House File 499 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 499 BY SORENSEN A BILL FOR An Act providing for the establishment of a disaster assistance 1 grant program, and making appropriations. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1267YH (1) 91 sc/ns
H.F. 499 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 16.57E Disaster assistance grant 1 program fund. 2 1. A disaster assistance grant program is established under 3 the administration and control of the authority to award grants 4 to Iowa homeowners whose primary residences have been damaged 5 by a natural disaster. 6 2. A disaster assistance grant fund is created within the 7 state treasury under the control of the authority. The fund 8 shall consist of moneys appropriated to the fund by the general 9 assembly and any other moneys available to and obtained or 10 accepted by the authority for deposit in the fund. Moneys 11 in the fund are appropriated to the authority for purposes 12 of administering the program and providing grants under the 13 program. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the fund 14 that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of a 15 fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for 16 expenditure for the purposes designated. Notwithstanding 17 section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys in 18 the fund shall be credited to the fund. 19 3. a. In administering the program, the authority shall 20 award grants to Iowa homeowners for the purpose of paying for 21 damage to the homeowners primary residence that was caused by 22 a natural disaster. 23 b. To be eligible for a grant under the program, the 24 homeowners primary residence must have sustained damage 25 greater than the damage that is covered by the homeowners 26 property and casualty insurance policy insuring the residence, 27 plus any other state or federal disaster-related financial 28 assistance that the homeowner is eligible to receive. 29 4. The authority shall adopt, as necessary, application 30 procedures, forms, administrative guidelines, and other rules 31 pursuant to chapter 17A for purposes of implementing and 32 administering the program. 33 EXPLANATION 34 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 35 -1- LSB 1267YH (1) 91 sc/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 499 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 1 This bill establishes a disaster assistance grant program 2 (program) under the administration of the Iowa finance 3 authority (authority) for the purpose of providing grants to 4 Iowa homeowners whose primary residences have been damaged by 5 a natural disaster. The bill creates a disaster assistance 6 grant fund under the control of the authority to support the 7 program. To be eligible to receive a grant, a homeowners 8 primary residence must have sustained damage that is not 9 covered by the homeowners insurance policy or by other federal 10 or state disaster-related financial assistance. The bill 11 requires the authority to adopt application procedures, forms, 12 administrative guidelines, and other rules for implementing and 13 administering the program. 14 -2- LSB 1267YH (1) 91 sc/ns 2/ 2