House File 477 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 477 BY JACOBY A BILL FOR An Act relating to the secession of counties. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 2 TLSB 2697YH (4) 91 ss/ns
H.F. 477 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 331.301A Secession. 1 1. A county may, by adoption of an ordinance, secede from 2 the state of Iowa. Upon the effective date of an ordinance 3 to secede from the state of Iowa, a county shall cease to be 4 a political subdivision of the state for all purposes and the 5 county and the residents of the county shall not be subject to 6 the laws or Constitution of the State of Iowa. 7 2. All property, real or personal, that is owned by the 8 state of Iowa that is located in a county that secedes from the 9 state of Iowa shall remain under the ownership and control of 10 the state of Iowa. 11 3. An ordinance to secede from the state of Iowa shall have 12 an effective date of not less than one year after the date of 13 adoption. 14 4. This section does not apply unless the county has 15 approval from the federal government and another state to 16 become part of the other state, or unless the county has 17 approval from the federal government to become its own state 18 or territory. 19 EXPLANATION 20 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 21 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 22 This bill allows a county to secede from the state of Iowa 23 by the adoption of an ordinance. A county that adopts an 24 ordinance to secede from the state of Iowa ceases to be a 25 political subdivision of the state for all purposes and the 26 county and the residents of the county shall no longer be 27 subject to the laws or Constitution of the State of Iowa. The 28 bill requires all property, real or personal, that is owned by 29 the state of Iowa and located in a county that secedes from the 30 state to remain under the ownership and control of the state. 31 The bill requires an ordinance to secede from the state of Iowa 32 to have an effective date of not less than one year after the 33 date of adoption. The bill does not apply unless the county 34 has approval from the federal government and another state 35 -1- LSB 2697YH (4) 91 ss/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 477 to become part of the other state, or unless the county has 1 approval from the federal government to become its own state 2 or territory. 3 -2- LSB 2697YH (4) 91 ss/ns 2/ 2