House File 562 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE 562
BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS
(SUCCESSOR TO HSB 186)
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to funding emergency medical services by
2 modifying provisions relating to city emergency medical
3 services districts, benefited emergency medical services
4 districts, and optional taxes for emergency medical
5 services.
6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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1 DIVISION I
2 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DISTRICTS
3 Section 1. Section 357F.8, Code 2021, is amended to read as
4 follows:
5 357F.8 Election on proposed levy and candidates for trustees.
6 1. When a preliminary plat has been approved by the board,
7 an election shall be held within the district within sixty days
8 to approve or disapprove the levy of a an initial tax of not
9 more than one dollar per thousand dollars of assessed value
10 on all the taxable property within the district and to choose
11 candidates for the offices of trustees of the district. The
12 ballot shall set out the reason for the tax and the amount
13 needed. The tax shall be set to raise only the amount needed.
14 Notice of the election, including the time and place of holding
15 the election, shall be given as provided in section 357F.4.
16 The vote shall be by ballot which shall state clearly the
17 proposition to be voted upon and any registered voter residing
18 within the district at the time of the election may vote. It
19 is not mandatory for the county commissioner of elections
20 to conduct elections held pursuant to this chapter, but the
21 elections shall be conducted in accordance with chapter 49
22 where not in conflict with this chapter. Judges shall be
23 appointed to serve without pay by the board from among the
24 registered voters of the district to be in charge of the
25 election. The proposition is approved if sixty percent of
26 those voting on the proposition vote in favor of it.
27 2. a. If the tax authorized under subsection 1 is
28 insufficient to provide the services authorized under this
29 chapter, the trustees may levy an additional annual tax, at
30 a rate necessary to provide the authorized services, if such
31 authority for an additional tax is approved at election held
32 separately and after the election held under subsection 1.
33 b. By resolution, the trustees may submit to the registered
34 voters of the district the proposition of levying the
35 additional annual tax according to the election procedures
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1 under subsection 1.
2 c. (1) After adoption of the resolution under paragraph
3 “b”, the board of trustees shall coordinate efforts with
4 the local emergency medical services agencies to establish
5 a district advisory council to assist in researching and
6 assessing the service needs of the district and guiding
7 implementation of services in the district within a council
8 structure and in the manner provided in the most recently
9 updated Iowa emergency medical services system standards.
10 (2) The advisory council established under subparagraph (1)
11 shall recommend to the board of trustees an amount of funding
12 to be specified on the ballot for the election held under this
13 subsection 2 and shall annually assess and review the emergency
14 medical services needs of the district and shall include the
15 results of such review and assessment in an annual report
16 filed with the board of trustees. The annual report shall be
17 publicly available upon filing with the board of trustees.
18 The board of trustees shall receive public comment regarding
19 the report at one or more meetings of the board of trustees.
20 Any meeting of the board of trustees at which public comment
21 on the annual report is heard shall be at least fourteen days
22 following the date the annual report is filed with the board
23 of trustees.
24 d. The proposition is adopted if a majority of those
25 voting on the proposition at the election approves it. If
26 the proposition is approved at election, the trustees may
27 impose the additional annual tax beginning with the fiscal
28 year beginning July 1 following the election at which the
29 proposition was approved. The proposition is not affected by a
30 change in the boundaries of the district.
31 e. Discontinuance of the authority to impose an additional
32 tax under this chapter shall be by petition and election.
33 Upon petition of twenty-five percent of the resident eligible
34 electors, the board shall submit to the voters of the district
35 the question of whether to discontinue the authority to impose
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1 the additional tax according to the election procedures under
2 subsection 1. If a majority of those voting on the question
3 of discontinuance of the trustees’ authority to impose the
4 tax favors discontinuance, the trustees shall not impose the
5 additional tax for any fiscal year beginning after the election
6 approving the discontinuance, unless imposition is subsequently
7 again authorized at election. Following discontinuance of the
8 authority to impose the additional tax, authority to reimpose
9 the additional tax requires approval in accordance with this
10 subsection.
11 Sec. 2. Section 357F.10, Code 2021, is amended to read as
12 follows:
13 357F.10 Trustees’ powers.
14 The trustees may purchase, own, rent, or maintain emergency
15 medical services apparatus or equipment within the state or
16 outside the territorial jurisdiction and boundary limits of
17 this state, provide housing for such apparatus and equipment,
18 provide emergency medical service and facilities, and may
19 certify for levy an annual tax taxes as provided in section
20 357F.8. The trustees may purchase material, employ emergency
21 medical service and other personnel, and may perform all other
22 acts necessary to properly maintain and operate the district.
23 The trustees may contract with any city or county or public or
24 private agency under chapter 28E for the purpose of providing
25 emergency medical services under this chapter. The trustees
26 are allowed necessary expenses in the discharge of their
27 duties, but they shall not receive a salary.
28 Sec. 3. Section 357F.11, Code 2021, is amended to read as
29 follows:
30 357F.11 Bonds in anticipation of revenue.
31 A district may anticipate the collection of taxes by the
32 levy authorized in this chapter, and to carry out the purposes
33 of this chapter may issue bonds payable in not more than ten
34 equal installments with the rate of interest not exceeding
35 that permitted by chapter 74A. An indebtedness shall not be
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1 incurred under this chapter until authorized by an election.
2 The election shall be held and notice given in the same
3 manner as provided in section 357F.8, and the same a sixty
4 percent vote shall be necessary to authorize indebtedness.
5 Both propositions may be submitted to the voters at the same
6 election.
7 Sec. 4. Section 357G.8, Code 2021, is amended to read as
8 follows:
9 357G.8 Election on proposed levy and candidates for trustees.
10 1. When a preliminary plat has been approved by the council,
11 an election shall be held within the district within sixty
12 days to approve or disapprove the levy of a an initial tax
13 of not more than one dollar per thousand dollars of assessed
14 value on all the taxable property within the district and
15 to choose candidates for the offices of trustees of the
16 district. The ballot shall set out the reason for the tax and
17 the amount needed. The tax shall be set to raise only the
18 amount needed. Notice of the election, including the time and
19 place of holding the election, shall be given as provided in
20 section 357G.4. The vote shall be by ballot which shall state
21 clearly the proposition to be voted upon and any registered
22 voter residing within the district at the time of the election
23 may vote. It is not mandatory for the county commissioner of
24 elections to conduct elections held pursuant to this chapter,
25 but the elections shall be conducted in accordance with chapter
26 49 where not in conflict with this chapter. Judges shall
27 be appointed to serve without pay by the council from among
28 the registered voters of the district to be in charge of the
29 election. The proposition is approved if sixty percent of
30 those voting on the proposition vote in favor of it.
31 2. a. If the tax authorized under subsection 1 is
32 insufficient to provide the services authorized under this
33 chapter, the trustees may levy an additional annual tax, at
34 a rate necessary to provide the authorized services, if such
35 authority for an additional tax is approved at election held
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1 separately and after the election held under subsection 1.
2 b. By resolution, the trustees may submit to the registered
3 voters of the district the proposition of levying the
4 additional annual tax according to the election procedures
5 under subsection 1.
6 c. (1) After adoption of the resolution under paragraph
7 “b”, the board of trustees shall coordinate efforts with
8 the local emergency medical services agencies to establish
9 a district advisory council to assist in researching and
10 assessing the service needs of the district and guiding
11 implementation of services in the district within a council
12 structure and in the manner provided in the most recently
13 updated Iowa emergency medical services system standards.
14 (2) The district advisory council established under
15 subparagraph (1) shall recommend to the board of trustees
16 an amount of funding to be specified on the ballot for the
17 election held under this subsection 2 and shall annually assess
18 and review the emergency medical services needs of the district
19 and shall include the results of such review and assessment
20 in an annual report filed with the board of trustees. The
21 annual report shall be publicly available upon filing with the
22 board of trustees. The board of trustees shall receive public
23 comment regarding the report at one or more meetings of the
24 board of trustees. Any meeting of the board of trustees at
25 which public comment on the annual report is heard shall be at
26 least fourteen days following the date the annual report is
27 filed with the board of trustees.
28 d. The proposition is adopted if a majority of those
29 voting on the proposition at the election approves it. If
30 the proposition is approved at election, the trustees may
31 impose the additional annual tax beginning with the fiscal
32 year beginning July 1 following the election at which the
33 proposition was approved. The proposition is not affected by a
34 change in the boundaries of the district.
35 e. Discontinuance of the authority to impose an additional
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1 tax under this chapter shall be by petition and election.
2 Upon petition of twenty-five percent of the resident eligible
3 electors, the board shall submit to the voters of the district
4 the question of whether to discontinue the authority to impose
5 the additional tax according to the election procedures under
6 subsection 1. If a majority of those voting on the question
7 of discontinuance of the trustees’ authority to impose the
8 tax favors discontinuance, the trustees shall not impose the
9 additional tax for any fiscal year beginning after the election
10 approving the discontinuance, unless imposition is subsequently
11 again authorized at election. Following discontinuance of the
12 authority to impose the additional tax, authority to reimpose
13 the additional tax requires approval in accordance with this
14 subsection.
15 Sec. 5. Section 357G.10, Code 2021, is amended to read as
16 follows:
17 357G.10 Trustees’ powers.
18 The trustees may purchase, own, rent, or maintain emergency
19 medical services apparatus or equipment within the state or
20 outside the territorial jurisdiction and boundary limits of
21 this state, provide housing for such apparatus and equipment,
22 provide emergency medical service and facilities, and may
23 certify for levy an annual tax taxes as provided in section
24 357G.8. The trustees may purchase material, employ emergency
25 medical service and other personnel, and may perform all other
26 acts necessary to properly maintain and operate the district.
27 The trustees may contract with any other city or county or
28 public or private agency under chapter 28E for the purpose of
29 providing emergency medical services under this chapter. The
30 trustees are allowed necessary expenses in the discharge of
31 their duties, but they shall not receive a salary.
32 Sec. 6. Section 357G.11, Code 2021, is amended to read as
33 follows:
34 357G.11 Bonds in anticipation of revenue.
35 A district may anticipate the collection of taxes by the
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1 levy authorized in this chapter, and to carry out the purposes
2 of this chapter may issue bonds payable in not more than ten
3 equal installments with the rate of interest not exceeding
4 that permitted by chapter 74A. An indebtedness shall not be
5 incurred under this chapter until authorized by an election.
6 The election shall be held and notice given in the same
7 manner as provided in section 357G.8, and the same a sixty
8 percent vote shall be necessary to authorize indebtedness.
9 Both propositions may be submitted to the voters at the same
10 election.
11 DIVISION II
12 OPTIONAL TAXES FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
13 Sec. 7. Section 422D.1, Code 2021, is amended to read as
14 follows:
15 422D.1 Authorization —— election —— imposition and repeal ——
16 use of revenues.
17 1. a. A Upon adoption of a resolution declaring emergency
18 medical services to be an essential county service under
19 subsection 1A, and subject to the limitations of this chapter,
20 a county board of supervisors may offer for voter approval
21 the authorization to impose any of the following taxes or a
22 combination of the following taxes:
23 (1) Local option income surtax.
24 (2) An ad valorem property tax.
25 b. Revenues generated from these taxes shall be used for
26 emergency medical services as provided in section 422D.6.
27 1A. a. To be effective, the resolution declaring emergency
28 medical services to be an essential service shall be considered
29 and voted on for approval at two meetings of the board prior to
30 the meeting at which the resolution is to be finally approved
31 by a majority of the board by recorded vote, as defined in
32 section 331.101. Notice of the first meeting of the board
33 at which the resolution is considered and voted on shall be
34 published not less than sixty days prior to the date of the
35 meeting in one or more newspapers that meet the requirements
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1 of section 618.14. The board shall not suspend or waive the
2 requirements for approval of the resolution or approval of the
3 imposition of a tax under this chapter.
4 b. Each county for which a resolution has been adopted
5 under this subsection shall coordinate efforts with the local
6 emergency medical services agencies to establish a county
7 emergency medical services system advisory council to assist
8 in researching and assessing the service needs of the county
9 and guiding implementation of services in the county within
10 a council structure and in the manner provided in the most
11 recently updated Iowa emergency medical services system
12 standards.
13 c. The county emergency medical services system advisory
14 council established under paragraph “b” shall recommend to the
15 board of supervisors an amount of funding to be specified on
16 the ballot under section 422D.5, and if one or more of the
17 taxes are approved at election, shall annually assess and
18 review the emergency medical services needs of the county, and
19 shall include the results of such review and assessment in an
20 annual report filed with the board of supervisors. The annual
21 report shall be publicly available upon filing with the board