This Week at the Statehouse – 2020 Legislative Session Resumes

Since March 16th, the Legislature paused their regular session due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. They returned on June 3rd and are debating both policy bills and budget bills for the next couple of weeks to finish their work.

The Revenue Estimating Conference (REC) met on Friday, May 29, after legislative leaders requested they meet again and update revenue estimates due to the state’s partial shutdown. The REC was established as a way to arrive at consensus on state revenue estimates to be used by both the Governor and Legislature for the budget process. Membership is comprised of the Governor’s designee, the Director of the Legislative Services Agency and a third person agreed upon by the other two members.

Because the May REC estimate was lower than their March estimate, the Governor and the Legislature need to use this May estimate when crafting the budget for the remaining of this fiscal year, FY 2020, and for next fiscal year, FY 2021. The law allows spending up to 99% of the revenue estimate.

The May 2020 numbers are as follows:

• FY 2020: $7.9412 billion, which is an increase of $82.4 million or 1% as compared to FY 2019, but is a decrease of $149.5 million as compared to the March REC estimate. The current FY 2020 budget with the supplemental appropriations already approved this year spends $7.752 billion, which is below their new estimate.
• FY 2021: $7.8766 billion, which is a decrease of $64.6 million or -0.8% as compared to the revised FY 2020 estimate, and a decrease of $360.1 million as compared to the March REC estimate.

Now that the REC has met, we expect the Legislature to release their budget targets for each subject area soon so the start of the appropriations and budgeting process can begin in earnest. Because the FY 2021 estimate is less than the revised FY 2020 estimate, we need to wait until we see the budget bills to determine if there will be any cuts.

Floor debate and committee debate filled this first week back. Today marks the end of the second funnel when Senate bills and joint resolutions must be reported out of House committees and House bills and joint resolutions must be reported out of Senate committees. This does not apply to budget and tax bills.

A few of the Board of Regents policy bills we’re monitoring that remain alive this legislative session:

HF 684 establishes some immunity for persons under 21 for various alcohol offenses (being under the legal age, public intoxication, open container) if, in good faith, the person seeks emergency assistance for another due to an alcohol overdose. Requires the Board of Regents to adopt rules prohibiting sanctions by the universities. Passed House 98-0; passed Senate Judiciary Committee and is on the Senate Calendar for consideration.

HF 2359 makes the Praxis Core entrance exam into teacher preparation programs voluntary instead of mandatory. Passed House 98-0; passed Senate Education Committee and is on the Senate Calendar for consideration

HF 2361 prohibits employers from requiring that employees have a microchip implanted or from offering incentives for employees who do get microchipped. Passed House 98-0; passed Senate Judiciary Committee and is on the Senate Calendar for consideration.

HF 2443 strikes requirements for a student to show proficiency in reading, math and science to participate in the senior year plus program. Passed House 98-0; passed Senate Education Committee and is on the Senate Calendar for consideration.

HF 2541 / SF 2377 establishes an interim study on the disclosure of officer personnel files related to a Brady-Giglio list and to study implementing such a list statewide. Passed House 100-0; attached to SF 2377 on the Senate Calendar for consideration.

HF 2627 recognizes out-of-state licenses for several occupations and limits the reasons for disqualifying a person from receiving a professional license for a criminal conviction. On House Ways and Means Calendar.

SF 2261 expands access to mental health services in K-12 schools via telehealth or in-person. Passed Senate 49-0; Passed House with amendment 92-4; Senate concurred with House amendment and passed 50-0; will be sent to Governor.

SF 2284 is the Board of Regents regulatory relief bill that strikes/repeals outdated Code sections and provides additional provisions to strengthen the universities economic development efforts. Passed Senate 49-0; passed House Education Committee and is on the House Calendar for consideration.

SF 2310 repeals the Iowa learning online initiative in the Department Education and authorizes the AEAs to offer, in partnership with school districts, an online learning program to deliver distance education to Iowa’s secondary students. Passed Senate 49-0; passed House Education Committee and is on the House Calendar for consideration.

SF 2414 / HF 2629 makes changes to last year’s Future Ready Iowa Act. Among other things, this bill establishes requirements for K-12 computer science education, including instruction in elementary/middle school and HS standards, including allowing online education. Both bills are on each chambers Appropriations Committee calendar and eligible for consideration.

SF 2329 includes occupational therapists as health care providers for treating concussions at high school sport contests. Passed Senate 49-0; passed House Education Committee and is on the House Calendar for consideration

SF 2356 requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules on an advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement for teachers, in consultation with the Iowa Reading Research Center and the Board of Educational Examiners.  Establishes the Iowa Dyslexia board, which will include a member from higher education. Passed Senate 49-0; passed House Education Committee and is on the House Calendar for consideration.

SF 2360 addresses violent student behavior in the K-12 classroom. Passed Senate 50-0; passed House Appropriations Committee and is on the House Appropriations Committee Calendar for consideration.

SF 2364 / HF 2572 prohibits all governmental entities, including the Board of Regents institutions, to use design build alternative delivery method for construction projects and allows all governmental entities to use construction manager at risk alternative delivery method. SF 2364 passed Senate 29-20; attached to HF 2572 on House Calendar for consideration.

If you have any questions, please email me at mary.braun@uni.edu.