SSB 1184 (LSB 1493XC (2) 91)

SENATE FILE _____ 

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL BY CHAIRPERSON WEBSTER)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to local civil rights commissions and local civil rights agencies.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 216.19, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsections:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  9.  Any complaint filed with a local agency or local commission where a party is a political subdivision shall be referred to the Iowa office of civil rights for processing.
   NEW SUBSECTION.  10.  a.  A local agency or local commission complaint, upon request by any party, shall be transferred to the Iowa office of civil rights for processing if the complaint alleges a violation of this chapter and has not been resolved within twelve months of the filing date of the complaint.
   b.  The local agency or local commission shall within three hundred days of the filing date of the complaint do all of the following:
   (1)  Send notice to all parties of a party’s right to direct transfer of the complaint to the Iowa office of civil rights from the local agency or local commission after twelve months if the complaint alleges a violation of this chapter. The notice shall be sent to all parties by verified mail, or electronic notice if the party is enrolled in electronic notification.
   (2)  Cross file a complaint with the Iowa office of civil rights if the local agency or local commission complaint arises from an alleged violation of a state law, rule, or regulation under the jurisdiction of the Iowa office of civil rights. This subparagraph shall not be construed to prohibit a local agency or local commission from cross filing a complaint with any other federal or state agency, commission, or entity, if the local agency or local commission complaint arises from an alleged violation of a state or federal law, rule, or regulation of a state or federal agency, commission, or entity.
   NEW SUBSECTION.  11.  The term of a commissioner appointed to a local agency or local commission shall be for two years.
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 local civil rights commissions or local civil rights agencies.
   The bill provides that any complaint that is filed with a local commission or local agency where a party is a political subdivision shall be referred to the Iowa office of civil rights for processing. The bill provides that a local agency or local commission complaint, upon request by any party, shall be transferred to the Iowa office of civil rights for processing if the complaint alleges a violation of the Iowa civil rights Act of 1965 and has not been resolved within 12 months of the filing date of the complaint. The bill requires the local agency or local commission to within 300 days of the filing date of the complaint: (1) send notice to all parties of the party’s right to direct transfer to the Iowa office of civil rights after 12 months by verified mail, or electronic notice, and (2) cross file a complaint with the Iowa office of civil rights if the local agency or local commission complaint arises from an alleged violation of a state law, rule, or regulation under the jurisdiction of the Iowa office of civil rights. The bill does not prohibit a local agency or local commission from cross filing a complaint with any other federal or state agency, commission, or entity, if the local agency or local commission complaint arises from an alleged violation of a state or federal law, rule, or regulation of a state or federal agency, commission, or entity.
   The bill provides that the term of a commissioner of a local agency or local commission is two years.