This Week at the Statehouse – Week 10
The House has started releasing some of their budget bills. The economic development budget bill has passed the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday: LSB 5002 – FY 2023 Economic Development Appropriations. Currently there are no agreements with the Senate. UNI’s funded line items in the House economic development budget bill are funded at status quo:
- $1.1 million for BCS programs
- $900,000 from the Regents Innovation Fund to BCS
- $394,321 for UNI’s additive manufacturing
Today also marks the Legislature’s second funnel day, meaning Senate policy bills must pass the Senate and out of a House Committee and House policy bills must pass the House and out of a Senate committee for them to remain eligible this year. This date does not apply to tax, spending and government oversight bills.
Highlights of Eligible Policy Bills:
HF 604 Language development for deaf and hard of hearing children. (Passed House, on Senate floor eligible for debate – there will be a Senate amendment)
HF 2081 Eliminates taking Praxis II test to receive teaching license. Requires 80 field experience hours for traditional prep programs and 50 field experience hours for intern teaching prep programs (RAPIL). (Passed House, on Senate floor eligible for debate)
HF 2083 Allows all applicants preparing to become a teacher be eligible for Teach Iowa Scholar grants (not just top 25% academically) if the teacher is going to teach in-state. (Passed House, eligible for Senate floor debate)
HF 2298 Immunization against COVID-19 cannot be required for enrollment in any licensed child care center, elementary or secondary school or postsecondary school in Iowa. (Passed House, on Senate floor eligible for debate)
HF 2302 Establishes affirmative defenses for entities using cybersecurity programs. (Passed House, on Senate floor eligible for debate)
HF 2398 No renewal requirement for teachers employed for at least ten years and who possesses a master’s or doctoral degree, unless the teacher holds an evaluator approval endorsement, which must be renewed at least once every ten years. Requires continuing background checks every five years for teachers who are not subject to these renewal requirements. Allows the BOEE to charge a reasonable fee for these background checks. Adds charter schools and private schools to background checks. (Passed House, eligible for Senate floor debate – there will be a Senate amendment)
HF 2443 Contract enforceability regarding smart contracts and distributed ledger technology. (Passed House, eligible for Senate floor debate)
HF 2461 Allows some recourse in the case of a ransomware attack. (Passed House, on Senate floor eligible for debate)
HF 2495 If moneys are appropriated, the college student aid commission shall develop and administer a scholarship program to provide scholarships to individuals with intellectual, developmental, or learning disabilities who are at least eighteen years of age and who are enrolled in a comprehensive transition and postsecondary program that has been approved by the United States department of education, to help offset the cost associated with the tuition and fees (i.e. UI REACH). (Passed House, on Senate floor eligible for debate)
HF 2496 Relates to procedural requirements for placing an officer’s name on a Brady-Giglio list. (Passed House, eligible for Senate floor debate)
SF 2196 Employers must give one copy of an employee’s personnel file at no cost, upon request. (Passed Senate, eligible for House floor debate)
SF 2202 Teach Iowa Scholar grants, alternative licensing for teachers, residency requirements for BOEE licenses and use of school district management levy for teacher recruitment. (Eligible for Senate floor debate)
SF 2369 Governor’s K-12 school transparency bill, including language regarding teacher librarians and civics exams (Eligible for Senate floor debate) (House companion bill is HSB 672 in House Appropriations Committee, similar HF 2498 pertaining to teacher librarians and eligible for House floor debate; and similar to HF 2499 in House Appropriations Committee)
Highlights of policy bills that died:
HF 2418 Civics exam
HF 2500 Online alternative teacher preparation program
SF 2312 Public land acquisition restrictions
Upcoming Dates
April 19 – 100th Calendar Day (lawmaker per diem expenses end)
If you have any questions, please email me at mary.braun@uni.edu.