HF 637 – Background Checks with CIO and Credit Union Division;
HF 648 – Career and Technical Education;
HF 2254 – 911 emergency telephone systems.
COMMITTEE ACTION:
HF 637 provides for optional background investigations for applicants with the Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO). This includes all technology staff in state agencies. The investigation may include a work history review, financial review and a background check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). To comply with federal guidelines, a contractor, vendor, employee or anyone else performing work for the CIO may be subject to a national criminal history at least once every 10 years.
The CIO will bill the appropriate state agency for the criminal check. The estimated cost is nominal. There is no fiscal note on the bill.
The bill also repeals the Technology Advisory Council in 8B.8. This Council does not meet often, has poor participation and only represents six agencies. The CIO can consult all agencies and address the duties of the Technology Advisory Council.
Finally, the bill adds that a person convicted of theft, burglary, robbery, larceny, embezzlement or other crime involving breach of trust is forever disqualified from holding any position in the Credit Union Division. This is already law for the Superintendent or an employee of the Credit Union Division. The bill also adds a crime involving moral turpitude to the list that disqualifies an individual for a position. The bill allows the Credit Union Division to conduct background investigations on an applicant. This criminal history check through the FBI may be conducted every five years or whenever circumstances give reason to believe the employee has been arrested, charged or indicted for a crime listed in 533.106, subsection 6. The Credit Union Division will pay for the background checks.
An amendment was adopted in committee to change the date for the reference to the Iowa Acts, clarify when an applicant must provide fingerprints to the Credit Union Division, and make the bill effective upon enactment.
This bill passed the Iowa House 98-0 on April 18, 2017.
[3/13: Short form (Absent: Whitver)]
HF 648 makes technical changes to the Career and Technical Education bill that passed in 2016 (HF-2392). The 2016 bill added the work-based learning program to the worker’s compensation section so that students are protected in case of injury. Because workers’ compensation is the exclusive remedy for an injured worker, businesses are exempt from lawsuit. For the program, HF-2392 added accredited nonpublic schools, community colleges, and directors, officers and authorities in charge of a school to the exemption. It also referenced a school district, but due to the group of schools involved in this program, the bill changes the reference to corporation and adds individual schools to the list.
The second part of the bill changes the way funds are distributed to the Regional Planning Partnerships, shifting from reimbursement to disbursement, and allowing federal Perkins dollars to flow through to FFA programs. It clarifies that some consumable supplies can be purchased with partnership funds, such as feed for livestock.
The bill passed the Iowa House 98-0.
[3/13: Short form (Absent: Whitver)]
HF 2254 makes changes to the 911 emergency telephone communication systems. During the 2017 session, SF 500 required Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department (HSEMD) to determine potential cost savings and design a plan for merging 911 wire line and wireless 911 Next General Networks.
The bill eliminates the wireline network and creates a shared service environment to be run by HSEMD. Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) could voluntarily opt in to use the shared service. PSAPs potentially could save $6.6 million in local expenses. HSEMD will fund projects out of the existing 40 percent wireless revenues. The bill removes the current $7 million cap from carryover, effectively zeroing out and passing through the operating surplus to local service boards every fiscal year. There are no changes to how the current 911 wireline surcharge is collected or distributed. Also, this bill makes no changes to how the 911 wireless surcharge fund formula is distributed to the local PSAPs.
The bill passed the Iowa House 98-0.
[3/13: Short form (Absent: Whitver)]