1. a. The commission may purchase, lease, and improve property, equipment, and services for telecommunications for public and private agencies and may dispose of property and equipment when not necessary for its purposes. The commission may enter into a contract for the purchase, lease, or improvement of property, equipment, or services for telecommunications pursuant to this subsection in an amount not greater than the contract limitation amount without prior authorization by a constitutional majority of each house of the general assembly, approval by the legislative council if the general assembly is not in session, or the approval of the executive council as provided pursuant to paragraph “b”. A contract entered into under this subsection for an amount exceeding the contract limitation amount shall require prior authorization or approval by the general assembly, the legislative council, or the executive council as provided in this subsection. The commission shall not issue any bonding or other long-term financing arrangements as defined in section 12.30, subsection 1, paragraph “b”. Real or personal property to be purchased by the commission through the use of a financing agreement shall be done in accordance with the provisions of section 12.28, provided, however, that the commission may purchase property, equipment, or services for telecommunications pursuant to a financing agreement in an amount not greater than the contract limitation amount without prior authorization by a constitutional majority of each house of the general assembly, approval by the legislative council if the general assembly is not in session, or the approval of the executive council as provided pursuant to paragraph “b”. A contract entered into under this subsection for an amount exceeding the contract limitation amount shall require prior authorization or approval by the general assembly, the legislative council, or the executive council as provided in this subsection.

 b. Approval by the executive council as provided under paragraph “a” shall only be permitted if the contract for which the commission is seeking approval is necessary as the result of circumstances constituting a natural disaster or a threat to homeland security.
 c. For purposes of this subsection, “contract limitation amount” means two million dollars. However, beginning July 1, 2008, and on each succeeding July 1, the director shall adjust the contract limitation amount to be applicable for the twelve-month period commencing on September 1 of the year in which the adjustment is made. The new contract limitation amount shall be published annually as a notice in the Iowa administrative bulletin prior to September 1. The adjusted contract limitation amount shall be calculated by applying the percentage change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers for the most recent available twelve-month period published in the federal register by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, to the existing contract limitation amount as an increase or decrease, rounded to the nearest dollar. The calculation and publication of the contract limitation amount by the director are exempt from the provisions of chapter 17A.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 8D.11

  • Commission: means the Iowa telecommunications and technology commission established in section 8D. See Iowa Code 8D.2
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Director: means the executive director appointed pursuant to section 8D. See Iowa Code 8D.2
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Network: means the Iowa or state communications network. See Iowa Code 8D.2
  • personal property: include money, goods, chattels, evidences of debt, and things in action. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.
  • Private agency: means an accredited nonpublic school, a nonprofit institution of higher education eligible for tuition grants, or a hospital licensed pursuant to chapter 135B or a physician clinic to the extent provided in section 8D. See Iowa Code 8D.2
  • property: includes personal and real property. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Public agency: means a state agency, an institution under the control of the board of regents, the judicial branch as provided in section 8D. See Iowa Code 8D.2
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • State agency: means a board, department, commission or authority of or acting on behalf of the state having the power to enter into contracts with or without the approval of the executive council to acquire property in its own name or in the name of the state. See Iowa Code 7D.34
  • United States: includes all the states. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • year: means twelve consecutive months. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. The commission also shall not provide or resell communications services to entities other than public and private agencies. The public or private agency shall not provide communication services of the network to another entity unless otherwise authorized pursuant to this chapter. The commission may arrange for joint use of available services and facilities, and may enter into leases and agreements with private and public agencies with respect to the Iowa communications network, and public agencies are authorized to enter into leases and agreements with respect to the network for their use and operation. Rentals and other amounts due under the agreements or leases entered into pursuant to this section by a state agency are payable from funds annually appropriated by the general assembly or from other funds legally available. Other public agencies may pay the rental costs and other amounts due under an agreement or lease from their annual budgeted funds or other funds legally available or to become available.
 3. This section comprises a complete and independent authorization and procedure for a public agency, with the approval of the commission, to enter into a lease or agreement and this section is not a qualification of any other powers which a public agency may possess and the authorizations and powers granted under this section are not subject to the terms, requirements, or limitations of any other provisions of law, except that the commission must comply with the provisions of section 12.28 when entering into financing agreements for the purchase of real or personal property. All moneys received by the commission from agreements and leases entered into pursuant to this section with private and public agencies shall be deposited in the Iowa communications network fund.
 4. A political subdivision receiving communications services from the state as of April 1, 1986, may continue to do so but communications services shall not be provided or resold to additional political subdivisions other than a school corporation, a city library, and a county library as provided in chapter 336. The rates charged to the political subdivision shall be the same as the rates charged to state agencies.
 5. Pursuant to an agreement between the commission and an authorized user, the commission may provide billing services on behalf of the authorized user and charge another entity that receives services from the authorized user pursuant to the network if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

 a. The services provided by the authorized user to the other entity must be consistent with the mission of the authorized user.
 b. The services provided by the authorized user to the other entity must be consistent with the requirements and limitations in subsection 2.
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