SF 75: A bill for an act relating to county supervisors, concerning county supervisor representation plans and county supervisor vacancies, and including effective date provisions. - Iowa

Enrolled with Governor's Action → Reprinted Marked Up · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Iowa's county supervisor representation plans and election procedures, specifically requiring certain counties with state university campuses to use a specific representation plan (Plan Three). It also modifies vacancy rules for county supervisors and adjusts special election timing and thresholds.

Scope change

The bill expands mandatory use of Plan Three to counties with main campuses of state-regulated higher learning institutions, while adding exemptions for counties over 60,000 population from changing from Plan Three to other plans via special election.

REQUIREMENT

Counties with main campuses of institutions governed by the state board of regents must use Plan Three for supervisor elections.

Vacancy rules for county supervisors were updated to clarify when special elections versus appointments apply based on timing relative to primary elections.

TIMELINE

Special election petitions must be filed by June 1 of odd-numbered years, with elections held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in August.

Transition provisions require affected counties to establish redistricting commissions by May 15, 2025, and complete precinct plans by October 1, 2025.

ELIGIBILITY

Counties with 60,000+ population cannot change from Plan Three to Plan One or Two unless approved by a two-thirds vote of ballots cast.

Enrolled → Enrolled with Governor's Action · 5 edits · Apr 10, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates Iowa's county supervisor representation plans and vacancy procedures. It mandates that counties with state-regulated university campuses must use a specific representation plan (Plan Three) and establishes new rules for special elections and vacancy appointments based on county population and campus presence.

Scope change

The bill expands mandatory application of Plan Three to counties with state board of regents university campuses and modifies vacancy filling procedures based on population thresholds and campus presence.

REQUIREMENT

Counties with main campuses of state board of regents institutions must use Plan Three for supervisor elections, overriding previous optional arrangements.

Added transition provisions requiring affected counties to establish temporary redistricting commissions by May 15, 2025, and complete precinct plans by October 1, 2025.

TIMELINE

Special election dates changed from August to November of odd-numbered years, with adjusted petition filing deadlines and notice publication requirements.

ELIGIBILITY

Vacancy appointment rules now distinguish between counties with populations under 125,000 without state university campuses (appointments allowed) versus those with 125,000+ population or state university campuses (special elections required).

Modified threshold for requiring special elections for vacancies from 73 days before primary to 88 days before primary for certain appointment scenarios.

Reprinted Marked Up → Reprinted · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill text was reformatted from a Governor's transmittal letter to a clean legislative reprint, removing the signature page and adding committee headers and page numbers. The substantive legal text regarding county supervisor representation plans and vacancy procedures remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Removed Governor's signature page, transmittal letter, and cover page elements including Governor Kim Reynolds' signature and date.

Added Senate File 75 reprint headers, committee information, and page numbering throughout the document.

Reorganized document structure from transmittal letter format to standard legislative bill format with division headers and section numbering.

Signed Enrolled Bill (PDF) → Enrolled · 1 edit · Apr 10, 2025

MINOR

The bill text was reformatted from a Governor's signature page to the official enrolled bill format, with minor line breaks and spacing adjustments throughout. The substantive legislative content regarding county supervisor representation plans and vacancies remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Removed Governor signature page and letterhead, added bill title and division headers, and adjusted line numbering for official enrolled format.

Introduced → Signed Enrolled Bill (PDF) · 5 edits · Apr 10, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates Iowa's county supervisor election rules by requiring larger counties (125,000+ population or those with state university campuses) to use single-member districts for supervisor elections. It also clarifies vacancy filling procedures and adjusts special election timing from August to November.

Scope change

Expanded applicability to include counties with state university campuses in addition to those with 125,000+ population

ELIGIBILITY

Raised the population threshold for mandatory single-member district elections from 125,000 to 125,000 (clarified) and added counties with state university campuses as eligible for the same requirement

TIMELINE

Changed special election timing from first Tuesday after first Monday in August to first Tuesday after first Monday in November

Extended deadline for completing new representation plans from November 1 to December 31 following special elections

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement that counties switching from plan one to plan two or three must now approve the change by two-thirds vote rather than simple plurality

Added transition provision requiring affected counties to establish temporary redistricting commissions by May 15, 2025 or 30 days after enactment

A bill for an act relating to county supervisors, concerning county supervisor representation plans and county supervisor vacancies, and including effective date provisions.

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