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HSB 178

A bill for an act relating to the Iowa propane education and research council, and including applicability provisions.

2025-2026 Regular Session

The bill consolidates the council’s reporting into a single annual report and removes its authority to set weatherization and appliance installation quality standards.

Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 704.
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Bill Summary · HSB 178

Summary of HSB 178 (Renumbered HF 704): Iowa propane education and research council

Overview

HSB 178, introduced February 13, 2025, relates to the Iowa propane education and research council, including applicability provisions. The bill has been approved in committee and renumbered as HF 704. The legislative actions show a progression from subcommittee recommendation to full committee approval, with a final committee vote of 17 yeas and 6 nays, and subsequent committee report approving the bill.

  • Introduced: February 13, 2025
  • Referred to: State Government
  • Subcommittee: Hora, Srinivas, and Wulf
  • Subcommittee recommendation: February 18, 2025
  • Committee actions: Subcommittee vote and recommendation (Feb 17–18), then committee passage and renumbering (Feb 26–28, 2025)
  • Current status: Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 704

Key Provisions (as introduced)

The introduced text highlights three main areas of change:

1) Reporting and audits
- Replaces the prior requirement that the council submit a separate audit of its books and a separate report regarding its programs.
- Instead, these items would be included in an annual report the council submits to the General Assembly and the Auditor of the State.

2) Energy efficiency education programs
- The bill changes the types of energy efficiency education programs the council may develop.
- This indicates a shift in the scope or categories of programs the council is authorized to pursue, though specific program types are not detailed in the provided text.

3) Quality standards authority
- The council’s authority to establish quality standards related to weatherization and appliance installation is struck (removed).
- This removes a potential regulatory/quality-oversight role for the council in these areas.

Impact and Who is Affected

  • Primary entity affected: Iowa propane education and research council.
  • Governmental/oversight implications:
    • Consolidates reporting into a single annual report to the General Assembly and the Auditor of State, potentially simplifying compliance and oversight.
    • Removes the council’s authority to set quality standards for weatherization and appliance installation, which may influence how those activities are regulated or quality-controlled (potentially shifting those responsibilities to other agencies or leaving standards to other processes).
  • Stakeholders likely affected include propane industry program administrators, weatherization providers, appliance installers, and legislators reviewing annual reporting to the General Assembly and Auditor of State.

Procedural and Timeline Highlights

  • Subcommittee meeting: February 18, 2025
  • Subcommittee recommendation: February 18, 2025
  • Committee action: February 26, 2025 (recommendation for passage; vote 17–6)
  • Committee report and renumbering: February 28, 2025 (renumbered as HF 704)
  • Next steps (typical legislative path): If advanced, HF 704 would move through the remaining chamber processes toward enactment.

Note

The summary reflects the introduced text’s stated changes. Final statutory language and effective dates would be determined in the enacted bill.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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