As the 911 Director for Marshall County, I feel a strong duty to speak up about a recent change in state legislation that could have a serious impact on emergency response services across Iowa. Senate File 659 (SF659), which is now waiting for Governor Reynolds’ signature, includes a last-minute addition called District XII. This new section gives the state the power to charge local 911 centers — known as Public Safety Answering Points or PSAPs — for certain costs related to delivering 911 calls. These are expenses the state has historically paid for.

To the average taxpayer, this may sound complicated or not immediately concerning, but it’s important to understand: when decisions like this are made in Des Moines, they directly affect every Iowan who counts on someone to answer the phone during an emergency. If signed into law, this change would allow the state to bill 911 centers for any amount it defines as a “reasonable cost,” and those centers would have just 30 days to pay — regardless of their local budget or financial situation.

These unexpected costs could seriously strain local 911 systems, especially in rural or smaller counties. It’s a change that was made without warning, without input from those of us who operate these services every day, and it puts the reliability of our emergency response systems at risk. The final version of the bill states:

“The program manager may request reimbursement from each joint 911 service board for reasonable costs under section 34A.7A related to the delivery of 911 call traffic to public safety answering points. Upon request, each joint 911 service board shall reimburse the department of homeland security and emergency management for such costs within thirty days.”

This means the state can now charge local 911 centers whatever it defines as “reasonable costs,” and those centers must pay within 30 days — regardless of how much is requested or how much financial strain it causes. There are no limits outlined in the bill. If you look at your cell phone bill, you’ll see a $1.00 monthly 911 surcharge. That fee helps fund the technology, equipment, and systems that allow 911 centers to receive and respond to emergency calls. It’s important to understand that this surcharge does not pay for staff wages or benefits — it goes strictly toward operations, like radio systems, dispatch technology, infrastructure, and system maintenance. And while those costs have gone up year after year, the surcharge hasn’t increased since 2013.

Rather than adjusting the surcharge to reflect rising costs — something as modest as a 25-cent increase, or $3.00 a year — the state is instead choosing to pass additional costs down to local 911 agencies. Many of these centers, especially in smaller and rural counties, operate on limited budgets. This decision could stretch their resources thin and threaten the reliability of 911 service across Iowa. Some officials have argued that PSAPs have enough saved to cover these charges. But what they’re calling a surplus is actually responsible planning. Local 911 boards like ours in Marshall County have set aside funds over time for future system upgrades, radio replacements, and enhanced 911 capabilities. These are long-term investments intended to avoid raising local taxes. We’ve made every effort to be fiscally responsible, and now we’re being penalized for that.

What’s most troubling is how this was handled. Earlier versions of the bill were discussed publicly and allowed for input. But the language for District XII was added in the final hours of the legislative session — overnight, without notice, and without allowing anyone from the 911 community to testify or weigh in. That’s not how sound public safety policy should be made. It should be noted, the state currently keeps 40% of the 911 surcharge revenue for its use. Now, after overspending on a state-run project, it’s asking local emergency centers to cover the shortfall, all while sitting on a nearly $2 billion state surplus.

If signed into law, District XII of SF659 could place serious and unpredictable financial strain on Iowa’s 911 systems. I urge you to call Governor Kim Reynolds and ask her to line-item veto District XII from SF659. Her office can be reached at 515-281-5211, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you can’t get through, please leave a message.

With your help, we can make sure Iowa’s 911 centers remain reliable, well-equipped, and ready to answer the call when it matters most, ensuring Iowa’s 911 services remain strong, sustainable, and prepared for the future.

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Rhonda Braudis is the Marshall County

911 Communications Director.