Iowa Senate Bill SSB1029

Iowa 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/12/23
• Refer: 1/12/23

Caption

A bill for an act relating to access to and use of the county land record information system.(See SF 141.)

Impact

The enactment of SSB1029 would significantly alter the current legal framework governing county land records. By enabling such agreements, it can foster improved data accessibility between counties and state agencies. It encourages a more unified approach to managing land and environmental records by allowing different entities to share and access critical information in a structured way. This change is anticipated to facilitate better-informed decision-making in land use and environmental protection strategies.

Summary

Senate Study Bill 1029 (SSB1029) aims to amend existing legislation related to the access and utilization of the county land record information system in Iowa. The bill allows the governing board of this system to enter agreements for providing access to electronic documents, specifically groundwater hazard documents, on a batch basis or through application programming interface (API) to the Department of Natural Resources. It also includes provisions for collecting fees for access to these documents, enabling wider data availability while regulating the cost of access to ensure it's limited to actual costs incurred.

Contention

While the bill promotes data accessibility, there are potential concerns regarding how these changes might affect privacy and data security, particularly regarding unauthorized access to sensitive documents. The provisions requiring the governing board to implement reasonable limitations on usage and authentication are essential to address these concerns. However, the practicality and effectiveness of these limitations remain to be evaluated, raising questions on whether adequate measures will be in place to protect sensitive information from misuse.