This Week at the Statehouse – Week 13
We are still waiting on budget targets for next year’s state appropriations, fiscal year 2019 (FY 19). Next Monday, the House is holding a public hearing on the Governor’s tax reform bill, HSB 671, at 5:00pm in the State Capitol in Des Moines. If you’re interested in attending or providing written comments, please do so at this website. Additional information about the Governor’s tax reform bill can be found here.
In the meantime, here is action on bills of interest from this week:
Bills the Governor signed into law:
HF 2253 – Construction projects and improvements built by a private contractor under a lease or a lease-purchase contract with the Regents and other state and local governmental agencies would be subject to the same competitive bidding requirements currently in law as they relate to contract bidding. The bill applies to contracts entered into on and after April 4, 2018.
HF 2390 – American Sign Language would be considered a world language to meet accreditation standards, as part of a foreign language class taught in Iowa high schools. The bill is effective on July 1, 2018.
HF 2458 – Implements the Governor’s Future Ready Iowa recommendations. This is the Governor’s priority to help 70 percent of Iowa's workforce to have education, training or recognized certification beyond high school by 2025. There is no money in this bill just policy language; budget issues will come up later this session. The scholarship programs contained in the bill are effective on July 1, 2019.
SF 2114 – Moves the teacher preparation requirements within the Board of Educational Examiners Code Sections to the Department of Education Code Sections. The bill is effective July 1, 2018.
The Legislature also debated several bills of interest this week:
HF 2297 – Makes changes to when boilers and water heaters need to be inspected. The bill has been sent to the Governor for her consideration.
SF 475 – Provides several changes to Department of Education requirements. Contained in the bill is a provision that requires a financial literacy course for all high school students before they graduate, starting July 1, 2019. The bill also allows all of Iowa’s 333 school districts to have an online program. The bill has been sent to the Governor for consideration. The Senate has stated their intent is to amend the financial literacy language in the standings budget bill later this session.
SF 481 – Requires enforcement of immigration laws and prohibits sanctuary cities, towns or other governmental entities. The bill has been sent to the Governor for her consideration.
SF 2235 – Creates a criminal penalty for critical infrastructure sabotage, which includes any publicly owned land and buildings. The bill has been sent to the Governor for her consideration.
SF 2360 – Creates a Dyslexia Task Force. Over the next 18 months the task force is to come up with recommendations relating to dyslexia response to be provided to the Governor and Legislature. The recommendations must include student screening, interventions, teacher preparation and professional development, classroom accommodations, and assistive technology. UNI is in a great position to provide valuable expertise on this task force as we graduate the most teachers each year. The bill has been sent to the Governor for her consideration.
SF 2398 – Provides for the regulation and production of industrial hemp as part of a research program. A Regents institution, or two or more Regents institutions acting jointly, may establish and administer an industrial hemp production program. The bill has passed the Senate and has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee for consideration.