Appropriations Committee Report – week 3, 2017
SF 130 deappropriates a net of $113.3 million from the FY17 general fund budget. These cuts would leave estimated cash on hand of $700,000 on June 30, 2017.
View ArticleRetired child abuse investigator says DHS cuts would endanger children and...
Iowans across the state are worried that Republican budget cuts will endanger vulnerable Iowans, children and dependent adults. Cutting the number of people looking out for children at risk is a...
View ArticleSenator Taylor: ‘It’s time to really make Iowa schools the Legislature’s #1...
If the Legislature approves anything less than 4 percent and 4 percent, more rural schools will be forced to close and consolidate. That would be devastating for the small towns in my district, and for...
View ArticleIowa Supreme Court sends clear message to Statehouse on water quality
The Iowa Supreme Court is sending the Legislature a clear message that it is our job to clean up this mess. Iowans shouldn’t have to wonder if they will have access to clean, affordable drinking water;...
View ArticleEthics Committee Report – Week 4, 2017
This resolution updates the Senate’s rules governing lobbyists. It includes one minor change and one date change. The bill changes the threshold at which a political action committee must file from...
View ArticleRules & Administration Committee Report – Week 4, 2017
SR3 – Senate rules for the 87th General Assembly FLOOR ACTION SR3 proposes permanent rules for the Senate for the 87th General Assembly and makes several changes: Rule 10 allows points of personal...
View ArticleSenator Petersen’s opening comments on SF 2, the Attack on Iowa Family...
State Senator Janet Petersen’s opening remarks on SF2: Thank you Mr. President. This bill is bad for Iowa women and families. It will create more unintended pregnancies, more high risk...
View ArticleAppropriations Committee Report – Week 4, 2017
SF 130 deappropriates a net of $113.3 million from the FY17 general fund budget. These cuts would leave estimated cash on hand of $700,000 on June 30, 2017.
View ArticleCommerce Committee Report – week 4, 2017
SF 176 transfers responsibility for certifying targeted small businesses under the targeted small business procurement goal program (and associated reporting requirements) from the Department of...
View ArticleEducation Committee Report – week 4, 2017
SF 166 sets the FY18 regular school aid/state supplemental aid/allowable growth and the FY18 categorical allowable growth for schools at 1.11 percent. This bill establishes a total cost per pupil of...
View ArticleJudiciary Committee Report – week 4, 2017
Senate File 2 directs the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) to discontinue the Medicaid Family Planning Waiver effective July 1, 2017. The Medicaid Family Planning Waiver receives a 90/10 match...
View ArticleLabor & Business Relations Committee Report – Week 4, 2017
SF 32 adds hair samples to the testing methods that may be used in private sector drug testing. Current law allows drug testing on samples of urine, saliva, breath and blood.
View ArticleState Government Committee Report- week 4, 2017
SSB 1026 clarifies and reaffirms the IEDA program implementation and administrative rule relating to the apprenticeship training by requiring that a person be an Iowa resident to qualify as an...
View ArticleTransportation Committee Report – week 4, 2017
Projects paid for with federal money have certain requirements that state and local money does, such as Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates, Buy American provisions mandating the use of American steel...
View ArticleHuman Resources Committee Report – week 5, 2017
SF 51 requires Iowa Department of Public Health to develop and publish information to educate and raise awareness of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) among women who may become pregnant, expectant parents,...
View ArticleJudiciary Committee Report – week 5, 2017
SF2 directs the Iowa Department of Human Services to discontinue the Medicaid Family Planning Waiver, which receives a 90/10 match from the federal government. That means the federal government picks...
View ArticleThe Basics: Collective Bargaining & Chapter 20
Get the facts! Iowa’s collective bargaining law was approved with bipartisan support and signed into law by Republican Governor Bob Ray in 1974. The law lays out the rules by which public workers and...
View ArticleEducation Committee Report – Week 5, 2017
SF 83 expands the criminal offense of sexual exploitation by a school employee to include a person employed by a school district full-time, part-time or as a substitute; and a person who performs...
View ArticleState Government Committee Report – week 5, 2017
SSB 1051 allows the commercial sale of fireworks. Current law says that a person who sells or uses fireworks is committing a simple misdemeanor. However, a county board of supervisors or the Department...
View ArticleTransportation Committee Report – week 5, 2017
SSB 1002 allows a peace officer to stop or detain a person solely texting while driving. The fine for this violation remains $30. SSB 1020 eliminates the prohibition of a person leaving a vehicle...
View Article