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House File 345 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1establishing a community reinvestment commission
2concerning law enforcement funding.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 80I.1 Title.
2This Act shall be known and may be cited as the “Community
3Reinvestment Act”.
4 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 80I.2 Purpose.
5This chapter establishes a commission to examine law
6enforcement funding in this state, provide evidence-based
7strategies to generate savings and increase public safety
8by reallocating funds toward proven methods to support
9communities, and report annually with proposed action for the
10executive and legislative branches.
11 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 80I.3 Community reinvestment
12commission.
131. A community reinvestment commission is established to
14undertake a comprehensive review of law enforcement funding in
15this state and, using a data-driven community-based approach,
16to develop policy recommendations for legislative and executive
17consideration to reduce excessive policing and reinvest the
18money saved into proven strategies and programs to support
19communities and reduce crime.
202. a. The governor shall appoint five voting members
21each for a four-year term beginning and ending as provided in
22section 69.19 and subject to confirmation by the senate as
23follows:
24(1) A county sheriff, mayor, nonsupervisory police officer,
25or a chief of police of a department with fewer than eleven
26police officers.
27(2) A person who is knowledgeable about Iowa’s juvenile
28justice system.
29(3) A person representing the general public who is not
30employed in any law enforcement, judicial, or corrections
31capacity.
32(4) A person who is either a crime victim or who represents
33a crime victim organization.
34(5) A person who represents a recognized civil rights
35organization that advocates for minorities.
-1- 1b. Additional voting members of the commission, each serving
2a four-year term, shall include one representative from each
3of the following:
4(1) The Iowa coalition for collective change.
5(2) The American civil liberties union of Iowa.
6(3) The Iowa county attorneys association.
7(4) The commission on the status of African Americans.
8(5) The board of parole.
9(6) The department of justice.
10(7) The state public defender.
11(8) The governor’s office of drug control policy.
12(9) The commission of Latino affairs.
13(10) The commission of Asian and Pacific Islander affairs.
14(11) The commission of Native American affairs.
15c. The chief justice of the supreme court shall designate
16one member who is a district judge and one member who is either
17a district associate judge or associate juvenile judge. The
18members appointed pursuant to this paragraph shall serve as ex
19officio, nonvoting members for four-year terms beginning and
20ending as provided in section 69.19, unless the member ceases
21to serve as a judge.
22d. The commission shall include two members of the senate,
23one appointed by the majority leader of the senate and one
24appointed by the minority leader, and two members of the house
25of representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the house
26and one appointed by the minority leader, who shall serve as
27ex officio, nonvoting members.
28e. The following additional members shall serve as nonvoting
29members of the commission:
30(1) The commissioner of public safety.
31(2) The director of the department of corrections.
32(3) The director of the division of criminal and juvenile
33justice planning of the department of human rights.
34(4) The director of the department of human services.
35(5) A representative from the crime victim assistance
-2-1division of the attorney general’s office.
2(6) Two representatives from county or municipal law
3enforcement, as designated by the attorney general.
4(7) Two representatives from other governmental agencies
5that work in social services, to be selected by the governor
6from a list provided by the legislative representatives.
7(8) Two representatives from nonprofit organizations that
8work to address police violence and the use of excessive force,
9to be selected by the governor from a list provided by the
10legislative representatives.
113. a. A majority of the membership of the commission
12shall constitute a quorum and shall meet at the call of the
13chairperson or upon an affirmative vote of a majority of the
14commission.
15b. All members must be notified in writing of a meeting
16of the commission at least five days before the date on which
17the meeting is scheduled. Meetings shall be held at least
18quarterly.
19c. The commission may appoint a workgroup to provide
20additional information and advice to the commission.
214. Each voting member shall be entitled to appoint a single
22individual to serve as a proxy for the duration of the member’s
23term. The proxy may attend a meeting if the member is unable to
24attend a meeting. The designation of a proxy by a member shall
25be in writing and shall be transmitted to the chairperson of
26the commission.
275. Members shall not receive compensation for their service
28on the commission, but shall be reimbursed for actual expenses
29incurred in the performance of their duties by the agency or
30department which they represent as an official or employee.
316. The commission may call upon any department, agency,
32office, or political subdivision of the state for information
33or assistance as necessary in the performance of its duties.
34The information or assistance shall be furnished to the extent
35allowed within the resources and authority of the department,
-3-1agency, office, or political subdivision. This subsection does
2not require the production or opening of any records which are
3required by law to be kept private or confidential.
47. The commission shall do all of the following:
5a. Undertake a comprehensive review of state and local law
6enforcement budgets in the state and assess such budgets upon
7consideration of all of the following:
8(1) Peer-reviewed research on effective policing practices.
9(2) Peer-reviewed research on crime prevention.
10(3) Peer-reviewed research on policing alternatives and
11community investment as a tool to support public safety.
12(4) Law enforcement budgets from other states.
13b. (1) Solicit public input on the state’s law enforcement
14systems and policy options to generate savings, increase public
15safety, and reinvest in communities through evidence-based
16practices. The subjects of public input shall include but not
17be limited to community needs and best practices for all of the
18following:
19(a) Youth programs.
20(b) Mental health services.
21(c) Housing and homelessness prevention services.
22(d) Job training.
23(e) Job creation.
24(f) Small business support.
25(2) Public input shall be solicited through but not be
26limited to an online forum and five public hearings.
27(a) Public hearings shall be held as follows:
28(i) Prior to the issuance of a final commission annual
29report as provided in subsection 8, paragraph “b”.
30(ii) At venues in communities significantly affected by
31policing practices.
32(iii) At dispersed geographic locations throughout the
33state.
34(iv) At times intended to maximize attendance.
35(b) The online forum and public hearing shall provide an
-4-1opportunity for the public to submit testimony orally or in
2writing.
3c. Develop and make recommendations regarding public policy
4to generate savings, increase public safety, and reinvest in
5communities through evidence-based practices, including but not
6limited to the community needs and best practices specified in
7paragraph “b”.
8d. Engage in strategic planning for the implementation of
9policy recommendations.
10e. Develop a plan for measuring the impact of policy
11changes and the reallocation of resources recommended by the
12commission.
13f. Make recommendations based upon an affirmative vote of a
14majority of the commission members.
158. a. The commission shall issue an annual report of the
16commission’s findings and recommendations for legislative
17and executive action, shall make the report available to the
18public online, and shall deliver the report to the governor,
19the general assembly, and the chief justice of the Iowa supreme
20court. The first report shall be submitted no later than
21January 1, 2022, and by January 1 each year thereafter.
22b. The commission shall hold at least two public hearings
23to solicit public comment on a draft annual report within the
24two-month period preceding the final issuance of the report.
25c. Beginning with the second annual report, the commission
26shall include a summary of comments received at the public
27hearings and any response by a department or agency to the
28comments.
299. Reports prepared by the commission shall include
30recommendations that state departments and agencies can
31implement without additional legislative action. State
32departments and agencies implementing recommendations shall
33issue public replies to commission reports indicating how the
34recommendations have been or will be acted upon and shall
35include any obstacles faced by the state department or agency
-5-1in acting upon the recommendations.
210. For recommendations which require additional action by
3the legislature, the commission report shall include specific
4requests and shall outline the specific legislative action
5needed including budget requests.
611. The commission shall terminate upon submission of its
7fifth annual report on January 1, 2026, if not extended by
8further legislative action or executive order.
912. This chapter is repealed July 1, 2026.
10EXPLANATION
11The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
12the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
13This bill establishes a community reinvestment commission
14concerning law enforcement funding.
15The bill establishes the community reinvestment commission
16to examine law enforcement funding in this state, provide
17evidence-based strategies to generate savings and increase
18public safety by reallocating funds toward proven methods to
19support communities, and report annually with proposed action
20for the executive and legislative branches.
21The bill specifies the members of the commission including
22governor appointees, stakeholders, and legislative and judicial
23branch members.
24The bill provides that the commission shall undertake
25a comprehensive review of and assess state and local law
26enforcement budgets; solicit public input on the state’s law
27enforcement systems and policy options to generate savings,
28increase public safety, and reinvest in communities through
29evidence-based practices; develop and make recommendations
30regarding public policy to generate savings, increase public
31safety, and reinvest in communities through evidence-based
32practices; engage in strategic planning for the implementation
33of policy recommendations; develop a plan for measuring the
34impact of policy changes and the reallocation of resources
35recommended by the commission; and make recommendations based
-6-1upon an affirmative vote of a majority of the commission
2members. The commission must issue an annual report of the
3commission’s findings and recommendations for legislative and
4executive action, which will be available to the public online,
5and which will be delivered to the governor, the general
6assembly, and the chief justice of the Iowa supreme court. The
7first report shall be submitted no later than January 1, 2022,
8and by January 1 each year thereafter. The commission must
9hold at least two public hearings to solicit public comment on
10an annual report within the two months preceding the issuance
11of each report.
12The bill provides that reports prepared by the commission
13shall include recommendations that state departments and
14agencies can implement without additional legislative action.
15For recommendations which require additional action by the
16legislature, the commission report shall include specific
17requests and shall outline the specific legislative action
18needed, including budget requests.
19The bill provides that the commission shall terminate upon
20submission of its fifth annual report on January 1, 2026, if
21not extended by further legislative action or executive order.
22The bill is repealed July 1, 2026.
-7-as/rh
2concerning law enforcement funding.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 80I.1 Title.
2This Act shall be known and may be cited as the “Community
3Reinvestment Act”.
4 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 80I.2 Purpose.
5This chapter establishes a commission to examine law
6enforcement funding in this state, provide evidence-based
7strategies to generate savings and increase public safety
8by reallocating funds toward proven methods to support
9communities, and report annually with proposed action for the
10executive and legislative branches.
11 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 80I.3 Community reinvestment
12commission.
131. A community reinvestment commission is established to
14undertake a comprehensive review of law enforcement funding in
15this state and, using a data-driven community-based approach,
16to develop policy recommendations for legislative and executive
17consideration to reduce excessive policing and reinvest the
18money saved into proven strategies and programs to support
19communities and reduce crime.
202. a. The governor shall appoint five voting members
21each for a four-year term beginning and ending as provided in
22section 69.19 and subject to confirmation by the senate as
23follows:
24(1) A county sheriff, mayor, nonsupervisory police officer,
25or a chief of police of a department with fewer than eleven
26police officers.
27(2) A person who is knowledgeable about Iowa’s juvenile
28justice system.
29(3) A person representing the general public who is not
30employed in any law enforcement, judicial, or corrections
31capacity.
32(4) A person who is either a crime victim or who represents
33a crime victim organization.
34(5) A person who represents a recognized civil rights
35organization that advocates for minorities.
-1- 1b. Additional voting members of the commission, each serving
2a four-year term, shall include one representative from each
3of the following:
4(1) The Iowa coalition for collective change.
5(2) The American civil liberties union of Iowa.
6(3) The Iowa county attorneys association.
7(4) The commission on the status of African Americans.
8(5) The board of parole.
9(6) The department of justice.
10(7) The state public defender.
11(8) The governor’s office of drug control policy.
12(9) The commission of Latino affairs.
13(10) The commission of Asian and Pacific Islander affairs.
14(11) The commission of Native American affairs.
15c. The chief justice of the supreme court shall designate
16one member who is a district judge and one member who is either
17a district associate judge or associate juvenile judge. The
18members appointed pursuant to this paragraph shall serve as ex
19officio, nonvoting members for four-year terms beginning and
20ending as provided in section 69.19, unless the member ceases
21to serve as a judge.
22d. The commission shall include two members of the senate,
23one appointed by the majority leader of the senate and one
24appointed by the minority leader, and two members of the house
25of representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the house
26and one appointed by the minority leader, who shall serve as
27ex officio, nonvoting members.
28e. The following additional members shall serve as nonvoting
29members of the commission:
30(1) The commissioner of public safety.
31(2) The director of the department of corrections.
32(3) The director of the division of criminal and juvenile
33justice planning of the department of human rights.
34(4) The director of the department of human services.
35(5) A representative from the crime victim assistance
-2-1division of the attorney general’s office.
2(6) Two representatives from county or municipal law
3enforcement, as designated by the attorney general.
4(7) Two representatives from other governmental agencies
5that work in social services, to be selected by the governor
6from a list provided by the legislative representatives.
7(8) Two representatives from nonprofit organizations that
8work to address police violence and the use of excessive force,
9to be selected by the governor from a list provided by the
10legislative representatives.
113. a. A majority of the membership of the commission
12shall constitute a quorum and shall meet at the call of the
13chairperson or upon an affirmative vote of a majority of the
14commission.
15b. All members must be notified in writing of a meeting
16of the commission at least five days before the date on which
17the meeting is scheduled. Meetings shall be held at least
18quarterly.
19c. The commission may appoint a workgroup to provide
20additional information and advice to the commission.
214. Each voting member shall be entitled to appoint a single
22individual to serve as a proxy for the duration of the member’s
23term. The proxy may attend a meeting if the member is unable to
24attend a meeting. The designation of a proxy by a member shall
25be in writing and shall be transmitted to the chairperson of
26the commission.
275. Members shall not receive compensation for their service
28on the commission, but shall be reimbursed for actual expenses
29incurred in the performance of their duties by the agency or
30department which they represent as an official or employee.
316. The commission may call upon any department, agency,
32office, or political subdivision of the state for information
33or assistance as necessary in the performance of its duties.
34The information or assistance shall be furnished to the extent
35allowed within the resources and authority of the department,
-3-1agency, office, or political subdivision. This subsection does
2not require the production or opening of any records which are
3required by law to be kept private or confidential.
47. The commission shall do all of the following:
5a. Undertake a comprehensive review of state and local law
6enforcement budgets in the state and assess such budgets upon
7consideration of all of the following:
8(1) Peer-reviewed research on effective policing practices.
9(2) Peer-reviewed research on crime prevention.
10(3) Peer-reviewed research on policing alternatives and
11community investment as a tool to support public safety.
12(4) Law enforcement budgets from other states.
13b. (1) Solicit public input on the state’s law enforcement
14systems and policy options to generate savings, increase public
15safety, and reinvest in communities through evidence-based
16practices. The subjects of public input shall include but not
17be limited to community needs and best practices for all of the
18following:
19(a) Youth programs.
20(b) Mental health services.
21(c) Housing and homelessness prevention services.
22(d) Job training.
23(e) Job creation.
24(f) Small business support.
25(2) Public input shall be solicited through but not be
26limited to an online forum and five public hearings.
27(a) Public hearings shall be held as follows:
28(i) Prior to the issuance of a final commission annual
29report as provided in subsection 8, paragraph “b”.
30(ii) At venues in communities significantly affected by
31policing practices.
32(iii) At dispersed geographic locations throughout the
33state.
34(iv) At times intended to maximize attendance.
35(b) The online forum and public hearing shall provide an
-4-1opportunity for the public to submit testimony orally or in
2writing.
3c. Develop and make recommendations regarding public policy
4to generate savings, increase public safety, and reinvest in
5communities through evidence-based practices, including but not
6limited to the community needs and best practices specified in
7paragraph “b”.
8d. Engage in strategic planning for the implementation of
9policy recommendations.
10e. Develop a plan for measuring the impact of policy
11changes and the reallocation of resources recommended by the
12commission.
13f. Make recommendations based upon an affirmative vote of a
14majority of the commission members.
158. a. The commission shall issue an annual report of the
16commission’s findings and recommendations for legislative
17and executive action, shall make the report available to the
18public online, and shall deliver the report to the governor,
19the general assembly, and the chief justice of the Iowa supreme
20court. The first report shall be submitted no later than
21January 1, 2022, and by January 1 each year thereafter.
22b. The commission shall hold at least two public hearings
23to solicit public comment on a draft annual report within the
24two-month period preceding the final issuance of the report.
25c. Beginning with the second annual report, the commission
26shall include a summary of comments received at the public
27hearings and any response by a department or agency to the
28comments.
299. Reports prepared by the commission shall include
30recommendations that state departments and agencies can
31implement without additional legislative action. State
32departments and agencies implementing recommendations shall
33issue public replies to commission reports indicating how the
34recommendations have been or will be acted upon and shall
35include any obstacles faced by the state department or agency
-5-1in acting upon the recommendations.
210. For recommendations which require additional action by
3the legislature, the commission report shall include specific
4requests and shall outline the specific legislative action
5needed including budget requests.
611. The commission shall terminate upon submission of its
7fifth annual report on January 1, 2026, if not extended by
8further legislative action or executive order.
912. This chapter is repealed July 1, 2026.
10EXPLANATION
11The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
12the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
13This bill establishes a community reinvestment commission
14concerning law enforcement funding.
15The bill establishes the community reinvestment commission
16to examine law enforcement funding in this state, provide
17evidence-based strategies to generate savings and increase
18public safety by reallocating funds toward proven methods to
19support communities, and report annually with proposed action
20for the executive and legislative branches.
21The bill specifies the members of the commission including
22governor appointees, stakeholders, and legislative and judicial
23branch members.
24The bill provides that the commission shall undertake
25a comprehensive review of and assess state and local law
26enforcement budgets; solicit public input on the state’s law
27enforcement systems and policy options to generate savings,
28increase public safety, and reinvest in communities through
29evidence-based practices; develop and make recommendations
30regarding public policy to generate savings, increase public
31safety, and reinvest in communities through evidence-based
32practices; engage in strategic planning for the implementation
33of policy recommendations; develop a plan for measuring the
34impact of policy changes and the reallocation of resources
35recommended by the commission; and make recommendations based
-6-1upon an affirmative vote of a majority of the commission
2members. The commission must issue an annual report of the
3commission’s findings and recommendations for legislative and
4executive action, which will be available to the public online,
5and which will be delivered to the governor, the general
6assembly, and the chief justice of the Iowa supreme court. The
7first report shall be submitted no later than January 1, 2022,
8and by January 1 each year thereafter. The commission must
9hold at least two public hearings to solicit public comment on
10an annual report within the two months preceding the issuance
11of each report.
12The bill provides that reports prepared by the commission
13shall include recommendations that state departments and
14agencies can implement without additional legislative action.
15For recommendations which require additional action by the
16legislature, the commission report shall include specific
17requests and shall outline the specific legislative action
18needed, including budget requests.
19The bill provides that the commission shall terminate upon
20submission of its fifth annual report on January 1, 2026, if
21not extended by further legislative action or executive order.
22The bill is repealed July 1, 2026.
-7-as/rh