This Week at the Statehouse – Week 6
UNI Day at the Capitol was Monday. What a great day to showcase the university to lawmakers. Photos from the day are at the end of this post.
Week 6 is the end of the first funnel. This is the self-imposed deadline when 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. This date does not apply to spending and tax bills. There were several bills of interest that have come out of committee and remain alive and several bills that died in committee.
Bills of interest that remain alive:
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.
HF 2120 requires the Department of Education to develop protocols to help schools implement current suicide prevention requirements.
HF 2303 requires governments to use the definition of anti-Semitism from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance when considering whether there has been a violation of a law or policy prohibiting discriminatory acts.
HF 2443 strikes requirements for a student to show proficiency in reading, math and science to participate in the senior year plus program.
HF 2457 requires students to complete a course on bleeding control as part of health education by the end of high school.
HF 2470 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.
HF 2359 makes the Praxis Core entrance exam into teacher preparation programs voluntary instead of mandatory.
HSB 651 allows interior designers to "stamp and seal" construction documents for the purpose of obtaining a building permit provided the scope of work includes interior work only and no structural changes to the building.
SF 316 creates a special education interim study committee that will include a higher education representative from the Board of Regents institutions.
SF 2080 prohibits state and local governments and schools from making payments for ransomware attacks.
SF 2284 is the Board of Regents regulatory relief bill that strikes/repeals outdated Code sections and provides additional provisions to strengthen the universities economic development efforts.
SF 2293 makes changes to the Peace Officer/Emergency Workers Bill of Rights.
SF 2310 repeals the Iowa learning online initiative in the Department Education, maintains the current standards, requirements, and rules relating to online learning programs and coursework provided at the secondary school level, and authorizes the AEAs to offer, in partnership with school districts, an online learning program to deliver distance education to Iowa’s secondary students.
SF 2313 / HF 2384 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.
SF 2329 includes occupational therapists as health care providers for treating concussions at high school sport contests.
SF 2330 allows student-athletes to benefit financially from their name, image and likeness, effective July 1, 2023.
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.
SF 2360 / HSB 598 addresses violent student behavior in the K-12 classroom.
SSB 3142 requires all agency and regulation review, creates a Sunset Advisory Committee to review boards and agencies, and establishes a process for scheduling a sunset for all licensing boards.
SSB 3153 / HSB 674 prohibits the use of design build alternative delivery method for construction projects and makes changes to the construction manager at risk alternative delivery method.
Bills of interest that have died:
HSB 585 would have required the Regents institutions to study, plan and provide a report concerning emergency preparedness and response at outdoor stadiums.
SF 459 would have required all employers to allow all employees who have a permit to carry a weapon to lock their guns in their vehicle in the employer parking lots.
SF 2052 would have allowed, in lieu of instruction by a licensed physical education teacher, instruction for the water safety component of a PE course by a certified swim instructor at the YMCA.
SF 2057 would have required public and private accredited elementary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions to establish a process by which students may appeal coursework grades based on alleged political bias.
SF 2161 would have allowed weapons on campus.
SSB 3017 would have limited which flags can be displayed on public buildings.
If you have any questions, please email me at mary.braun@uni.edu.
Upcoming events in the legislature:
Feb. 26 – Regents institutions presenting infrastructure requests to the Transportation, Infrastructure & Capitals Appropriations Subcommittee (including UNI’s Industrial Technology Center request)