Mar 26, 2021

This Week at the Statehouse – Week 11

This week is the week before the second funnel week. April 2 is the legislature’s second self-imposed deadline for policy bills to remain eligible this session. Senate files must pass the Senate and out of a House Committee and House files 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. Week 11 has been a lot of floor debate, subcommittee and committee meetings.

Also this week, the Senate Republicans released their budget targets, as follows:

Overview of tax relief provisions included in Senate Republican budget targets:

  • Elimination of the revenue triggers in the 2018 tax cut.
  • Elimination of the mental health levy on property taxes.
  • Elimination of the inheritance tax.

Overview of FY 2022 increases in Senate Republican budget targets:

  • Education funding increases over $80 million including:
    • An increase of $55.3 million for K-12 education.
    • An increase of $25 million for higher education including additional dollars for Last Dollar Scholarships.
  • Healthcare funding increases of $98.1 million including:
    • An increase of $15 million for provider increases for nursing homes and home and community-based service providers.
    • An increase of $60 million for mental health services. Over the next 2 years the state will provide over $125 million for mental health services.
  • Public safety funding increases of $13 million including:
    • An increase of almost $5 million for the Department of Public Safety.
    • An increase of just over $4.0 million for the Department of Corrections.
  • One time expenditures for broadband are not included in these targets.

This year, the Education Budget bill is starting in the House and the Economic Development Budget bill is starting in the Senate. We are still waiting for the House Republicans to release their budget targets.

Free Speech Bills

The Senate subcommittee on HF 744 met this week. They recommended an amendment and passage of the bill. The Senate Education Committee will meet next week to debate the bill. While the amendment hasn’t been filed, we believe it will include the student government language from their original SF 478, as follows:

  • Each member of the student government organization will be required to have instruction and training on the First Amendment, including descriptions of what is or is not protected.
  • A student government organization’s access to and authority over any moneys disbursed to the student government organization will be contingent upon the student government organization’s compliance with the First Amendment. If, after exhaustion of all administrative or judicial appeals, it is determined that a student government organization knowingly and intentionally violated the First Amendment rights of a member of the campus community or that an action or decision of a student government organization is in violation of the First Amendment, the institution will suspend the student government organization’s authority to manage and disburse student fees for a period of one year. During this period of suspension, student fees will be managed and disbursed by the university.

The Senate subcommittee on HF 802 met this week. They recommended an amendment and passage of the bill. The Senate Education Committee will meet next week to debate the bill. While the amendment hasn’t been filed, we believe it will make changes on who the divisive topics language will apply to and whether it applies to K-12 curriculum.

I will know more next week on what is included in the Senate versions of these two bills.

Other Bills of Interest 

HF 675 An Act relating to rules adopted by the board of educational examiners establishing standards for substitute teacher authorizations. Passed House and on Senate Calendar eligible for debate

HF 722 An Act relating to the transfer, deposit, and appropriation of moneys to the teach Iowa scholar fund from the teacher shortage forgivable loan repayment fund and the teacher shortage loan forgiveness repayment fund. Passed House and on Senate Calendar eligible for debate

HF 770 An Act relating to licensure renewal requirements adopted by rule by the board of educational examiners. Passed House, in Senate Education Committee

HF 795 An Act relating to seizure disorders and establishing certain requirements for school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and the department of education. Passed House, in Senate Education Committee

SF 183 An Act relating to a construction manager-at-risk commercial construction alternative delivery method and prohibiting certain other alternative delivery methods in the public sector. Passed Senate and on House Calendar eligible for debate

SF 476 An Act relating to qualified immunity, the peace officer, public safety, and emergency personnel bill of rights, uniform commercial code filings, and protected information of law enforcement officers and state or federal judicial officers and prosecutors. Passed Senate and on House Calendar eligible for debate

SF 580 An Act prohibiting the state or a political subdivision of the state from entering into contracts with, or providing tax incentives or specified benefits to, certain companies that censor online content. The bill has passed the Senate and been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. No subcommittee has been assigned to date.

New bills continue to be filed. As of today, the Board of Regents are registered on 477 bills for this legislative session. This link will provide a complete list of bills we are tracking (in the box marked as lobbyist, type in Mary Braun).

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