Hunter
05/27/25
First responders from around the state are urging Governor Kim Reynolds to veto a bill passed by the Iowa Legislature in the final minutes of the 2025 session that would allow the state to request reimbursement from local 911 boards.
The Gazette reports under the provision, the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management could request reimbursement from local 911 service boards for “reasonable costs” related to call traffic to public safety answering points, or PSAPs. The local board would then have 30 days to provide the reimbursement.
The Iowa chapters of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials and the National Emergency Number Association have expressed their opposition to the bill, saying the provision threatens to destabilize 911 operations across the state.
Chris Jasper, president of the Iowa National Emergency Number Association, says local 911 boards and dispatch centers already operate on razor-thin budgets, and surprise bills from the state could lead to staffing cuts and delays in equipment upgrades.
Proponents of the bill say some local 911 boards have large budget surpluses; critics point out those balances are being banked in preparation for major infrastructure upgrades.