Bill Text: IA HF2479 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: A bill for an act establishing a process for voter approval of a proposition to require a township to provide emergency medical service. (Formerly HF 2454 and HF 2215.)
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-04-26 - Subcommittee recommends amendment and passage. [HF2479 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2017-HF2479-Amended.html
House File 2479 - Reprinted HOUSE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2454) (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2215) (As Amended and Passed by the House April 18, 2018) A BILL FOR 1 An Act establishing a process for voter approval of a 2 proposition to require a township to provide emergency 3 medical service. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: HF 2479 (4) 87 md/rj/md PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 359.42, Code 2018, is amended to read as 1 2 follows: 1 3 359.42 Township fire protection service, emergency warning 1 4 system, and emergency medical service. 1 5 Except as otherwise provided in section 331.385, the 1 6 trustees of each township shall provide fire protection service 1 7 for the township, exclusive of any part of the township within 1 8 a benefited fire district and may provide emergency medical 1 9 service. However, except as otherwise provided in section 1 10 331.385, the trustees of a township shall provide emergency 1 11 medical service for the township if required to do so by a 1 12 proposition approved under section 359.44. The trustees may 1 13 purchase, own, rent, or maintain fire protection service or 1 14 emergency medical service apparatus or equipment or both 1 15 kinds of apparatus or equipment and provide housing for the 1 16 equipment. The trustees of a township which is located within 1 17 a county having a population of three hundred thousand or 1 18 more may also establish and maintain an emergency warning 1 19 system within the township. The trustees may contract with a 1 20 public or private agency under chapter 28E for the purpose of 1 21 providing any service or system required or authorized under 1 22 this section. 1 23 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 359.44 Emergency medical service ==== 1 24 motion or petition ==== election. 1 25 1. a. Unless the county is providing emergency medical 1 26 service to a township pursuant to section 331.385, the board 1 27 of township trustees may on its own motion, and upon receipt 1 28 of a valid petition shall, direct the county commissioner of 1 29 elections to submit to the registered voters of the township, 1 30 excluding those areas of the township within corporate 1 31 boundaries of a city, the proposition of requiring the township 1 32 to provide emergency medical service to those areas of the 1 33 township outside the corporate limits of a city and outside 1 34 those areas being provided emergency medical service under 1 35 chapter 357F or 357J for a period of time stated in the 2 1 proposition but not less than four years. 2 2 b. A valid petition shall be signed by eligible electors of 2 3 the township residing outside the corporate limits of a city 2 4 equal in number to at least twenty=five percent of the number 2 5 of votes cast in the township outside the corporate limits 2 6 of a city for the office of president of the United States 2 7 or governor at the preceding general election. The petition 2 8 shall include the signatures of the petitioners, a statement 2 9 of their place of residence, and the date on which they signed 2 10 the petition. 2 11 c. The election shall be held at the next general election 2 12 following adoption of the board's motion or receipt of the 2 13 valid petition. However, a petition authorized by this section 2 14 shall be filed not later than eighty=two days before the date 2 15 of the general election if the proposition is to be voted upon 2 16 at the general election. If a valid petition is filed after 2 17 that date, the proposition shall be voted on at the general 2 18 election following the next general election. 2 19 d. A petition shall be examined before it is accepted for 2 20 filing. If it appears valid on its face, it shall be accepted 2 21 for filing. If it lacks the required number of signatures, it 2 22 shall be returned to the petitioners. 2 23 e. Petitions which have been accepted for filing are valid 2 24 unless written objections are filed. Objections must be 2 25 filed with the county auditor within five working days after 2 26 the petition was filed. The objection process in section 2 27 44.7 shall be followed for objections filed pursuant to this 2 28 section. 2 29 2. The question shall be submitted to the voters in 2 30 substantially the following form: 2 31 Shall the township of ..............., in ............... 2 32 County, Iowa, be required to provide emergency medical 2 33 service to those areas of ............... township outside the 2 34 corporate limits of a city and outside the areas receiving 2 35 emergency medical service from another political subdivision 3 1 of this state and provide such service through imposition of 3 2 a property tax in those areas of the township outside the 3 3 corporate limits of a city? 3 4 3. The proposition is adopted if a majority of those 3 5 voting on the proposition at the election approves it. If the 3 6 proposition is approved at election, the township trustees 3 7 shall provide emergency medical service to all areas of the 3 8 township outside the corporate limits of a city and those areas 3 9 not otherwise receiving such service under chapter 357F or 357J 3 10 using methods and funding authorized in sections 359.42 and 3 11 359.43 for the period of time approved at election, beginning 3 12 with the fiscal year beginning July 1 following the general 3 13 election at which the proposition was approved. 3 14 4. The proposition is not affected by a change in the 3 15 boundaries of the township. 3 16 5. An extension of the period of time for requiring the 3 17 township to provide emergency medical service under this 3 18 section or the rescission of the requirement to provide 3 19 emergency medical service may be completed using the same 3 20 procedure as is required for initial approval. 3 21 6. In lieu of the procedure under subsection 5, the 3 22 requirement for providing emergency medical service under this 3 23 section may be rescinded by resolution of the board of township 3 24 trustees, upon a finding that the emergency medical service 3 25 being provided has not been beneficial or is unnecessary. HF 2479 (4) 87 md/rj/md
