Bills › 90th General Assembly
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 28, 2024
- Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 28, 2024
- Done: House committeeMarch 6, 2024
- Skipped: Passes the HouseContinued as HF 2653
- Next: Senate committee
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Became HF 2653 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to HF 2653 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary School districts in specific counties facing a declared disaster emergency can use certain levy money to pay employee retention bonuses. These districts cannot spend more than $700,000 on these bonuses or raise their levy to pay for them. Additionally, these same districts are excused from certain requirements regarding assessments, attendance, and graduation rules for the 2023-2024 school year.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to school districts, including by modifying provisions related to the district management levy and waiving certain specified duties, responsibilities, and requirements for the school year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024. _____ with a population of greater than 99,500 but less than 100,000, a county with a population of greater than 26,000 but less than 27,000, and a county with a population of greater than 8,760 but less than 8,800. The bill provides that a school district shall not expend more than $700,000 under this provision and shall not increase the amount of the district management levy in order to make the retention bonus payments. The bill establishes that this provision is repealed July 1, 2025. The bill provides that for the school year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024, for a school district that is the subject of a proclamation of disaster emergency issued by the governor on January 8, 2024, and that is located in a county with a population of greater than 99,500 but less than 100,000, a county with a population of greater than 26,000 but less than 27,000, and a county with a population of greater than 8,760 but less than 8,800, certain specified duties, responsibilities, and requirements shall be deemed not to apply, including duties, responsibilities, and requirements related to assessments, days or hours of attendance, and graduation requirements. The bill takes effect upon enactment.
House subcommittee
Named February 28, 2024. On February 29, 2024 it recommended passage. Vote Total: 3-0.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
Fiscal note
AI summary This bill allows certain school districts to use up to $700,000 from their management levy to pay for employee retention bonuses for the school year beginning July 1, 2024. It also requires the State Board of Education and the State Department of Education to waive certain educational duties for these districts for the 2023-2024 school year. The fiscal impact of this bill is unknown.3
Read the fiscal note
Description
House File 2653 authorizes specific school districts to use revenue from the district management levy to pay the costs of retention bonus payments to employees for the school year beginning July 1, 2024. Eligible school districts are required to have been the subject of a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency issued by the Governor on January 8, 2024. Under this provision, affected school districts are permitted to spend up to $700,000 and are prohibited from raising the amount of the district management levy to make retention payments. This provision is repealed July 1, 2025. The Bill requires the State Board of Education and the State Department of Education to waive specified educational duties, responsibilities, and requirements for the specified school districts for the 2023-2024 school year. The Bill takes effect upon enactment.
Background
On January 8, 2024, the Governor issued a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency for the Perry Community School District (CSD) in Dallas County. Under Iowa Code section 29C.6, a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency authorizes the use and deployment of all available State resources, supplies, equipment, and materials as are reasonably necessary to assist those citizens in the county or counties affected. Iowa Code chapter 29C describes the powers and requirements associated with emergency management and security.
A school district may annually certify a tax on all taxable property of the school district for the management levy. There are no levy rate restrictions. The district’s board of directors is empowered to create a district management levy through Iowa Code section 298.4 to be used to pay for the following purposes:
- Unemployment benefits.
- Payments of liability insurance premiums.
- Costs of judgments or settlements related to tort liability.
- Insurance agreements.
- Early retirement benefits.
- Mediation and arbitration, including but not limited to legal fees associated with such acts. The FY 2024 management levy for the Perry CSD is 2.19767 per $1,000 in assessed property value. Based on preliminary FY 2023 information from the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB), Perry CSD had $882,000 in the district’s management levy fund.
Assumption
Expenses that may be made from the district management levy for retention bonuses are unknown.
Fiscal Impact
House File 2653 permits the spending of up to $700,000 from a school district’s management levy to pay for employee retention bonuses. The fiscal impact of the Bill is unknown.
Sources
- Department of Revenue
- Iowa Association of School Boards
- Iowa League of Cities
- Final Fiscal Note — Educational Requirements, Waiver · April 19, 2024 · $700,000
- Educational Requirements, Waiver · March 11, 2024 · $700,000
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90th General Assembly