Twelfth Week of the 91st General Assembly
Second Deadline has PassedWe have now passed the second legislative deadline for the year as this was the twelfth week of session. Many discussions took place regarding House bills in subcommittees and committees. This is the time that we begin to focus our energy on bills that have enough support to move forward. Our time this week was spent working our way through bills, talking with stakeholders of various legislation, and like other weeks, meeting with constituents who came to visit the Capitol. We also finalized our research and inquiry process on candidates for the Governor’s appointments to various commissions and boards. The biggest highlight of the week was being able to celebrate the signing of the Hands Free Legislation on Wednesday this week.
Bills Pass out of Committees in the Senate
Improving Health Care for Rural Iowans
Senate File 575, now renumbered SF 618, is the governor’s rural health care bill. This bill aims to coordinate and expand programs addressing health care workforce needs in our state. It designates $10 million to the Health Care Professional Incentive Program to help identify high demand, health sector jobs in communities and counties across the state, and it utilizes partnerships with Iowa hospitals to add an estimated 115 new residency slots at Iowa’s 14 teaching hospitals. When fully implemented over four years, there is a projected increase of up to 460 new physicians being trained through the residency program. This legislation passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee with full, bipartisan support on Tuesday.
Keeping Our House in Order Regarding Disaster Response
Another bill that garnered full, bipartisan support from the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday was Senate File 591, now renumbered SF 610. Senate File 591 is the governor’s emergency disaster recovery and housing assistance bill. It implements policy changes from lessons learned and best practices utilized during last year’s floods and tornado responses. It ensures funding to communities is available to assist in recovery from storms and natural disasters. It also implements consumer protections to regulate the insurance industry utilized during disaster recovery. Iowans deserve to know they are working with responsible operators and to be protected from fraud as they work toward recovery. The bill also appropriates money from the Economic Emergency Fund to ensure cash is available to state entities for immediate disaster response when the governor declares an emergency.
Paid Maternity Leave for State Employees
On Wednesday, the Senate Workforce committee passed House File 889. This legislation will provide for up to 4 weeks of paid maternity leave and one week of paternity leave for state employees. It also includes a provision for up to 4 weeks of paid adoption leave for state employees. This passed out of committee with unanimous support.
Protecting Iowa Landowners from Overreach of Eminent Domain
Passing out of the Senate Commerce Committee this week was HF 639. This bill advances expanded protections for landowners and strengthens private property rights in Iowa. The bill includes additional requirements for Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC) members, such as requiring at least one member attend public informational meetings and pausing those meetings if that member leaves for any reason. It also requires a majority of IUC members be present for any hearing, including hearings on requests for eminent domain, provides for landowners to recover any damages caused by a project, implements additional protections for crop loss and soil restoration, and includes indemnification requirements to protect landowners and hold them harmless from damage throughout the life of a project. Additionally, the bill requires quicker decisions by the IUC and expands the use of voluntary easements, allowing companies to go off a planned path for a project and find landowners who are willing to work with them.
Distracted Driving “Hands Free” Legislation is Signed into Law
Families who have lost loved ones due to distracted driving are now breathing a sigh of relief, as Governor Reynolds signed Senate File 22 into law on Wednesday. This law will take effect on July 1st and includes penalties for violation. Many of the families and stakeholders were on hand for the bill signing that was held in a fully-packed Governor’s office at the Capitol. I am certain that this law will make a difference to the safety of Iowa travelers. See below for a link to the video of the Governor’s speech and signing of the bill:
WalletHub recently released rankings for taxpayer return on investment (ROI) and has ranked Iowa in the top ten. This is more good news about Iowa and how we compare to other states. ROI looks at the rate at which taxpayers send their money to the state relative to the services taxpayers receive in return. This top ten ranking shows the strength of the state’s current direction, led by a fiscally responsible state government that will ensure Iowa’s success, not just today, but for years to come.
Best regards,
Mark