SF 2130 – Transportation FY15 Budget
SF 2342 – Admin & Regulation FY15 Budget
SF 2347 – Education FY15 Budget
HF 2449 – Judicial Branch FY15 Budget
FLOOR ACTION:
SF 2130 appropriates $358.2 million to the Department of Transportation (DOT) for FY15, which begins July 1, 2014. This includes $48 million from the Road Use Tax Fund and $310.2 million from the Primary Road Fund. Highlights include:
• $45.6 million to the Operations Division (status quo).
• $8.3 million for the Planning, Programming & Modal Division (status quo).
• $36.1 million to the Motor Vehicles Division (increase of $743,000).
• $3.3 million to the Performance & Technology Division (status quo).
• $1.7 million for payment to the Department of Administrative Services for personnel and utility services (increase of $143,752).
• $235.7 million to the Highways Division (increase of $3.7 million). The increase will support inflationary salary costs, not additional FTE positions.
• $242,000 for transportation maps (increase of $82,000).
• $700,000 for heating, cooling and exhaust system improvements in existing DOT facilities (increase of $200,000).
• $1.7 million for deferred maintenance at DOT field facilities across the state (increase of $200,000).
• $6.4 million for the replacement of the Des Moines North Garage (new appropriation).
• $730,000 to relocate the Traffic Operations Center from Ames to Ankeny (new appropriation). The Center directs traffic operations on Iowa’s Primary Highway System and is coordinated by the DOT.
• Purchasing salt in FY14 to take advantage of cost savings.
• Using up to $200,000 of operational funds to establish educational programs that foster public awareness about the dangers of driving while distracted. [4/1: 27-22 (party-line, except Bertrand “yes”; Houser absent)]
SF 2342, as amended by the Senate Appropriations Committee, appropriates a total of $51.7 million from the General Fund for FY15 to various state agencies that are administrative and regulatory in nature. This is a decrease of $3 million compared to FY14. Highlights include:
• Keeping Terrace Hill chef and housekeeper as a line item to ensure transparency.
• Funding a Chief Information Office.
•Continuing to fund Public Information Board and Office.
• Authorizing the Iowa Utilities Board to increase spending to $150,000 to pay an additional engineer to focus on transmission projects.
• Authorizing the Racing & Gaming Commission to hire regulatory staff if additional gaming licenses are issued during FY15.
• A one-day interim study for the Department of Inspections & Appeals to review food inspections and fees.
• The Iowa Utilities Board may audit their building solar panels. There is a $10,000 cap on the audit fee.
• The State Auditor is required to conduct an examination of the Department of Administrative Services, specifically on non-disclosed payouts to state employees who have been terminated.
• Funding the Auditor’s Office at the Governor’s recommended level.
• Funding the Campaign & Ethics Disclosure Board at the Governor’s recommended level for one additional FTE.
As amended on the floor, the bill also provides $10,000 for the State Auditor to carry out an examination concerning personnel settlement agreements with terminated state employees made by the state since January 2011 that were not approved by the state appeal board or decided by the PER board. The review shall include the nature of the positions; the payments provided and the funding source of the payments; and the identity and authority of the person(s) signing the settlement agreement. [4/2: 26-21, party-line (Ernst, Houser, Sinclair absent)]
FLOOR & COMMITTEE ACTION:
HF2449 appropriates a total of $174,586,612 to the Judicial Branch for FY 15. This is $5,899,865 more than FY14, a 3.5 percent increase. This allows the Judicial Branch to maintain the current level of operations, as well as to expand Iowa’s highly effective Family Treatment Courts statewide. [FLOOR 4/2: 27-20, party-line (Garrett “yes”; Ernst, Houser, Sinclair absent); COMMITTEE 3/31: 14-6, party-line (Garrett “yes”; Ernst absent)]
COMMITTEE ACTION:
SF 2347 appropriates a total of $986 million and 12,298 FTE positions for FY15 to the Department for the Blind, the College Student Aid Commission, the Department of Education and the Board of Regents. This is an increase of $87 million compared to estimated FY14. It includes:
• $49 million for Teacher Leadership grants to expand teacher roles and ensure the best teacher practices are modeled for all teachers.
• $8 million for intensive literacy programs for students that are following behind in reading in grades K-3.
• $2 million for the Iowa Reading Resource Center (increase of $669,000). Combined with money they have carried forward since FY13, this is status quo funding.
• $8 million increase for community college general aid for a total of $201 million.
• $40.3 million from the Skilled Worker & Job Creation Fund to support worker training investments that target specific regional skill shortage areas. This includes $6 million in ACE funding for community colleges and $5 million for grants for adults to earn certificates in the most “in-need” career fields.
• An increase of $24 million to maintain a tuition freeze at state universities. [3/31: 13-7, party-line (Ernst absent)]