SF 2191 – Drainage district warrants
SF 2273 – Drainage district trustees
HF 2344 — Drainage district mergers, annexation, bidding procedures, providing limited liability
HF 2427 – Corn promotion provisions
SF 2191 increases the amount to be paid in a single warrant from $1,000 to $5,000 for drainage district projects. Each month, estimates of work done in the previous month on a drainage district project are submitted to the auditor. The auditor then draws up warrants, which are currently limited to $1,000 per warrant to pay the contractor. Over the years, the costs of contractor work have increased, but the Iowa Code has not been updated. The change will allow auditors to write fewer warrants while still paying contractors in a timely manner. [Committee 2/12: short form (Black, Taylor excused); Floor 2/25: 49-0 (Feenstra absent)]
SF 2273 expands the definition of trustee eligibility. In some rural drainage districts that still elect trustees, the Code definitions have made it difficult to find eligible trustees. One reason is that more landowners own land that is not necessarily in their name. For example, they may have trusts, partnerships or family farm corporations that own the land. The Iowa Drainage District Association supports changing the definition of who is eligible to be elected as a trustee to include other types of individuals with ownership interests. This could include a trustee, someone who owns land in partnership or a stockholder of a farm corporation owning land. [Committee 2/19: short form; Floor 2/27: 48-0 (Ernst, Houser excused)]
HF 2344 addresses the merger of existing drainage districts, bidding procedures, annexed land and liability. Iowa law does not currently provide for the merger of existing drainage districts. This bill allows mergers. [Committee 3/13: short form (Houser, Greiner excused); Floor 3/18: 45-0 (Ernst, Greiner, Hatch, Houser, Zumbach, Zaun excused)]
HF 2427 increases the cap for the corn check off from one cent to three cents per bushel, which must be approved by producers voting in future special referendums. The maximum rate existing during this marketing year (September 1, 2013, to August 31, 2014) must remain at one cent. The maximum rate for the next five marketing years (September 1, 2014, to August 31, 2019) cannot exceed two cents. The maximum rate for all future marketing years beginning September 1, 2019, cannot exceed three cents.
The bill also creates a task force to review and provide recommendations on referendum ballot and voting procedures and check off refund awareness. The task force would include the Secretary of Agriculture, representatives of agricultural organizations and four legislators. The task force must submit a report by September 1, 2014, and then dissolve. [Committee 3/13: short form (Houser, Greiner excused); Floor 3/18: 46-0 (Hogg, Greiner, Houser, Zumbach excused)]