striking the subsections.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to the duties of county commissioners and county auditors.
   Under current law, the county commissioner must take bids for goods and services when the cost of the goods or services to be purchased will exceed $1,000. The bill raises the threshold to an amount exceeding $50,000 and, if the anticipated cost is equal to or less than $50,000, the commissioner may use an informal bid process to solicit written bids from at least three qualified contractors that either sell the needed goods or provide the needed services.
   The secretary of state, each county auditor, district court clerk, and each auditor or clerk of a city must keep a book known as the “Record of Official Bonds”. The bill eliminates the requirement that the bonds be indexed in the book by the name of the principal and the date the bond is filed.
   The bill eliminates a variety of duties assigned to county auditors including: attesting to anticipatory warrants issued by the board for the operation of a county limestone quarry; carrying out duties relating to the determination of residency, collection of funds due the county, and support of persons with intellectual disabilities; collecting the costs relating to the treatment and care of private patients at the state psychiatric hospital; carrying out duties relating to the hospitalization and support of persons with mental illness; issuing warrants and maintaining a permanent record of persons receiving veteran assistance; ordering the county treasurer to transfer tuition payments from the account of the debtor school corporation to the creditor school corporation; ordering the county treasurer to transfer transportation service fees from the account of the debtor school corporation to the creditor school corporation; apportioning school taxes, rents, and other money dedicated for public school purposes; carrying out duties relating to school lands and funds; carrying out duties relating to the establishment, alteration, and vacation of public highways; carrying out duties relating to the establishment and maintenance of secondary roads; notifying the state department of transportation of claims filed for improvements on public roads payable from the primary road fund; acknowledging satisfaction of the mortgage by execution of a written instrument referring to the mortgage for payment of a permanent school fund mortgage; and receiving moneys recovered from a person willfully committing waste or trespass on real estate and recording in a book kept for that purpose.
   The bill eliminates certain books and records kept by county auditors including an account book and index of persons receiving mental health treatment and a permanent record of the names and addresses of persons receiving veteran assistance.