Bill Text: IA SF2298 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act establishing an AmeriCorps program for the economic well-being and health of refugees, and including provisions for contingent implementation. (Formerly SF 2153.)
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-04-11 - Fiscal note. SCS. [SF2298 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2015-SF2298-Introduced.html
Senate File 2298 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS (SUCCESSOR TO SF 2153) A BILL FOR 1 An Act establishing an AmeriCorps program for the economic 2 well=being and health of refugees, and including provisions 3 for contingent implementation. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 5765SV (2) 86 rh/rj PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 15H.5, subsection 5, paragraph a, Code 1 2 2016, is amended to read as follows: 1 3 a. Funding for the Iowa summer youth corps program, the Iowa 1 4 green corps program established pursuant to section 15H.6,and1 5 the Iowa reading corps program established pursuant to section 1 6 15H.7, and the RefugeeRISE AmeriCorps program established 1 7 pursuant to section 15H.8, shall be obtained from private 1 8 sector, and local, state, and federal government sources, or 1 9 from other available funds credited to the community programs 1 10 account, which shall be created within the economic development 1 11 authority under the authority of the commission. Moneys 1 12 available in the account for a fiscal year are appropriated to 1 13 the commission to be used for the programs. The commission 1 14 may establish an escrow account within the authority and 1 15 obligate moneys within that escrow account for tuition or 1 16 program payments to be made beyond the term of any fiscal year. 1 17 Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest earned 1 18 on moneys in the community programs account shall be credited 1 19 to the account. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the 1 20 community programs account or escrow account shall not revert 1 21 to the general fund but shall remain available for expenditure 1 22 in future fiscal years. 1 23 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 15H.8 RefugeeRISE AmeriCorps program. 1 24 1. a. The Iowa commission on volunteer service, in 1 25 collaboration with the department of human services, shall 1 26 establish a Refugee Rebuild, Integrate, Serve, Empower 1 27 (RefugeeRISE) AmeriCorps program to increase community 1 28 integration and engagement for diverse refugee communities in 1 29 rural and urban areas across the state. 1 30 b. The commission, in collaboration with the department 1 31 of human services, may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to 1 32 implement and administer this section. 1 33 2. The commission may use moneys in and lawfully available 1 34 to the community programs account created in section 15H.5 to 1 35 fund the program. 2 1 3. The commission shall submit an annual report to the 2 2 general assembly and the department of human services relating 2 3 to the efficacy of the program. 2 4 Sec. 3. CONTINGENT IMPLEMENTATION. The Iowa commission on 2 5 volunteer services shall fully implement the provisions of this 2 6 Act contingent upon being appropriated necessary moneys by the 2 7 general assembly to support the RefugeeRISE Americorps program 2 8 as provided in this Act. 2 9 EXPLANATION 2 10 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 11 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 2 12 This bill establishes the RefugeeRISE AmeriCorps program and 2 13 makes appropriations. 2 14 The bill requires the Iowa commission on volunteer service 2 15 (commission), in collaboration with the department of 2 16 human services (DHS), to establish a RefugeeRISE AmeriCorps 2 17 program to increase community integration and engagement for 2 18 diverse refugee communities in rural and urban areas across 2 19 the state. The commission may use moneys in and lawfully 2 20 available to the community programs account created within 2 21 the economic development authority (ECA) under the authority 2 22 of the commission to fund the program. The commission, in 2 23 collaboration with DHS, may adopt rules to implement and 2 24 administer the program and shall submit an annual report to 2 25 the general assembly and DHS relating to the efficacy of the 2 26 program. 2 27 The bill provides that the commission shall fully implement 2 28 the provisions of the bill contingent upon being appropriated 2 29 necessary moneys by the general assembly. LSB 5765SV (2) 86 rh/rj