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COMMITTEE ACTION:
SF 2013 – Creation of land banks
SF 2013 creates a new section in Iowa Code to establish local government
land banks. Land banks are a tool to rehabilitate blighted, vacant and
abandoned properties into productive use. Ultimately, the bill will create a
strong funding base for affordable housing and community economic development.
[2/20: 11-0]
SF 2358 – Preemption of agricultural experiences
SF 2358 allows educational events and community experiences, such as
school visits and farm-to-table dinners on agricultural land without a local
government permit. Currently, some counties are demanding $250 permits for each
type of event.
[2/19: 11-0]
SF 2361 – Emergency management mutual aid compact
SF 2361 allow the Iowa Mutual Aid Compact (IMAC) to be used across all
political subdivisions as originally intended. This will include all political
subdivisions as members of the compact, though it further restricts members to county
board of supervisors, mayor, and emergency management coordinator or designee.
This is a priority of the Emergency Management Association.
[2/20: 11-0]
SF 2263 – Certificates of the treasurer
SF 2263 amends Iowa Code to state that certificate of the treasurer
expires upon the next annual certification of taxes and that an expired
certificate is not considered an acceptable document presented to the recorder
for recording.
[2/13: 11-0]
SF 2264 – County zoning ordinances
SF 2264 makes changes to county zoning ordinances. It eliminates the
requirement for a zoning application, approval and fee for an ordinance to be
considered inapplicable to land, farm barns, farm outbuildings or other
buildings primarily used for agricultural purposes. Counties can still require
application for housing in unincorporated areas. Land enrolled in a soil
conservation program or water conservation program qualifies for the
agricultural exemption.
[2/13: 11-0]
SF 2265– Statewide vehicle registration
SF 2265 allows county treasurers to issue vehicle titles, initial
registrations, releases of security interest and replacement vehicle titles for
vehicles in any other county. The current practice is to issue the documents
for vehicles in treasurer’s county only. The fee for these services would
be increased by $5 to help counties cover costs of this change in services.
[2/13: 10-1 (No: Hogg)]
SF 2175 – Drainage district hearing notices
SF 2175 addresses notice requirements for classification and
reclassification of drainage districts. Current law provides notice be made in
the same manner as when creating a drainage district. The bill is aimed at
reducing costs incurred by drainage districts when giving notice, specifically
the need to publish the entire assessment schedule, and allows a choice to
publish in the newspaper and/or the county website.
[2/13: 11-0]
SF 2368 – Section 8 Housing city ordinance
SF
2368 prevents Iowa cities from mandatory participation in the Section 8
Federal Housing Program. This action would prevent landlords from turning away
tenants who use public assistance to pay rent. Currently, Des Moines, Marion
and Iowa City have ordinances requiring landlords to accept the vouchers. The
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is the administrator of Section
8, which helps low-income families, the elderly and people with disabilities
afford housing by subsidizing the cost for qualifying units.
[2/20: 7-4, party line]
COMMITTEE and FLOOR ACTION:
SF 2025 – Joint county engineers
SF
2025 eliminates the requirement that sharing of county engineer must be between
adjacent counties.
[Committee 2/6: 11-0]
[Floor 2/24: 48-0 (Excused: Feenstra, Shipley)]
SF 2051 – Residential elevators in federally designated historic districts
SF
2051 eliminates the requirement for a commercial elevator in two-story
building when the owner owns both the commercial first floor and the residential
second floor. This bill is specific to federally designated historic districts.
The owner must disclose the residential elevator when selling the property.
Committee [2/6: 11-0]
Floor [2/26: 49-0 (Excused: R. Taylor)]