SF 439 (LSB 1925XS (3) 91)

SENATE FILE 439

BY  WINCKLER, CELSI, STAED, PETERSEN, QUIRMBACH, DONAHUE, DOTZLER, BLAKE, ZIMMER, TRONE GARRIOTT, WAHLS, and BISIGNANO

(COMPANION TO HF 196 BY JACOBY)

A BILL FOR

An Act allowing cities to certify taxes for a general fund levy for libraries.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 384.12, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  6.  a.  A tax not to exceed twenty-seven cents per thousand dollars of assessed value for support of a public library, subject to petition and referendum requirements of paragraph “b”.
   b.  A tax under paragraph “a” shall be subject to all of the following:
   (1)  Upon receipt of a valid petition pursuant to section 362.4, the council shall submit to the voters at the next regular city election the question of whether a tax shall be levied.
   (2)  If a majority of voters approve the levy, it shall be imposed.
   (3)  The levy can be eliminated by the same procedure of petition and election.
   (4)  A tax authorized by an election held prior to the effective date of the city code may be continued until eliminated by the council, or by petition and election.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   2023 Iowa Acts, chapter 71 (HF 718), amended Code section 384.12 (additional taxes) to eliminate several taxes a city may levy subject to voter approval at an election. In lieu thereof, HF 718 allowed cities to levy the same amounts the eliminated taxes could have levied as a part of the general fund levy under Code section 384.1. This bill reestablishes the tax levy for a public library eliminated by HF 718 in an amount not to exceed 27 cents per $1,000. The tax imposed under the bill is subject to the same voter approval and notice requirements that existed prior to the enactment of HF 718.