A bill for an act relating to emergency management services and emergency medical services and including applicability provisions.
Impact
With the provisions in HSB561, compliance and cooperation among local government entities, including county boards of supervisors and city councils, are emphasized to ensure that emergency services are adequately funded. This bill mandates that these entities adopt a capital improvement plan as part of their budgeting processes to identify future expenditures for significant projects. This financial structure aims to secure consistent funding for emergency management agencies to better support community safety and response readiness.
Summary
House Study Bill 561, also referred to as HSB561, focuses on the regulation and funding of emergency management services and emergency medical services in Iowa. The bill implements provisions to establish how local emergency management agencies can fund their operations through taxation and other financial mechanisms. A key aspect is the introduction of a countywide special levy that local emergency management commissions can certify and impose, limited to $0.35 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Contention
Notably, the bill was subject to debate regarding the balance of power between local government and county-level emergency services. Some stakeholders expressed concerns that the implementation of centralized funding mechanisms through the tax levy could limit local control, making it harder for cities to address specific local emergency needs effectively. The concerns highlight ongoing discussions about the appropriate level of authority and financial autonomy required by local entities to meet community-specific requirements for emergency management.
A bill for an act relating to emergency management services and emergency medical services and including applicability provisions.(Formerly SF 570, SF 352, SF 41.)
A bill for an act relating to emergency management services and emergency medical services and including applicability provisions.(Formerly SF 352, SF 41; See SF 2426.)
A bill for an act relating to emergency management services and emergency medical services and including applicability provisions.(Formerly SF 41; See SF 570, SF 2426.)
To authorize any county, municipality, or governmental entity subject to a countywide civil service system to elect by a majority vote of the county or municipal governing body to opt out of the countywide civil service system; to require the county, municipality, or governmental entity to adopt a human resources policy and procedures manual; and to require the county, municipality, or governmental entity to notify the director of the countywide civil service system of its decision to withdraw from the system.
To authorize any county, municipality, or governmental entity subject to a countywide civil service system established by a local law to elect by a majority vote of the governing body of the county, municipality, or governmental entity to be exempt from the countywide civil service system for the recruitment and hiring of all employees; to require the county, municipality, or governmental entity to adopt a human resources policy and procedures manual and to notify the director of the countywide civil service system of its decision to withdraw from the system for the recruitment and hiring of employees; and to provide that employees, after a probationary period, would be merit system employees subject to all rights and protections under the countywide civil service system.
A bill for an act requiring the state fire marshal to conduct a study on the consolidation of fire protection services, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly SSB 1206.)