House Study Bill 562 - Introduced SENATE/HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BILL) A BILL FOR An Act relating to qualifications of commissioners, executive 1 directors, and administrators of county commissions of 2 veteran affairs. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5451XD (5) 90 sc/ns
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 35A.5, subsection 9, Code 2024, is 1 amended by striking the subsection and inserting in lieu 2 thereof the following: 3 9. Verify each executive director and administrator of a 4 county commission of veteran affairs is fully qualified to work 5 in the persons position. Qualifications include but are not 6 limited to all of the following: 7 a. The person has obtained certification that is federally 8 required for the executive directors or administrators 9 position within twelve months of beginning the persons 10 employment. 11 b. The person has obtained a personal identification 12 verification card necessary to access the veterans benefits 13 management system within twelve months of beginning the 14 persons employment. 15 c. The person maintains certification that is federally 16 required for the executive directors or administrators 17 position. 18 d. The person maintains an active personal identification 19 verification card and has access to the veterans benefits 20 management system. 21 e. The person is proficient in the use of electronic 22 mail, general computer use, and use of the internet to access 23 information regarding facilities, benefits, and services 24 available to veterans and their families. 25 Sec. 2. Section 35A.16, subsection 3, paragraph a, Code 26 2024, is amended to read as follows: 27 a. If sufficient moneys are available, the department 28 shall annually allocate ten thousand dollars to each county 29 commission of veteran affairs, or to each county sharing the 30 services of an executive director or administrator pursuant 31 to chapter 28E , to be used to provide services to veterans 32 pursuant to section 35B.6 and to provide for and maintain 33 accreditation in accordance with the policies and procedures of 34 the United States department of veterans affairs . Each county 35 -1- LSB 5451XD (5) 90 sc/ns 1/ 4
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ receiving an allocation shall annually report on expenditure of 1 the allocation in a form agreed to by the department and county 2 representatives. 3 Sec. 3. Section 35A.17, subsection 1, Code 2024, is amended 4 to read as follows: 5 1. A county commission of veteran affairs training program 6 is created under the control of the department for the purpose 7 of providing training, certification, and accreditation 8 opportunities for county commissions of veteran affairs 9 commissioners, executive directors, administrators, and 10 employees. 11 Sec. 4. Section 35A.17, subsection 3, paragraph a, Code 12 2024, is amended to read as follows: 13 a. The department shall use funds deposited in the county 14 commission of veteran affairs training program account to 15 organize statewide or regional training conferences and provide 16 training, certification, and accreditation opportunities for 17 county commissions of veteran affairs commissioners, executive 18 directors, administrators, and employees, consistent with the 19 requirements of section 35A.5, subsection 9 . 20 Sec. 5. Section 35B.6, subsection 1, paragraph c, Code 2024, 21 is amended to read as follows: 22 c. (1) Upon the employment of an executive director or 23 administrator, the executive director or administrator shall 24 complete a course of for the purpose of obtaining certification 25 training provided by the department of veterans affairs 26 pursuant to section 35A.5 federally required for the persons 27 position and a personal identification verification card 28 necessary to access the veterans benefits management system . 29 If an executive director or administrator fails to obtain 30 certification or a personal identification verification card 31 within one year of being employed, the executive director or 32 administrator shall be removed from office. The department 33 shall issue the executive director or administrator a 34 certificate of training after completion of the certification 35 -2- LSB 5451XD (5) 90 sc/ns 2/ 4
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ training course. To maintain certification, the Upon a 1 request from a county commission of veteran affairs and based 2 on extenuating circumstances, the commandant of the Iowa 3 department of veterans affairs may extend the time frame for 4 an executive director or administrator to obtain a personal 5 identification verification card. 6 (2) An executive director or administrator shall satisfy 7 the continuing education requirements established by the 8 national association of county veterans service officers and 9 the United States department of veterans affairs . Failure 10 of an executive director or administrator to maintain 11 certification shall be cause for removal from office. The 12 expenses of training the executive director or administrator 13 shall be paid from the appropriation authorized in section 14 35B.14 . 15 (3) An executive director or administrator shall satisfy 16 the continuing education requirements necessary to maintain an 17 active personal identification verification card and access 18 to the veterans benefits management system. Failure of an 19 executive director or administrator to maintain certification 20 and access to the veterans benefits management system shall be 21 cause for removal from office. 22 EXPLANATION 23 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 24 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 25 This bill replaces the Iowa department of veterans affairs 26 (IDVA) duty to provide certification training to executive 27 directors and administrators of county commissions of veteran 28 affairs (CCVA) with the duty to verify each executive director 29 and administrator of a CCVA is fully qualified to work in the 30 persons position. Such qualifications include but are not 31 limited to obtaining certification that is federally required 32 for the executive directors or administrators position within 33 12 months of beginning the persons employment; obtaining a 34 personal identification verification (PIV) card necessary to 35 -3- LSB 5451XD (5) 90 sc/ns 3/ 4
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ access the veterans benefits management system (VBMS) within 1 12 months of beginning the persons employment; maintaining 2 certification that is federally required for the executive 3 directors or administrators position; maintaining an active 4 PIV card and access to VBMS; and having proficiency in the 5 use of electronic mail, general computer use, and use of the 6 internet to access information regarding facilities, benefits, 7 and services available to veterans and their families. 8 The bill requires a CCVA executive director or administrator 9 to complete a course for the purpose of obtaining certification 10 federally required for the persons position and a PIV 11 card necessary to access VBMS. If an executive director or 12 administrator fails to obtain certification or a PIV card 13 within one year of being employed, the executive director 14 or administrator shall be removed from office unless the 15 deadline is extended upon the CCVAs request and the approval 16 of the commandant of the IDVA. Under current law, the IDVA is 17 required to provide the training and issue a certificate of 18 completion. 19 The bill also adds CCVA commissioners to those who may 20 receive training under the county commission of veteran affairs 21 training program. 22 The bill requires an executive director or administrator 23 to satisfy the continuing education requirements established 24 by the United States department of veterans affairs and the 25 requirements necessary to maintain an active PIV card and 26 access to the VBMS. Failure of an executive director or 27 administrator to maintain certification and access to VBMS 28 shall be cause for removal from office. 29 By operation of law, the bill affects the report that the 30 IDVA must submit under Code section 35A.5 (IDVA duties) and 31 the obligations that a county must meet for funding under Code 32 section 35A.16 (CCVA fund). 33 -4- LSB 5451XD (5) 90 sc/ns 4/ 4