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Bill > HF650
IA HF650
IA HF650A bill for an act authorizing county boards of supervisors to employ firms of professional engineers as the county engineer.(Formerly HF 479.)
summary
Introduced
02/28/2025
02/28/2025
In Committee
04/03/2025
04/03/2025
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 Iowa state 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. Currently, county boards must employ one or more licensed civil engineers directly as county engineers, with terms not exceeding three years. Under the proposed changes, boards can now contract with a professional engineering entity where one or more licensed civil engineers within that entity will be responsible for performing the county engineer's duties, based on a formal agreement between the board and the entity. The bill also updates bonding requirements, specifying that when a professional engineering entity is hired, the board must approve a bond covering the entity's licensed civil engineers, which will be treated as if the entire entity were a single licensed civil engineer. This change provides county boards with more flexibility in hiring engineering talent and potentially allows for more efficient and cost-effective management of county engineering services.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (0)
No sponsors listed
Other Sponsors (1)
Local Government (House)
Last Action
Referred to Local Government. H.J. 895. (on 04/03/2025)
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=HF650 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/HF650.html |
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