House File 2694 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2694 BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS (SUCCESSOR TO LSB 5001HB) A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to and making appropriations involving state 2 government entities associated with agriculture, natural 3 resources, and environmental protection, making related 4 statutory changes, and including effective date provisions. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 5001HV (1) 90 da/js H.F. 2694 1 DIVISION I 2 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND LAND STEWARDSHIP 3 GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS 4 Section 1. GENERAL FUND —— DEPARTMENT. 5 1. There is appropriated from the general fund of the state 6 to the department of agriculture and land stewardship for the 7 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025, 8 the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be 9 used for the purposes designated: 10 For purposes of supporting the department, including its 11 divisions, for administration, regulation, and programs; for 12 salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes; and 13 for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions: 14 .................................................. $ 20,192,310 15 ............................................... FTEs 420.00 16 2. Of the amount appropriated in subsection 1, the following 17 amount is transferred to Iowa state university of science and 18 technology, to be used for the university’s midwest grape and 19 wine industry institute: 20 .................................................. $ 325,000 21 3. Of the amount appropriated in subsection 1, the 22 department shall use $250,000 for purposes of administering 23 and supporting additional meat and poultry inspectors and fuel 24 inspectors. 25 4. The department shall submit a report each quarter of 26 the fiscal year to the general assembly and the department 27 of management. The report shall describe in detail the 28 expenditure of moneys appropriated in this section to support 29 the department’s administration, regulation, and programs. 30 DESIGNATED APPROPRIATIONS FROM MISCELLANEOUS FUNDS 31 Sec. 2. UNCLAIMED PARI-MUTUEL WAGERING WINNINGS —— 32 HORSE AND DOG RACING. There is appropriated from the moneys 33 available under section 99D.13 to the department of agriculture 34 and land stewardship for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 35 2024, and ending June 30, 2025, the following amount, or so LSB 5001HV (1) 90 -1- da/js 1/27 H.F. 2694 1 much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes 2 designated: 3 For purposes of supporting the department’s administration 4 and enforcement of horse and dog racing law pursuant to section 5 99D.22, including for salaries, support, maintenance, and 6 miscellaneous purposes: 7 .................................................. $ 305,516 8 Sec. 3. RENEWABLE FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE FUND —— MOTOR 9 FUEL INSPECTION. There is appropriated from the renewable 10 fuel infrastructure fund created in section 159A.16 to the 11 department of agriculture and land stewardship for the fiscal 12 year beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025, the 13 following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be 14 used for the purposes designated: 15 For purposes of the inspection of motor fuel, including 16 salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes: 17 .................................................. $ 500,000 18 SPECIAL GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS 19 Sec. 4. SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS FROM GENERAL FUND TO 20 DEPARTMENT. There is appropriated from the general fund of the 21 state to the department of agriculture and land stewardship 22 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 23 30, 2025, the following amounts, or so much thereof as is 24 necessary, to be used for the purposes designated: 25 1. DAIRY REGULATION 26 a. For purposes of performing functions pursuant to section 27 192.109, including conducting a survey of grade “A” milk and 28 certifying the results to the secretary of agriculture: 29 .................................................. $ 189,196 30 b. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in 31 this subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the 32 close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain 33 available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the 34 close of the succeeding fiscal year. 35 2. LOCAL FOOD AND FARM PROGRAM LSB 5001HV (1) 90 -2- da/js 2/27 H.F. 2694 1 a. For purposes of supporting the local food and farm 2 program pursuant to chapter 267A: 3 .................................................. $ 75,000 4 b. The department shall enter into a cost-sharing agreement 5 with Iowa state university of science and technology to support 6 the local food and farm program coordinator position as part of 7 the university’s cooperative extension service in agriculture 8 and home economics pursuant to chapter 267A. 9 c. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in 10 this subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the 11 close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain 12 available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the 13 close of the succeeding fiscal year. 14 3. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 15 a. For purposes of allocating moneys to an Iowa association 16 affiliated with a national organization that promotes 17 agricultural education providing for future farmers: 18 .................................................. $ 75,000 19 b. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in 20 this subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the 21 close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain 22 available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the 23 close of the succeeding fiscal year. 24 4. FOREIGN ANIMAL DISEASES AFFLICTING LIVESTOCK 25 a. For deposit in the foreign animal disease preparedness 26 and response fund created in section 163.3B: 27 .................................................. $ 1,000,000 28 b. For purposes of purchasing and maintaining equipment 29 to further the implementation of the foreign animal disease 30 preparedness and response strategy developed under section 31 163.3B: 32 .................................................. $ 250,000 33 c. For purposes of assisting in the development of vaccines 34 against foreign animal diseases by a company based in Iowa that 35 develops livestock and other animal vaccines: LSB 5001HV (1) 90 -3- da/js 3/27 H.F. 2694 1 .................................................. $ 250,000 2 5. FARMERS WITH DISABILITIES PROGRAM 3 a. For purposes of supporting a program for farmers with 4 disabilities: 5 .................................................. $ 230,000 6 b. The moneys appropriated in this subsection shall be 7 used for the public purpose of providing a grant to a national 8 nonprofit organization with over 80 years of experience in 9 assisting children and adults with disabilities and special 10 needs. The moneys shall be used to support a nationally 11 recognized program that began in 1986 and has been replicated 12 in at least 30 other states, but is not available through 13 any other entity in this state, and that provides assistance 14 to farmers with disabilities in all 99 counties to allow the 15 farmers to remain in their own homes and be gainfully engaged 16 in farming through provision of agricultural worksite and home 17 modification consultations, peer support services, services 18 to families, information and referral, and equipment loan 19 services. 20 c. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in 21 this subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the 22 close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain 23 available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the 24 close of the succeeding fiscal year. 25 6. LOESS HILLS DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION FUND 26 a. For deposit in the loess hills development and 27 conservation fund created pursuant to section 161D.2: 28 .................................................. $ 400,000 29 b. (1) Of the amount appropriated to the loess hills 30 development and conservation fund in this subsection, $360,000 31 shall be allocated to the fund’s hungry canyons account. 32 (2) Not more than 10 percent of the moneys allocated to the 33 fund’s hungry canyons account as provided in this paragraph may 34 be used for administrative costs. 35 c. (1) Of the amount appropriated to the loess hills LSB 5001HV (1) 90 -4- da/js 4/27 H.F. 2694 1 development and conservation fund in this subsection, $40,000 2 shall be allocated to the fund’s loess hills alliance account. 3 (2) Not more than 10 percent of the moneys allocated to 4 the fund’s loess hills alliance account as provided in this 5 paragraph may be used for administrative costs. 6 7. SOUTHERN IOWA DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION FUND 7 a. For deposit in the southern Iowa development and 8 conservation fund created pursuant to section 161D.12: 9 .................................................. $ 150,000 10 b. Not more than 10 percent of the moneys appropriated 11 to the fund as provided in this subsection may be used for 12 administrative costs. 13 8. GRAIN REGULATION 14 For the administration and enforcement of chapters 203 15 and 203C, including salaries, support, maintenance, and 16 miscellaneous purposes: 17 .................................................. $ 350,000 18 Sec. 5. CHOOSE IOWA FOOD PURCHASING PILOT PROJECT FOR 19 SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR FOOD BANKS AND IOWA EMERGENCY 20 FEEDING ORGANIZATIONS. 21 1. There is appropriated from the general fund of the state 22 to the department of agriculture and land stewardship for the 23 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025, 24 the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be 25 used for the purposes designated: 26 For purposes of supporting a choose Iowa food purchasing 27 pilot project to assist eligible participants in purchasing 28 qualified food products: 29 .................................................. $ 250,000 30 2. Except as provided in subsection 3, the department 31 shall administer the pilot project based on the farm-to-school 32 program described in chapter 190A, in which the department 33 reimburses a school or school district for the purchase of a 34 food product originating from a farm source. 35 3. The department shall administer the pilot project LSB 5001HV (1) 90 -5- da/js 5/27 H.F. 2694 1 according to all of the following: 2 a. A farm or business that owns or operates the farm source 3 shall be given a preference to participate in the pilot project 4 if the farm or business is currently participating in the 5 choose Iowa promotional program as provided in chapter 159, 6 subchapter II, part 2. Otherwise, a farm or business may 7 participate in the pilot project if the farm or business has 8 applied to participate in the choose Iowa promotional program 9 and the department determines that the application will be 10 approved. 11 b. An eligible participant is limited to any of the 12 following: 13 (1) A public or private school or a school district, if the 14 public or private school or school district is not currently 15 participating in the farm-to-school program. 16 (2) An Iowa food bank or an Iowa emergency feeding 17 organization, recognized by the department. 18 c. A qualified food product is limited to the following: 19 (1) For a school or school district, meat and poultry, dairy 20 products other than milk, eggs, and produce. 21 (2) For an Iowa food bank or Iowa emergency feeding 22 organization, meat and poultry, dairy products, eggs, and 23 produce. 24 d. The department is not required to follow a requirement in 25 chapter 190A that the department determines is not practical 26 for the pilot project. 27 4. a. Of the moneys appropriated in subsection 1, not more 28 than $100,000 shall be used to reimburse schools or school 29 districts and not more than $150,000 shall be used to reimburse 30 Iowa food banks and Iowa emergency feeding organizations. 31 b. An eligible participant shall be reimbursed on a matching 32 basis with the department contributing $1 for every $1 expended 33 by the eligible participant. 34 c. (1) A school or school district shall not receive more 35 than $1,000 for participating in the pilot project. LSB 5001HV (1) 90 -6- da/js 6/27 H.F. 2694 1 (2) An Iowa food bank or Iowa emergency feeding organization 2 shall not receive more than $25,000 for participating in the 3 pilot project. 4 5. The department shall prepare and submit a report 5 regarding its findings and recommendations to the governor and 6 general assembly not later than January 15, 2025. 7 DIVISION II 8 DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES 9 Sec. 6. GENERAL FUND —— DEPARTMENT. 10 1. There is appropriated from the general fund of the state 11 to the department of natural resources for the fiscal year 12 beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025, the following 13 amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the 14 purposes designated: 15 For purposes of supporting the department, including its 16 divisions, for administration, regulation, and programs; for 17 salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes; and 18 for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions: 19 .................................................. $ 12,919,695 20 ............................................... FTEs 1,145.95 21 2. Of the number of full-time equivalent positions 22 authorized to the department pursuant to subsection 1, 50.00 23 full-time equivalent positions shall be allocated by the 24 department for seasonal employees for purposes of providing 25 maintenance, upkeep, and sanitary services at state parks. 26 This subsection shall not impact conservation officer, park 27 ranger, or park manager positions within the department. 28 3. The department shall submit a report each quarter of 29 the fiscal year to the general assembly and the department 30 of management. The report shall describe in detail the 31 expenditure of moneys appropriated under this section to 32 support the department’s administration, regulation, and 33 programs. 34 Sec. 7. STATE PARKS AND RECREATION AREAS —— 35 ACCESSIBILITY. There is appropriated from the general LSB 5001HV (1) 90 -7- da/js 7/27 H.F. 2694 1 fund of the state to the department of natural resources for 2 the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 3 2025, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, 4 to be used for the purposes designated: 5 For purposes of increasing accessibility for persons with 6 disabilities when visiting state parks and recreation areas: 7 .................................................. $ 250,000 8 Sec. 8. STATE FISH AND GAME PROTECTION FUND —— REGULATION 9 AND ADVANCEMENT OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. 10 1. There is appropriated from the state fish and game 11 protection fund created pursuant to section 456A.17 to the 12 department of natural resources for the fiscal year beginning 13 July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025, the following amount, 14 or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes 15 designated: 16 For purposes of supporting the regulation or advancement of 17 hunting, fishing, or trapping, or the protection, propagation, 18 restoration, management, or harvest of fish or wildlife, 19 including for administration, regulation, law enforcement, and 20 programs; and for salaries, support, maintenance, equipment, 21 and miscellaneous purposes: 22 .................................................. $ 49,752,093 23 2. Notwithstanding section 455A.10, the department may use 24 the unappropriated balance remaining in the state fish and game 25 protection fund to provide for the funding of health and life 26 insurance premium payments from unused sick leave balances of 27 conservation peace officers employed in a protection occupation 28 who retire, pursuant to section 97B.49B.