Taylor Collins: To the People of House District 95, Week 14

On Tuesday, the Senate passed my bill (HF 437) requiring the University of Iowa to create a Center for Intellectual Freedom. The bill now awaits signature from the Governor. The bill establishes a Center for Intellectual Freedom as an independent academic center that shall conduct teaching and research in historical ideas, traditions, and texts that have shaped the American constitutional order and society.

The center will provide scholarship in all of the following:

• The texts and major debates that form the intellectual foundation of free societies, especially that of the United States.
• The principles, ideals, and institutions of the American constitutional order.
• The foundations of responsible leadership and informed citizenship.

The center shall offer university-wide programming related the values of free speech and civil discourse and shall work to do all of the following:

• Expand the intellectual diversity of the university’s academic community.
• Foster civic engagement among university students and faculty.
• Coordinate with the center for cyclone civics at ISU and the Center for Civic Education at UNI to enable academic offerings that may be offered to students at any of the Regents institutions either in person or online.

The center may offer courses; develop certificate, minor, and major programs as well graduate programs; and offer degrees. This center shall offer at least one three-semester credit hour course in American history and civil government.

This is a great step forward for students who seek an unbiased knowledge and merit based education.

This week, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services announced that it will apply for federal approval to implement work requirements for the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan following two public hearings. DHHS said that they have a target date of January 1,2026 to implement the requirements in the state.

Both the House and Senate have passed Senate File 615, which requires the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to request federal approval to include work requirements as a condition of maintaining eligibility for Medicaid expansion in Iowa. This program will reduce the dependence of low-income Iowans on public assistance and will help them move up the economic ladder.

This bill ensures that able-bodied adults are working. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, over 100,000 Iowans on Medicaid expansion are not working.

Medicaid expansion has only existed in Iowa for 10 years. This program is a safety net for low-income Iowans but is not intended to be a forever government dependent program. This bill intentionally gives DHHS flexibility to implement the program on an individualized basis, looking at the needs and abilities of each individual that has sought out assistance. To be clear, this bill does not affect disabled Iowans on Medicaid. It only affects those on the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan, which is known as Medicaid Expansion and was created in the Obamacare bill.

There is dignity in work. Not only from the financial stability it provides, but the sense of purpose, the skills you learn from completing a job, being responsible for more than yourself, creating good life habits of being on time and acting professionally and respectfully to all, providing a good example to your children. Also, our society has mostly tied health insurance with employment, and this bill builds on that to ensure Iowans are prepared for life after government assistance.

The following bills from the House Commerce Committee have passed both the House and Senate chambers and are now eligible for the Governor’s signature:

HF 857 – Trigger Leads – This bill prohibits financial institutions from using an unfair or deceptive practice when using prescreened mortgage trigger lead information from another financial institution.
HF 875 – Credentialing Timeline – This bill provides a timeline for an insurer to respond to a provider seeking to be credentialed in-network and to provide a reason for denial.
SF 470 – Dental Insurance – This bill makes the following changes to dental insurance:

• Prohibits a dental carrier from denying a claim submitted for an approved for by prior authorization, with certain exemptions.
• Requires dental carriers to disclose to dental providers whether the covered person’s dental care services plan is state regulated.
• Sets up an appeal process when an overpayment is made to a dental provider by a dental insurer, makes notice requirements regarding overpayments, and allows for withholding on a future claim if certain information is provided.

HF 879 – Infrastructure Sabotage – This bill adds cable services, information services, and wireless services to the definition of critical infrastructure under the sabotage law. A person who intentionally causes interruption of a fundamental service through critical infrastructure commits a class B felony.
SF 460 – Home Inspectors – This bill outlines requirements for independent home inspectors including registration or licensure, written information provided to the customer, insurance coverage, and violations that constitute an unlawful practice.

This week my colleagues and I on the House Government Oversight Committee met to discuss the improper distribution of over $26 million dollars of court debt by the Judicial Branch. For almost three hours Oversight members asked questions in an effort to better understand how this large amount of money could be misallocated with no one tell the legislature or other groups impacted.

The Judicial Branch is required to distribute court fees and fines based on a formula set in the Iowa code. Fees and fines are paid to the clerk of court in all 99 counties. That money is then distributed, by the Courts, to the General Fund, other state funds and non-state funds (primarily counties).  Over the past four years, the annual total collected has been between $140 and 150 million.

In 2020 and 2021 the General Assembly adopted two bills that made several changes in how these fees and fines are distributed. The bills passed with overwhelming bi-partisan support and were expected to be implemented by the courts.

By the fall of 2020, the Judicial Branch was informed by one group that money was not going to the correct location, and by 2021 it was clear there was a significant problem. From 2020 until late 2024 the Judicial Branch attempted to find the problem and fix it, but during that same time, money was continually being misplaced.

In the fall of 2022, the Department of Transportation altered the State Auditor’s Office and the courts of a fiscal irregularity in the collection and distribution of fine money paid for tickets issued by Motor Vehicle Enforcement officers in fiscal years 2021 and 2022.  The State Auditor’s Office acknowledged receipt of the notice and said they take it from there and be touch with follow up questions.  The annual audits, many of which were issued years late, of the Judicial Branch do not indicate the State Auditor did anything to rectify these issues.

In late 2024, members of the legislature were notified by the Judicial Branch that there were misallocations over the past four years that totaled over $26 million. House Republicans immediately began asking questions to better understand how and why the courts chose to keep this information to themselves until the problem was overwhelming. Those answers led to many more questions.

The first Oversight meeting reveled many concerning things, including that the courts have spent over half a million dollars of taxpayer money in an attempt to correct their misallocation issue, but even then, the problem is not completely resolved. Representatives expressed their concern that no one from the Judicial Branch bothered to bring up any programing or misallocation issues for over four years while this money was being sent to the wrong accounts.
Groups impacted by the Judicial Branch’s misallocation include;

• Victims Compensation Fund
• Human Trafficking Victim Fund
• Juvenile Detention Home Fund
• Emergency Medical Services fund
• DARE Surcharge
• Criminalistics Laboratory Fund
• Motor Carrier Fines to the Road Use Tax Fund

Members made it clear that they were not upset there were programing errors but that they were upset it took over four years, half a million dollars of tax payer money and $25 million of misallocation for anyone to bring this to the attention of the legislature.

Members of the Oversight committee will continue to ask questions of the Judicial Branch and others involved in this significant issue.

Last week, the Governor signed into law Senate File 75. The new law requires counties with a regent university to adopt and use “plan three” for board of supervisor representation. Plan three requires counties to draw districts, similar to how legislative and congressional districts are, and require a supervisor to live in and be elected by the residents of that district. This legislation will improve representation at the county level.

By using Plan “Three” in these counties, the law promotes a more equitable representation structure. This is particularly important in areas with transient populations, as it allows for better representation of all county residents and not just the majority in the campus towns.

Additionally, the new law will require a special election be held to fill a vacancy in counties of a population over 125,000. The requirement for special elections to fill vacancies empowers voters by ensuring they have a direct say in who represents them. This is a crucial aspect of democracy, as it prevents the sidelining of constituents’ voices and maintains accountability among elected officials.

In March, the House of Representatives passed a bill to create standard procedures for how election recounts are conducted across Iowa. This week the Senate passed House File 928, which would finally bring conformity in how recounts are conducted in Iowa. Currently a campaign can request a recount for any election and select to recount only certain precincts, in some counties, and decide for each whether it is a hand recount or a machine recount. HF 928 creates a known process for when and how recounts may be conducted following elections, eliminating uncertainty and protecting taxpayer money from frivolous recount requests.

Under HF 928 a candidate may request a recount if the difference between the votes for the apparent winner and the candidate requesting the recount is less than 1% or 50 votes, whichever is lesser. For elections of federal and statewide offices, the threshold is set at 0.15%. If the apparent loser wishes to have a recount conducted, they have until the following Wednesday to submit a request to the Secretary of State who sends a copy to each county auditor where a vote was cast and instructs a recount to begin within 7 days.

The recount board would now consist of the county auditor and their staff and if necessary, precinct election officials with equal representation from each political party. This change is designed to enhance the impartiality of the recount process. Additionally, the Secretary of State is now authorized to issue a civil penalty to a county auditor who is believed to be conducting a recount not in accordance with law and if necessary, halt and take possession of ballots and election equipment and conduct the recount.

For state-wide offices, federal offices, and state-wide public measures recounts will be conducted by tabulation machines. State legislative races and local elections will be conducted by tabulation machines, unless there are extraordinary circumstances including machine failure, discrepancies between the results of the initial count and the initial recount, or the number of overvotes exceeding the difference between the candidates. If a hand recount is required all ballots cast for that office will be recounted.

The bill revises the structure of the contest court for election disputes. In January of odd years, the Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court will establish a panel of five district court judges to ensure that election contests are handled by experienced judges who are known before election day and gives those judges time to study this issue before potentially needed.

HF 928 will be sent to the Governor’s desk for her signature. This piece of legislation will provide campaigns, county auditors, and candidates a known process for when and how recounts may be conducted in Iowa to provide conformity and trust in the process.

This week the House Ways and Means Committee passed House File 965. The bill increased the state adoption tax credit—assuring that more Iowa families can afford to enter into the expensive process that is adoption.

Currently, the adoption tax credit equals up to $5,000 of qualified adoption expenses per adoption. House File 695 increases the tax credit up to $20,000 of qualified adoption expenses per adoption. Any excess credit is refundable. “Qualified adoption expenses” means unreimbursed expenses paid or incurred in connection with the adoption of a child, including medical and hospital expenses of the biological mother which are incident to the child’s birth, welfare agency fees, legal fees, and all other fees and costs which relate to the adoption of a child.

The bill applies retroactively to January 1, 2024, for adoptions final on or after that date. House Republicans have supported an increase to the adoption tax credit for years because they consistently hear that the high cost of adoption keeps many wonderful families from the process. A bill has been sent to the Senate in various forms during several General Assemblies. Adoption is a prolife choice that House Republicans will continue to support and encourage. House File 695 is now eligible for consideration by the full chamber.

Starting on May 7, 2025, all travelers will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card or another acceptable document (like a passport) to board domestic commercial flights. A REAL ID will also be required to access certain federal buildings or enter nuclear facilities. If you need clarification about entry into federal facilities, we recommend contacting the specific federal facility directly before your visit.
You do NOT need a REAL ID to:

• Drive
• Vote
• Purchase alcohol or cigarettes
• Access hospitals
• Visit the post office
• Access federal courts
• Apply for or receive federal benefits such as social security or veterans’ benefits

When to get a REAL ID:
Iowans who fly commercially or visit certain federal buildings should obtain a REAL ID soon to avoid any issues or delays after the May 7, 2025 enforcement date. Appointments are highly encouraged and can be scheduled through the Iowa DOT Service Selector (or go to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s website at IowaDOT.gov and search appointments).

If you are not flying or visiting a federal facility that requires a REAL ID until later in the year, you can wait to get your REAL ID. We strongly recommend getting it two months in advance of when you need to use it.

How to Check If You Have a REAL ID:
Check the upper-right corner of your driver’s license or ID. If there is a gold star, you have a REAL ID. If the upper-right corner is blank or reads “NOT FOR REAL ID ACT PURPOSES,” then your ID is not REAL ID-compliant. For examples, visit the Iowa DOT REAL ID page (or go to the DOT’s website at IowaDOT.gov and search REAL ID).

Need a REAL ID? Here’s How to Get One:
To obtain a REAL ID-compliant credential, visit the Iowa DOT REAL ID website (or go to the DOT’s website at IowaDOT.gov and search REAL ID) for details on required documentation. This site will put together a checklist for you on the documents you need. To meet the federal requirements, just remember 1-1-2. You will need:

• 1 document that proves your identity and date of birth.
• 1 document that proves your social security number.
• 2 documents that prove Iowa residence and residential address.

*Name change documents (if applicable, marriage certificate/divorce decree, etc.)

Taxes on gambling continued their downward trend in March as revenue from both casino wagering and sports wagering.

For the month, state casinos paid $29.6 million in gaming tax. This is an increase of $5.2 million when compared to last month. But March’s collections are $2.6 million lower than what the state collected in casino taxes during last March. Nine months into Fiscal Year 2025, casino gaming tax has brought in $233 million. When compared to the same period a year ago, collections are down $13 million. But as it has been all year, actual collections continue to be higher than what the Revenue Estimating Conference has projected. In March, the REC expected casino tax revenue to fall by $33.1 million.

Sports Wagering tax collections also were down in March. The state collected $1.064 million in taxes on sports bets last month, which is $150 thousand less when compared to March 2024. What the state collects in sports wagering taxes can be a bit more impacted by the sports calendar. And this year, the NCAA basketball tournaments started later in March than previous years, so the later timing of the Final Four may have played a role in the reduced collections. For the year, sports wagering has generated $12.3 million in revenue for the state. This amount is $700,000 ahead of last year’s collections at the same time. For all of FY 2024, the state took in $14.3 million in sports wagering tax.

How does Iowa’s sports wagering collections compare to other states? Just yesterday North Carolina revealed that for the past 12 months, their tax on sports betting had collected $135 million. The tax rate on sports wagering in North Carolina is 18%. Here in Iowa, the tax rate is 6.75% – one of the lowest rates in the nation. Currently in the Iowa Senate, a bill is moving that would raise this tax rate to 9%. North Carolina is considering legislation to raise their sports betting tax rate as well. Their proposal will double it to 36%.

The Iowa Arts Council’s spring grant cycle deadline is April 22, 2025. Eligible Iowa artists, organizations, schools, and communities are encouraged to apply for funding for projects that create opportunities for Iowans to access and engage with high quality arts and cultural experiences. Projects must take place between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. Applicants are encouraged to reach out to the Arts Council program manager with questions in advance of the application deadline.

Grant programs with an April 22 application deadline:

• Art Project Grant for Artists
• Art Project Grant for Organizations
• Certified Film Festivals Grant
• Greenlight Grant
• Iowa Community Cultural Grant
• Iowa Screenwriters Grant
• Iowa Traditional Arts Apprenticeship

The Inspire Iowa Cultural Tourism Grant program is also accepting new applications on a rolling basis. This program supports a limited number of highly visible and high-impact arts, culture, and heritage events, performances, productions, or exhibitions that attract new visitors and showcase Iowa as a cultural tourism destination. Learn more and apply by June 30, 2025.

The following was provided by the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs:

The commissioning of the USS IOWA (SSN 797) April 5th, brought Iowa to the national and international spotlight for that weekend. About 2,000 people attended the ceremony in Groton, CT, including about 600 making the trip from Iowa. The event generated significant local, national and even international coverage. Former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack is the boat’s sponsor, and current Gov. Kim Reynolds served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony. The event also attracted the attendance and featured speeches by U.S. Rep. Marianette Miller-Meeks, new Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, Commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command Adm. Daryl Caudle, Commander of Naval Submarine Forces, Submarine Force Atlantic, and Allied Submarine Command Vice Adm. Robert Gaucher, representatives from General Dynamics Corp.’s Electric Boat shipyard, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, and other senior Navy officers associated with the development and building of IOWA and her future operations.

Last general assembly, the legislature passed HF 2147, a bill to appropriate funds to support the christening and commissioning ceremonies of the new USS Iowa submarine. According to the USS Iowa website, this submarine is the 4^th U.S. Navy vessel named “USS Iowa,” but the SSN 797 will be the first Virginia class submarine to bear the Iowa name. It’s also the first Navy submarine built specifically to accommodate both male and female service members onboard.

As always, you can can shoot me an email with any questions or concerns at taylor.collins@legis.iowa.gov or you can call the Capitol Switchboard and leave me a message at (515) 281-7340.
Sincerely,

Rep. Taylor Collins