House File 2501 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE 2501
BY THOMSON
A BILL FOR
1 An Act establishing a legislative services agency committee.
2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 2.70 Legislative services agency
2 committee established.
3 1. A legislative services agency committee is established
4 which shall meet monthly to review the operations of the
5 legislative services agency.
6 2. a. The committee shall consist of the following members:
7 (1) Twelve members of the senate, to be appointed by the
8 majority leader of the senate and minority leader of the
9 senate, apportioned according to party balance as determined by
10 the legislative council.
11 (2) Thirteen members of the house of representatives, to be
12 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and
13 minority leader of the house of representatives, apportioned
14 according to party balance as determined by the legislative
15 council.
16 b. Members shall be appointed prior to January 31 of the
17 first regular session of each general assembly and shall serve
18 for terms ending upon the convening of the following general
19 assembly or when their successors are appointed, whichever is
20 later. A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the
21 original appointment and shall be for the remainder of the
22 unexpired term of the vacancy.
23 c. The committee shall elect a chairperson and vice
24 chairperson.
25 3. The members of the committee shall be reimbursed for
26 actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance
27 of their duties and shall be paid a per diem as specified
28 in section 2.10 for each day in which they engaged in the
29 performance of their duties. However, per diem compensation
30 and expenses shall not be paid when the general assembly is
31 actually in session at the seat of government. Expenses and
32 per diem shall be paid from moneys appropriated pursuant to
33 section 2.12.
34 4. The committee shall do the following:
35 a. Determine the number of legislative services agency staff
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1 necessary to ensure completion of bill and fiscal note requests
2 within forty-eight hours of a request being submitted.
3 b. Recommend proposed salaries for legal staff, taking into
4 account the supply and demand of the legal expertise market, of
5 no less than any of the following:
6 (1) The average annual compensation of a first-year
7 associate at a large law firm in Chicago.
8 (2) The average annual compensation of a mid-level partner
9 at a large law firm in Des Moines.
10 (3) One hundred ten thousand dollars per year, including
11 benefits.
12 c. Annually submit a report with the committee’s findings
13 and recommendations to the general assembly by November 1,
14 2024.
15 5. Administrative assistance shall be provided by the
16 legislative services agency.
17 EXPLANATION
18 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
19 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
20 This bill creates a legislative services agency (LSA)
21 committee consisting of 12 members of the senate and 13 members
22 of the house of representatives, apportioned according to party
23 balance.
24 The bill requires the committee to recommend salaries for
25 LSA legal staff and determine the number of LSA staff needed to
26 complete bill and fiscal note requests within 48 hours. The
27 committee must submit an annual report to the general assembly
28 by November 1 that includes the committee’s findings and
29 recommendations.
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