House Study Bill 198 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY BILL BY CHAIRPERSON VONDRAN) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the statewide interoperable communications 1 system, and including effective date provisions. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1338YC (1) 91 as/js
H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 80.29, subsections 2 and 3, Code 2025, 1 are amended to read as follows: 2 2. Review and monitor communications interoperability 3 performance and service levels on behalf of agencies users . 4 3. Establish, monitor, and maintain appropriate policies 5 and protocols to ensure that interoperable communications 6 systems function properly. Neither the board nor any 7 subcommittee of the board shall make any standard, rule, 8 or policy that conflicts with this chapter or published 9 administrative rules. 10 Sec. 2. Section 80.29, Code 2025, is amended by adding the 11 following new subsection: 12 NEW SUBSECTION . 15. Process all applications for access to 13 the statewide interoperable communications system. The board 14 shall not delegate this responsibility to any other committee, 15 subcommittee, or third party. The approval of an application 16 shall not be delayed by any other committee, subcommittee, 17 or third party. An application for access to the statewide 18 interoperable communications system shall not be delayed or 19 prevented from being forwarded to the board for approval by the 20 board at the boards next meeting following the submission of 21 an application. 22 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 80.29A Eligibility for access to 23 statewide interoperable communications system. 24 1. For purposes of this section, unless the context 25 otherwise requires: 26 a. Board means the statewide interoperable communications 27 system board established in section 80.28. 28 b. Public entity means the state, political subdivisions 29 of the state, public school corporations, and all public 30 officers, boards, commissions, departments, agencies, and 31 authorities empowered by law to enter into public contracts for 32 the expenditure of public funds, including the state board of 33 regents and institutions under the control of the state board 34 of regents. 35 -1- LSB 1338YC (1) 91 as/js 1/ 5
H.F. _____ c. Public service organization means a nongovernmental 1 entity including but not limited to: 2 (1) Railway special agents. 3 (2) Private security agencies that are licensed under 4 chapter 80A. 5 (3) Nuclear power facility responders. 6 (4) Hazardous materials teams. 7 (5) Rescue, search and rescue, and search and recovery 8 teams. 9 (6) Towing services. 10 (7) Entities that provide electric, gas, or other 11 utilities. 12 (8) Airports and aviation services. 13 (9) Any nonprofit or humanitarian organization that helps 14 people prepare for, and respond to, emergencies or disasters. 15 (10) Emergency medical services, including but not limited 16 to first responders, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, 17 or ambulance services, whether paid or volunteer. 18 (11) Private safety entities that provide emergency 19 fire, ambulance, or medical services whether by full-time or 20 part-time employees or on a volunteer basis. 21 (12) Any other public service organization reasonably 22 determined to require direct access to the statewide 23 interoperable communications system. 24 d. Sponsored system access means access to the statewide 25 interoperable communications system by any public service 26 organization that is not a qualified public entity or public 27 service organization generally entitled to direct access to 28 the statewide interoperable communications system, but the 29 organization is sponsored by the head of any public entity. 30 e. User level means the type of statewide interoperable 31 communications system access provided to any statewide 32 interoperable communications system user. 33 2. Voice and data access shall be provided by the board 34 to any public entity or public service organization that is 35 -2- LSB 1338YC (1) 91 as/js 2/ 5
H.F. _____ qualified to be a statewide interoperable communications system 1 user, or any public service organization that is sponsored by 2 the head of a public entity. 3 3. No public service organization, regardless of whether 4 it has direct or sponsored system access, shall be required 5 to have a contract or agreement with a public entity or other 6 governmental organization in order to qualify for statewide 7 interoperable communications system access. No organization 8 that is sponsored by the head of any public entity shall be 9 denied access to the statewide interoperable communications 10 system. 11 4. There are four user levels allowing various degrees of 12 access to the statewide interoperable communications system 13 platform. A public service organization shall specify the 14 user level required when submitting the initial application 15 for statewide interoperable communications system access. 16 The level of access required is based upon the needs and 17 capabilities of the public service organization. A public 18 service organization may submit a request to change its 19 user level at any time after being approved as a statewide 20 interoperable communications system user. The statewide 21 interoperable communications system board shall approve the 22 user level submitted by a public service organization. 23 5. All equipment and programming costs associated with 24 communications on the statewide interoperable communications 25 system, including encryption equipment, shall be the sole 26 responsibility of the public service organization to purchase, 27 program, and maintain. The state will provide the system 28 access setup, training, support, and electronic codes or keys 29 to public service organizations at no cost. 30 6. A decision by the board to deny access to, or to remove 31 current access to, the statewide interoperable communications 32 system may be appealed by the public service organization to an 33 administrative law judge of the department. 34 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate 35 -3- LSB 1338YC (1) 91 as/js 3/ 5
H.F. _____ importance, takes effect upon enactment. 1 EXPLANATION 2 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 3 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 4 This bill requires the statewide interoperable 5 communications system (SICS) board to process all applications 6 for access to the SICS. The board shall not delegate this 7 responsibility to any other committee, subcommittee, or third 8 party. The approval of an application shall not be delayed 9 by any other committee, subcommittee, or third party. An 10 application for access to the SICS shall not be delayed or 11 prevented from being forwarded to the board for approval by the 12 board at the boards next meeting following the submission of 13 an application. 14 The bill requires the board to provide voice and data 15 access to any public entity or public service organization 16 that is qualified to be an SICS user, or any public service 17 organization that is sponsored by the head of a public entity. 18 No public service organization, regardless of whether it 19 has direct or sponsored system access, shall be required to 20 have a contract or agreement with a public entity or other 21 governmental organization in order to qualify for SICS access. 22 A public service organization shall specify the user level 23 required when submitting the initial application for SICS 24 access based upon the needs and capabilities of the public 25 service organization. A request to change user level may be 26 made at any time after approval. The SICS board shall approve 27 the user level submitted by a public service organization. 28 The bill provides that all equipment and programming 29 costs associated with communications on the SICS, including 30 encryption equipment, shall be the sole responsibility of the 31 public service organization to purchase, program, and maintain. 32 The state will provide the system access setup, training, 33 support, and electronic codes or keys to public service 34 organizations at no cost. 35 -4- LSB 1338YC (1) 91 as/js 4/ 5
H.F. _____ A decision by the board to deny access to, or to remove 1 current access to, the SICS may be appealed by the public 2 service organization to an administrative law judge of the 3 department of public safety. 4 The bill provides definitions. 5 The bill takes effect upon enactment. 6 -5- LSB 1338YC (1) 91 as/js 5/ 5