Merit Institute Merit

The Iowa Government Transparency & Performance Act (IA-GT&P)

Iowa state companion to GT&P. Extends Iowa Open Records (Iowa Code Ch. 22), Open Meetings (Ch. 21), State Auditor oversight, and the Iowa False Claims Act (Iowa Code Ch. 685).

THE IOWA GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY & PERFORMANCE ACT (IA-GT&P)

Vehicle: State passage. Iowa General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House State Government / Judiciary and Senate State Government / Judiciary.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Iowa Government Transparency & Performance Act (IA-GT&P).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that Iowa operates a transparency regime under Open Records (Iowa Code Ch. 22) and Open Meetings (Iowa Code Ch. 21); that the State Auditor audits under Iowa Code Ch. 11; that state-agency performance reporting operates under Iowa Code Ch. 8 (Department of Management) and the biennial budget process; that whistleblower protection operates under Iowa Code Sec. 70A.28; that state employment is governed by Iowa Code Ch. 8A and the Department of Administrative Services; and that the Iowa False Claims Act under Iowa Code Ch. 685 provides a broad state qui tam reward mechanism (enacted 2014). This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH IOWA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “State agency” has the meaning in Iowa Code Sec. 8A.101.
  2. (b) “State Auditor” means the Office of Auditor of State under Iowa Code Ch. 11.
  3. (c) “IFCA” means the Iowa False Claims Act under Iowa Code Ch. 685.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Iowa Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Iowa Code Ch. 22 (Open Records).
  • Iowa Code Ch. 21 (Open Meetings).
  • Iowa Code Ch. 11 (State Auditor).
  • Iowa Code Ch. 8 (Department of Management) and Ch. 8A (DAS).
  • Iowa Code Sec. 70A.28 (whistleblower protection).
  • Iowa Code Ch. 685 (IFCA).
  • Iowa Code Ch. 17A (Iowa Administrative Procedure Act).

TITLE II — STATE-AGENCY OUTCOME PUBLICATION

Sec. 201. Iowa Agency Outcome Dashboard

  1. (a) The Department of Management, in coordination with the State Auditor, shall maintain an Iowa Agency Outcome Dashboard (“IA-AOD”).
  2. (b) Each State agency shall publish, for each major program, machine-readable performance data on cost per unit, output volume, and outcome measurement.
  3. (c) Updated at least quarterly.

Sec. 202. Integration with Budget Submissions

  1. (a) Each State agency shall include IA-AOD data in its biennial budget submission under Iowa Code Ch. 8.

TITLE III — STATE CIVIL-SERVICE ACCOUNTABILITY

Sec. 301. Published Performance Expectations

  1. (a) Iowa Code Ch. 8A shall be applied so that each executive-level and director-level position’s appointing authority establish and publish annual performance expectations tied to the agency’s program performance measures.
  2. (b) Failure to satisfy published expectations for two consecutive review cycles constitutes grounds for non-retention consistent with DAS authority.

TITLE IV — REGULATORY PARTICIPATION

Sec. 401. Iowa Regulatory Participation Dashboard

  1. (a) The Iowa Administrative Rules Coordinator (within the Governor’s office), in coordination with agencies that adopt rules under Iowa Code Ch. 17A, shall publish an Iowa Regulatory Participation Dashboard.
  2. (b) Dashboard informational.

TITLE V — WHISTLEBLOWER REWARDS

Sec. 501. Iowa False Claims Act Reward Alignment

  1. (a) Iowa Code Sec. 685.3 (relator share) is hereby amended so that a qui tam relator under IFCA may receive a share aligned with the federal range under 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d).
  2. (b) Amounts payable drawn from amounts recovered to the State.

TITLE VI — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 601. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 602. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect July 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: GT&P. Other Iowa bills: IA-ACSA, IA-MEWRA, IA-AI-Workforce.