Week 14 Legislative Update

April 12, 2024

This Week, both chambers held floor debate on remaining policy priorities. On Wednesday, Senate messaged Senate File 2385 to the House with a 30-14 vote. The bill reduces the number of boards and commissions in Iowa through elimination or consolidation. The legislation is the second phase of Governor Reynolds government reorganization push from the 2023 session. During the interim, a task force reviewed all of Iowa’s boards and commissions and provided a recommendation to the legislature.

Bills Signed into Law

This week, Governor Reynolds signed 40 additional bills into law. So far, 109 bills have been passed by both chambers and sent to the Governor this session. Some of the bills signed into law this week include:

SF 455: A bill for an act relating to the regulation of topsoil and storm water at construction sites. 

SF 2204: A bill for an act relating to interest in agricultural land acquired or held by foreign businesses, foreign governments, or nonresident aliens, or by agents, trustees, or fiduciaries thereof, by providing for registration and reporting requirements, providing for enforcement, and providing penalties.

SF 2340: A bill for an act relating to illegal reentry into the state by certain aliens, prohibition on arrest in certain locations, orders to return to a foreign nation, immunity from liability and indemnification for enforcement actions, sentencing restrictions, and providing penalties. 

SF 2331: A bill for an act relating to publication requirements for official publications, and including effective date provisions. 

HF 2316: A bill for an act providing an alternative to filing a bond as a condition of registering and titling certain motor vehicles 

HF 2594: A bill for an act establishing the criminal offense of organized retail theft, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions. 

A list of enrolled bills can be found here.

Budget and Tax Update

On Wednesday, the Senate advanced HJR 2006 with a 31-13 vote. The resolution proposes an amendment to Iowa’s Constitution to require a 2/3 majority vote to approve any legislation to raise future income taxes. The House passed the measure with a 61-35 vote. Both chambers must pass the same language next year before placing the proposed amendment on the ballot in 2026 for voter approval.

Both the House and Senate also met this week to advance their respective budget proposals out of subcommittee and committee. The proposed budgets have an approximate $80 million difference. The Senate unanimously passed their transportation budget bill on Thursday, sending the proposal to the House for consideration. 

FY 2025 Budget Tracker

 

Traffic Cameras

On Tuesday, the House considered House File 2681, legislation regulating the use of traffic speed cameras. In recent years, both chambers of the legislature have considered a variety of bills to regulate or ban the use of traffic cameras but failed to reach a consensus. The bill requires a city or county to prove the cameras are needed for safety concerns and receive a permit from the Department of Transportation before installing any new traffic cameras. Tickets may only be issued for individuals driving more than 10 miles over the speed limit and signs must be posted in advance of any traffic camera. The legislation also stipulates that any money generated by a traffic camera can only be used for transportation infrastructure improvements or directed to local fire and police departments. 

The legislation passed with a bi-partisan vote of 85-12 and was sent to the Senate for consideration. The Senate has a similar bill, Senate File 2408, that passed out of the Ways and Means Committee in March.

School Safety

In February, the House passed House File 2586, legislation allowing for teachers and school employees to carry firearms after obtaining a professional permit and provides qualified immunity for those individuals. The Senate, on Thursday, considered the legislation and ultimately passed the bill with a 30-14 vote. The Senate adopted an amendment that removed the division creating a grant program for school security that would allow school districts to purchase firearms for teachers or employees.

The legislation, as amended by the Senate, would require the Department of Public Safety to approve the permitting process that would include one-time, in person legal training that covers qualified immunity, emergency medical training, communication training, quarterly firearm training, and annual live scenario training.

The House must concur with the Senate amendment before the bill is sent to Governor Reynolds to be signed into law.

Other Bills of Interest: 

Eminent Domain (HF 2664): Allows landowners and companies involved in eminent domain proceedings to bring a case to court to request a review. The House passed the bill with an 86-7 vote in March. On Tuesday, the Senate advanced the bill out of the Ways and Means Subcommittee.

Workforce Opportunity Fund (SF 2411): Modifies requirements related to technical and career education, student-teacher requirements, and the last-dollar scholarship program eligibility. The bill creates a workforce opportunity fund to be used to fund equipment, instructional materials, stipends, and other training costs and expands the definition of work-based learning to include summer programs. The Senate passed the bill with a 33-13 vote on Tuesday.

Mislabeled Food Products (SF 2391): Establishes labeling standards on the sale of protein products, specifically meat and eggs to address mislabeled meat alternatives. The Senate passed the legislation with a unanimous vote in March, on Thursday the House amended the bill to include misbranding of egg products. SF 2391 was sent back to the Senate with the House amendment last week.  On Wednesday, the Senate concurred with the House amendment and sent the bill to the Governor.

Iowa Film Production Incentive Program (HF 2662): Establishes a fund within IEDA to provide rebates to qualified production facilities for expenditures incurred to produced qualified productions within in the state. The bill passed the House with an 87-8 vote in March and advanced out of the Senate Ways and Means Subcommittee last week.

Child Care Assistance Program (HF 2658): Sets half-day reimbursement rates for child care providers participating in the CCA Program and extends the pilot program until June 30, 2025. The bill passed the House 92-1 in March and advanced out of the Senate Appropriations Committee last week.

Next week, both the Senate and House will hold floor debate. April 16^th is the last scheduled day of the 2024 legislative session. Following April 16^th, legislators will no longer receive per diem expense payments. Both House and Senate leadership have expressed their intent to adjourn the 2024 legislative session within the next two weeks.