Bill Text: IA HF176 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: A bill for an act modifying membership, salary, and other requirements applicable to the Iowa utilities board.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-01 - Introduced, referred to State Government. H.J. 170. [HF176 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2017-HF176-Introduced.html

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House File 176 - Introduced




                                 HOUSE FILE       
                                 BY  SEXTON

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act modifying membership, salary, and other requirements
  2    applicable to the Iowa utilities board.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
    TLSB 1906YH (5) 87
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PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 474.1, subsection 1, Code 2017, is
  1  2 amended to read as follows:
  1  3    1.  a.  A utilities division is created within the department
  1  4 of commerce. The policymaking body for the division is the
  1  5 utilities board which is created within the division. The
  1  6 board is composed of three five members appointed by the
  1  7 governor and subject to confirmation by the senate, not more
  1  8 than two three of whom shall be from the same political party.
  1  9 Each member appointed shall serve for six=year staggered terms
  1 10 beginning and ending as provided by section 69.19. Vacancies
  1 11 shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term in the
  1 12 same manner as full=term appointments are made.
  1 13    b.  Notwithstanding the salary range enacted in 2008 Iowa
  1 14 Acts, ch. 1191, {14, for fiscal years beginning on or after
  1 15 July 1, 2017, the governor or other person designated to
  1 16 determine the salaries of utilities board members shall not
  1 17 determine salary amounts that, in the aggregate, exceed the
  1 18 total amount provided for the salaries of utilities board
  1 19 members for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016.   
  1 20    Sec. 2.  Section 474.2, Code 2017, is amended to read as
  1 21 follows:
  1 22    474.2  Certain persons barred from office ==== restrictions.
  1 23    1.  No A person in the employ of any common carrier or other
  1 24 public utility, or owning any bonds, stock or property in any
  1 25 railroad company or other public utility shall not be eligible
  1 26 to the office of utilities board member or secretary of the
  1 27 utilities board; and the. The entering into the employ of
  1 28 any common carrier or other public utility or the acquiring
  1 29 of any stock or other interest in any common carrier or other
  1 30 public utility by such member or secretary after appointment
  1 31 shall disqualify the member or secretary to hold the office or
  1 32 perform the duties thereof of the office.
  1 33    2.  A person shall not serve in any manner or be employed
  1 34 by any common carrier or other public utility, or acquire
  1 35 any bonds, stock, or property in any railroad company or
  2  1 other public utility for at least two years following the
  2  2 person's departure from the office of utilities board member or
  2  3 secretary of the utilities board.
  2  4    3.  A person shall not be eligible to the office of utilities
  2  5 board member or secretary of the utilities board for at least
  2  6 two years following the person's departure from service as a
  2  7 member of the Iowa general assembly.
  2  8                           EXPLANATION
  2  9 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
  2 10 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly.
  2 11    This bill modifies membership, salary, and other
  2 12 requirements applicable to the Iowa utilities board.
  2 13    The bill increases the current number of members of the
  2 14 board from three to five members and increases the limitation
  2 15 on the number of members who are permitted to be from the same
  2 16 political party from two to three members.
  2 17    The bill provides that, notwithstanding the most recent
  2 18 state officers salary range enacted by the general assembly,
  2 19 beginning with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017, the
  2 20 governor or other person designated to determine the salaries
  2 21 of board members cannot determine salary amounts that in the
  2 22 aggregate exceed the total amount provided for board member
  2 23 salaries for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016.
  2 24    Additionally, the bill adds restrictions relating to
  2 25 membership eligibility and actions after departure from
  2 26 membership.  The bill provides that a person is prohibited
  2 27 from employment with any common carrier or other public
  2 28 utility, or from acquiring any bonds, stock, or property in
  2 29 any railroad company or other public utility for at least two
  2 30 years following their departure from serving as a member of the
  2 31 board or secretary of the board. Further, the bill provides
  2 32 that a person shall not be eligible to become appointed to the
  2 33 board or serve as secretary of the board for at least two years
  2 34 following their departure from service as a member of the Iowa
  2 35 general assembly.
       LSB 1906YH (5) 87
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