Bill
Bill > HF690
IA HF690
IA HF690A bill for an act relating to employment benefits for public safety employees and volunteers of cities and counties and making appropriations.
summary
Introduced
02/28/2025
02/28/2025
In Committee
02/28/2025
02/28/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
This bill provides that a person who is employed by a city or county as a public safety employee for at least 32 hours per week shall, for such week, be considered a full-time employee of the city or county for purposes of any employment benefit available to the employee from the city or county or from the state. The bill also provides that a person who volunteers for a city or county as a public safety volunteer for at least 32 hours per week shall, for such week, be granted all employment benefits available from the city or county or from the state to full-time public safety employees employed by the city or county. These requirements apply notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary. The bill defines “public safety employee” as a person employed as a police officer, fire fighter, or an emergency medical care provider. The bill defines “public safety volunteer” as a person who volunteers for a city or county as a reserve peace officer, a volunteer fire fighter, or an emergency medical care provider. The bill defines “employment benefit” as including but not limited to any form of insurance and any pension or other retirement benefit. The bill provides that the cost of all employment benefits paid to a public safety employee or public safety volunteer as required by the bill that would not have been required but for the bill shall be paid by the department of management from moneys available in the local public safety employment benefit fund created by the bill. The bill requires the department of management to establish by rule a process and timeline for cities and counties to calculate, document, and submit to the department the cost of employment benefits for which the department is responsible under the bill. Such timeline shall require cities and counties to submit such documentation to the department with sufficient time before payment is due to allow the department to validate the costs and resolve any dispute as to the correct calculation. The bill appropriates from the general fund to the department of management for each fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2025, an amount necessary to fully pay for the cost of employment benefits as described in the bill. The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code section 25B.3. The bill provides that funds generated in the bill are intended to cover the costs of any state mandate included in the bill. The inclusion of this specification of state funding is intended to reinstate the requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state mandates included in the bill.
AI Summary
This bill establishes new requirements for employment benefits for public safety employees and volunteers in cities and counties. Specifically, the bill mandates that any public safety employee working at least 32 hours per week must be considered a full-time employee eligible for all employment benefits, and any public safety volunteer serving at least 32 hours per week must receive the same employment benefits as full-time public safety employees. The bill defines public safety employees as police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical care providers, and public safety volunteers as reserve peace officers, volunteer firefighters, and emergency medical care providers. The cost of these additional employment benefits will be paid by the department of management from a newly created local public safety employment benefit fund, which will be funded through state general fund appropriations beginning July 1, 2025. The department must establish rules for how cities and counties will calculate and submit documentation of these additional benefit costs, and the fund is designed to ensure that political subdivisions can comply with the new requirements without additional financial burden. The bill aims to provide more comprehensive benefits to those who serve in critical public safety roles, regardless of whether they are full-time employees or volunteers.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Introduced, referred to State Government. H.J. 480. (on 02/28/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF690 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/HF690.html |
Loading...