Senate File 499 - Introduced SENATE FILE 499 BY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1073) (COMPANION TO HF 297 BY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT) A BILL FOR An Act relating to certain emergency services provided by a 1 city. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2105SV (1) 91 ll/js
S.F. 499 Section 1. Section 362.5, subsection 3, paragraph a, Code 1 2025, is amended to read as follows: 2 a. The payment of lawful compensation of a city officer , 3 volunteer fire fighter as defined in section 85.61, emergency 4 medical care provider as defined in section 147A.1, or employee 5 holding more than one city office or position, the holding of 6 which is not incompatible with another public office or is 7 not prohibited by law. This section shall not be construed 8 to prohibit nominal stipends, compensation, incentives, or 9 benefits for volunteer fire fighters or emergency medical care 10 providers. 11 Sec. 2. Section 372.13, subsection 10, Code 2025, is amended 12 to read as follows: 13 10. A council member, during the term for which that member 14 is elected, is not precluded from holding the office of chief 15 of the volunteer fire department or from serving the volunteer 16 fire department in any other position or capacity. A person 17 holding the office of chief of such a volunteer fire department 18 at the time of the persons election to the city council may 19 continue to hold the office of chief of the fire department 20 during the city council term for which that person was elected. 21 A currently serving member may serve as chief of the volunteer 22 fire department upon a majority vote of the council. A council 23 member who is a candidate for the position of chief of the 24 volunteer fire department or an appointed officer position 25 shall abstain from voting upon the council members own 26 appointment to the position. 27 Sec. 3. Section 384.3, Code 2025, is amended to read as 28 follows: 29 384.3 General fund. 30 1. All moneys received for city government purposes from 31 taxes and other sources must be credited to the general fund 32 of the city, except that moneys received for the purposes of 33 the debt service fund, the trust and agency funds, the capital 34 improvements reserve fund, the emergency fund , and other 35 -1- LSB 2105SV (1) 91 ll/js 1/ 4
S.F. 499 funds established by state law must be deposited as otherwise 1 required or authorized by state law. All moneys received by 2 a city from the federal government must be reported to the 3 department of management , who shall transmit a copy to the 4 legislative services agency. 5 2. a. A city may establish an additional fund or a reserve 6 savings account to pay costs associated with the acquisition, 7 possession, and maintenance of major equipment for police, 8 fire, rescue, or emergency medical services. Moneys in a fund 9 or account established under this paragraph may remain in the 10 fund or account at the end of each fiscal year. 11 b. If a city has established an additional fund or a reserve 12 savings account under paragraph a and has received a payment, 13 award, judgment, or insurance settlement for damaged police, 14 fire, rescue, or emergency medical services equipment or 15 vehicles, the city shall deposit the moneys into the relevant 16 fund or account rather than into the general fund of the city. 17 However, if a city uses moneys from its general fund to cover 18 costs to repair or replace damaged police, fire, rescue, or 19 emergency medical services equipment or vehicles, the city 20 may deposit into its general fund an amount received from the 21 payment, award, judgment, or insurance settlement that is equal 22 to the amount used from the general fund. The city shall 23 deposit any remaining amount received from the payment, award, 24 judgment, or insurance settlement into the relevant fund or 25 account established under paragraph a . 26 c. If a city has established an additional fund under 27 paragraph a , moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the 28 fiscal year may be deposited into a reserve savings account. 29 Moneys in a reserve savings account shall be used for the 30 purpose of maintaining or acquiring major equipment including 31 vehicles. 32 EXPLANATION 33 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 34 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 35 -2- LSB 2105SV (1) 91 ll/js 2/ 4
S.F. 499 This bill relates to certain emergency services provided by 1 a city. 2 Current law generally voids a contract entered into by a city 3 officer or employee if the officer or employee has an interest, 4 direct or indirect, in the contract or job of work or material 5 or the profits thereof or services to be furnished or performed 6 for the officers or employees city. The bill provides that 7 this provision does not prohibit the lawful compensation, 8 including nominal stipends, incentives, and benefits, for a 9 volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical care provider 10 holding one or more city offices or positions if holding the 11 office or position is not incompatible with another public 12 office or is not prohibited by law. 13 Current law allows a city council member, during the term 14 for which the member is elected, to serve as the chief of a 15 volunteer fire department or serve a volunteer fire department 16 in any other capacity. A person holding the office of chief of 17 such a volunteer fire department at the time of the persons 18 election to the city council may continue to hold the office of 19 chief of the volunteer fire department during the city council 20 term for which that person was elected. The bill allows a 21 currently serving city council member to serve as chief of the 22 volunteer fire department upon a majority vote of the council, 23 but such member must abstain from the vote. 24 The bill provides that a city may establish a fund or 25 reserve savings account to pay for major equipment for police, 26 fire, rescue, or emergency medical services. If a city has 27 established such a fund or account and has received a payment, 28 award, judgment, or insurance settlement for damaged police, 29 fire, rescue, or emergency medical services equipment or 30 vehicles, the city shall deposit the moneys into the relevant 31 fund or account rather than into the general fund of the city. 32 However, if a city uses moneys from its general fund to cover 33 costs to repair or replace such equipment or vehicles, the 34 city may deposit into its general fund an amount received from 35 -3- LSB 2105SV (1) 91 ll/js 3/ 4
S.F. 499 the payment, award, judgment, or insurance settlement that is 1 equal to the amount used from the general fund. The city shall 2 deposit any remaining amount received into the relevant fund or 3 account. Moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal 4 year may be deposited into a reserve savings account. Moneys 5 in a reserve savings account shall be used for the purpose of 6 maintaining or acquiring major equipment including vehicles. 7 -4- LSB 2105SV (1) 91 ll/js 4/ 4