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IA HF479
IA HF479A bill for an act authorizing county boards of supervisors to employ firms of professional engineers as the county engineer.(See HF 650.)
summary
Introduced
02/19/2025
02/19/2025
In Committee
02/19/2025
02/19/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
Under current law, the board of supervisors of a county (board) is required to employ one or more licensed civil engineers as the county engineer. County engineers must directly supervise all construction and maintenance work to ensure the work is carried out efficiently and properly. County engineers may be hired for terms of up to three years, though the employment may be terminated at any time. The board is required to determine the level of compensation for a county engineer, and county engineers are required to provide a bond between $2,000 and $5,000. Multiple counties can collaborate to hire a county engineer and share costs for support, with an agreement specifying cost allocation and reimbursement, in accordance with Code chapter 28E (joint exercise of governmental powers). A county engineer is required to submit detailed accounts for any expenses incurred related to the engineer’s duties as county engineer. This bill authorizes boards to employ a professional engineering entity as the county engineer, with one or more licensed civil engineers employed by the entity responsible for performing the duties required of the county engineer, pursuant to an agreement between the entity and the board. A board must approve a bond given by a professional engineering entity, which covers the entity’s licensed civil engineers, as if the entity was one licensed civil engineer.
AI Summary
This bill modifies existing Iowa law to allow county boards of supervisors to employ professional engineering firms as county engineers, instead of being limited to hiring individual licensed civil engineers. Under the proposed changes, a professional engineering entity can be hired as the county engineer, with the requirement that one or more licensed civil engineers employed by that entity will be responsible for performing the traditional county engineer duties. The bill maintains key existing requirements, such as a maximum three-year employment term that can be terminated at any time by the board, and the need for a performance bond. Specifically, the bill amends sections 309.17 and 309.18 of the Iowa Code to enable this new hiring approach. When a professional engineering entity is hired, the board must approve a bond that covers the entity's licensed civil engineers, which will be treated as equivalent to a bond for a single licensed civil engineer. This change potentially provides counties with more flexibility in hiring engineering leadership, allowing them to contract with firms that can provide comprehensive engineering services while still maintaining the professional standards and accountability of the county engineer role.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 650. (on 02/28/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF479 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/HF479.html |
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