Feb 08, 2019

This Week at the Statehouse – Week 4

Image removed.On Tuesday, Randy Pilkington, Director of UNI’s Business and Community Service (BCS), and Jerry Theil, Director of UNI’s Metal Casting Center, presented to the legislature’s economic development appropriations subcommittee our return on their investment. UNI’s current economic development funding from the legislature is $1,066,419. The money supports UNI’s Institute for Decision Making, Metal Casting Center, MyEntreNet and Advance Iowa (Economic Gardening). For every $1 in economic development funding from the state, UNI is leveraging $5 from other sources. For the 19th consecutive year, BCS has served clients in all 99 Iowa counties. Their areas of focus include metal casting and additive manufacturing, entrepreneurship and working with small and medium sized businesses, community and economic development, market research, and environmental research and sustainability.

UNI’s budget request includes an additional $400,000 to support an additive manufacturing expansion. Equipment, space, and staffing are needed to meet growing demand and further position Iowa as the national leader in metal casting additive manufacturing. In addition, more funding will accelerate advancements in new technologies, such as investment casting 3D printing. The Metal Casting Center will leverage funding from the Legislature by attracting more fee-based projects, seeking grants, and expanding industry partnerships. Director Theil passed around several examples of 3D printed items showing committee members the capabilities that UNI can produce for Iowa’s manufacturing industries.

A copy of the BCS presentation can be found on the Legislature’s economic development subcommittee website.

It was another busy week of subcommittee and committee work in the legislature. Here are some of the bills we are monitoring:

  • The competing sports wagering bills held their first subcommittee meetings this week. The chairs of the subcommittees have said they will work on incorporating these issues into one bill that will be worked on later this session. The current bills include: HSB  101, HSB  102, HSB  103, HSB 124, SSB 1079, SSB 1080, SSB 1081, and SSB 1100.
  • The free speech and free expression on campus bills are SSB 1099, HF 316, and HF 241. The Senate held a subcommittee meeting this week on SSB 1099 and they are working on an amendment before the bill would be voted on in the Senate Education Committee.
  • SF 188 would allow stun guns on campus. This bill has been voted out of Senate Education Committee and is on the Senate floor awaiting floor action.
  • Several bills related to making changes to the teacher preparation end of program test (PRAXIS) have been introduced: HF 161, HF 43, HSB 17, and SF 159. SF 159 has passed out of the Senate Education Committee and is on the Senate floor awaiting floor action.
  • Bills related to alternative delivery methods for construction projects on campus include HSB 2, HSB 56, and HSB 57. There are no Senate companion bills. The Board of Regents is register in support of HSB 2 and opposed to HSB 56 and 57. The subcommittee on HSB 2 is scheduled to meet next week.
  • HF 2 is a bill that will exempt education materials from being taxed within the universities bookstores. Currently, the UNI bookstore already charges sales tax on all items except educational materials that are required by faculty. The subcommittee was held this week and they are working on an amendment before the bill would be voted on in the House Ways and Means Committee.

This link is where you can find the complete list of bills the Board of Regents is registered on (in the box marked as lobbyist, type in Mary Braun).

Upcoming events in the legislature:

Feb. 18 – UNI Day at the Capitol, first floor rotunda

Mar. 8 – Legislature’s First Funnel Date (Senate policy bills need to come out of a Senate committee and House policy bills need to come out of a House committee to remain eligible for debate this legislative session)