Hunter
06/13/25
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds approval of the catch-all state standings budget bill this week included a provision that would require local 911 service boards to reimburse the state for what are called “reasonable costs” for call traffic to public safety answering points, or PSAP’s.
Groups involved with 911 service urged the governor to use her line-item veto power to strike the provision, saying the vagueness of the provision threatens 911 services across the state, which already run on razor-thin budgets. Reynolds said the service boards are sitting on a $66 million surplus and could partner with the state to make sure there is adequate coverage across Iowa.
Opponents of the bill pointed out that the surplus is there for future planned upgrades to various 911 systems.
The Gazette reports 911 Communications Council President Rob Rotter said the board needs to look at modernizing funding of the 911 network, which currently comes from a $1 surcharge to Iowan’s phone bills every month.