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Week 15 –
Committee Reports NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT STAFF CONTACT: Sue Monahan HF
2688 — Odor Mitigation FLOOR ACTION & COMMITTEE ACTION: HF
2688 requires The purposes of the research effort are to accelerate the adoption of affordable and effective odor mitigation technologies and strategies by livestock producers, expand the number of affordable and effective odor mitigation technologies and strategies available to livestock producers, and provide research-grounded information regarding odor mitigation technologies and strategies that are ineffective or cost-prohibitive. The Senate adopted two amendments on the floor. One amendment establishes a cost-share program for livestock mitigation efforts. In addition, the amendment strikes contingent language for funds to be appropriated by the Legislature for the purpose of carrying out all provisions of the bill. A second amendment was adopted clarifying confidentially. The amendment protects the public’s right to know and the producer’s right to privacy. [4/23 Floor: 29-17, Gaskill, Houser, McKibben, Putney excused] [4/22 Committee: Short form] STAFF CONTACT: Julie T. Simon *SF
2306 – Long-term care insurance provisions SF
2308 – Notification of breach of security
FLOOR ACTION: SF
2308 provides for the notification of a breach in the security of personal information. This applies to retailers who conduct b The Conference Committee report did not
include the criminal penalties section, but did include a request for an
interim study committee on disclosure of personal information by public
officials, public entities and affiliated organizations. On April 17, both the Senate and the Ho *
HF 2694 by Appropriations is the companion to SF 2306, which passed the Senate 43-0 on March
21, and was approved by the House Commerce Committee on March 27, but omitted
from the Unfinished B The bill includes new and additional definitions, and expanded disclosure and performance standards that set prohibited policy practices and permissible treatment of pre-existing conditions, prior hospitalizations, and institutionalizations. The standards also allow applicants the right to return a policy and to receive a refund. The bill
contains requirements for prompt payment of claims when
there are no circumstances preventing such payment. It requires insurers to notify an insured making a claim under a long-term care insurance policy when the insurer denies the payment of benefits beca The bill appropriates
$60,000 from the General Fund for one full-time position
for the Senior Health Insurance Information program in
the Insurance Division. The program will assist in the dissemination of objective, non-commercial educational material and raise public awareness of sensible consumer choices in considering the purchase of vario The provisions referring to and enacting the independent review process of benefit trigger determinations take effect January 1, 2009. [4/23: 48-0] STAFF CONTACT: Bridget Godes HF
2197 – Textbook information provided at higher education institutions FLOOR ACTION AND COMMITTEE ACTION: HF 2197 requires institutions of higher learning and community colleges to provide students with specific textbook information. Senator Quirmbach offered an amendment that changes “requiring” to “encouraging,” and lists legislative intent to have institutions provide textbook lists to students as soon as possible before the start of classes. [Floor--3/31: 49-0 (Courtney—excused)] [4/22: Conference Committee Report – 48-0 (Angelo, Houser—excused)] STAFF CONTACT: Bridget Godes HF
2674 – GEMS Continued Appropriation SSB
3293 – Student Debt FLOOR ACTION HF 2674 provides that the annual $35,000 appropriation to the office of grants enterprise management of the Department of Management for grant identification and writing assistance to state agencies is extended through the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009. Under current law, this annual appropriation ends June 30, 2008. [4/23: 48-0 (Angelo, Houser—excused)] COMMITTEE ACTION SSB
3293 was amended with a strike-all amendment that makes it conform to the
House version. The House and Senate
Oversight Committee worked together on this issue and have agreed to the same
language. SSB 3293/HF 2690 is a bill
that provides better information to students and borrowers on financing their
higher education. The bill stresses
the institution / lender relationships and appropriate code of conduct
provisions. The bill will shed
sunshine on the financial aid that students are receiving and how they
receive it, with the goal of providing better protection and guidance to
STAFF CONTACT: Cathy Engel HF
2628 - “Stun Gun” as a Dangerous Weapon FLOOR ACTION HF 2628 adds “taser” type devices to the definition of a dangerous weapon for criminal code purposes. In addition, the House amended the bill and the Senate concurred with the House amendment, which states that a bow and arrow is not a dangerous weapon when used for hunting or any other lawful purpose. [4/21: 47-2, Behn and Black voting “no,” Houser absent]. STAFF CONTACT: Jace Mikels SF 517 – Energy
related provisions of the state building code and energy bank updates SF 2386 – Energy
efficiency planning and reporting HF 2177 – Placement
of transportation tags on antlered deer
FLOOR ACTION: SF 517 returned to the Senate with a strike-after amendment by the House. The House amendment provides for the statewide application of energy standards in the state building code, and clarifies that old buildings will not need to be retrofitted to meet the code. It also requires the development of standards for sustainable design or “green buildings.” Also, the bill updates the terms of the Department of Natural Resource’s Energy Bank program, which helps local governments, school districts, and non-profits that want to make energy-efficient upgrades to their facilities. [4/21: 49-0] SF 2386 establishes an Energy Efficiency Standards and Practices Commission within the Department of Public Safety, which has jurisdiction over the state building code. The commission will review current energy efficient standards, develop recommendations for new energy efficiency standards applicable to new construction, and incentives to encourage the building of projects that exceed current state and local building codes. The bill also requires the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) to forward reports regarding energy efficiency efforts of gas and electric utilities to the General Assembly. On second passage, the Senate adopted a House amendment that required municipal utilities and RECs to assess the maximum energy efficiency available, and that each utility shall establish an energy efficiency goal. The reports will be reviewed by the Iowa Utilities Board. The amendment also asks the Iowa Utility Association to assess the potential of meeting a 25 percent renewable energy standard by 2025 on a cost-effective basis, and modifies the membership of the energy efficiency standards and practices commission. [4/21: 45-4 (Connolly, Hancock, Lundby, and Schoenjahn “no”)] HF 2177 provides that one transportation tag shall be affixed to the antlers of an antlered deer, in addition to attaching another transportation tag to the deer in the manner proscribed by the Department of Natural Resources. Hunters are required to tag any deer harvested, and the tag is required to be attached to the deer carcass. [4/22: 47-3 (Black, Johnson, and Noble “no”)] STAFF CONTACT: Julie T. Simon *SF 2373 – Public
retirement omnib SF 2414 – Ban on SF 2427 – State agency lobbying activities FLOOR ACTION
SF 2414 limits the A willful violation of any
provision of the campaign finance chapter is a serio Charlie
Smithson, ECDB Director and Legal Counsel, noted that SF 2414 removes a
source of conf Currently
any candidate or officeholder, regardless of income level, may Smithson said it is clear by current prohibitions in the law that it is the intent of the General Assembly that campaign funds are not intended to be additional sources of money that supplement the living expenses of a candidate. The bill takes effect upon enactment. [4/21: 47-2 (Hatch, Lundby)] * SF 2424 by Appropriations is similar to SF 2373 by State
Government. SF 2424 makes
changes to the state’s public pension systems: the Peace
Officers Retirement System (PORS); Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System
(IPERS); “411,” the statewide fire and police retirement system; and the
Judicial Retirement System (JRS). Changes to the vario
more than one-half percentage point from previo
“411”
Miscellaneo
The Director of
the Department of Administrative
Services (DAS) will establish a tax-sheltered investment program (in accordance with section
403(b) of the Internal
Revenue Code) to offer to eligible public employers in the state. There will be a tr This division also rewrites language concerning annuity contracts for community college, area education agency (AEA) and school district employees to permit the college, board or school district to establish a plan (in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code) to allow eligible employees to choose one or more investment contracts. They may establish a plan (in accordance with
section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code) allowing eligible
employees to select one or more investment contracts (defined
as a c The determination of whether to select investment contracts by competitive bid or by participation in the DAS program will be by agreement between the employer and employee organizations representing employees. Currently, that selection is at the discretion of the employee. These provisions take effect January 1, 2009. The DAS option may be better for smaller groups who may not have the resources or numbers to do the competitive bidding, and larger cities may prefer to set up their own plans, but will have the same competitive bidding procedures. Employees will have portability without penalties if their current providers do not remain on the list of eligible companies. The bill
establishes a transition period, effective upon enactment, that provides for the selection of investment contracts in a plan offered by a community college, AEA board, or school district, applicable to calendar year
2009. During that time, the investment contracts
in the plan will either be those included in a deferred compensation or similar plan offered by DAS, or no more than five companies
authorized to issue investment contracts as selected by
the applicable employer and no more than three companies as
selected by the employee organizations. The determination of
whether to select investment contracts by determination
of the applicable employer and employee organizations or
by utilizing investment contracts selected by DAS will be by agreement between the employer and employee
organizations representing employees by Aug The bill authorizes the applicable employer to take steps to establish a 403(b) plan meeting the requirements of this bill by January 1, 2009. DAS will establish its tax-sheltered investment program by January 1, 2010. DAS will select vendors authorized to participate in the program. The employee organizations and employers may assist DAS in the initial competitive bid process relative to vendor selection. [4/17: 39-8-2 voting present (Appel, Putney), McKibben absent] SF 2427, a Leadership bill (Gronstal/Wieck), prohibits an executive branch state agency from using or allowing its public funds for a paid advertisement or public service announcement 30 days prior to or during a legislative session to encourage the passage, defeat, approval, or modification of a bill that is being considered or was considered during the previous legislative session. A person who knowingly and intentionally violates the new provision is guilty of a serious misdemeanor and may be reprimanded, suspended, dismissed or otherwise sanctioned. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement of up to one year and a fine of $315 to $1,875. The bill was a result of
Republican protests about the recent “Everyone has the right to breathe
smoke-free air” media campaign, sponsored by the Iowa Department of Public
Health under the direction of Thomas Newton.
Republicans believed this was an inappropriate COMMITTEE ACTION
SF 2427 – State agency lobbying activities. Leadership bill by Gronstal/Wieck. State Government met as a
subcommittee of the whole to disc STAFF CONTACT: Julie T. Simon SF 2134 – County
veterans affairs offices FLOOR ACTION SF 2134 is an Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) proposal. Currently, county commissions of veteran affairs may employ an executive director and other necessary administrative or clerical assistants when needed. This bill requires that county commissions employ a director, or administrator, and other necessary administrative or clerical employees. It also:
The bill describes the duties of the executive director, administrator, and clerical assistant, including informing members of the armed forces, veterans, and their dependents of all federal, state, and local laws enacted for their benefit, and helping all Iowa residents who served in the armed forces and their relatives, beneficiaries, and dependents receive any compensation or other aid or benefit to which they may be entitled. The bill allows two or more county boards of supervisors to share the services of an executive director or administrator. Each commission will establish an office that must be open at least 20 hours each week. The bill prohibits charging any individual for any service provided by the IDVA or county veterans’ affairs offices. The House amendment enhanced training and certification requirements for executive directors and administrators so that they are fully educated and updated on benefits and programs available to the veterans. In addition, each executive director and administrator must be proficient in general computer, e-mail and Internet use to access information regarding facilities, benefits, and services available to veterans and their families. The bill passed the House 97-0. Note: This vote is the result of a procedural MTR after April 16 concurrence and passage. [4/21: Concur 49-0] STAFF CONTACT: Kris Bell SF 2421 – HF 901 – Security
Personnel Training HF 2663 – Secure an
Advanced Vision for Education HF 2669 –
Collection and Recycling of Mercury-Added Thermostats HF 2673 – Tuition
Plan Inheritance Tax HF 2685 – Well
Drilling Wastewater HF 2687 –
Brownfield and Grayfield Development
FLOOR ACTION: SF 2421 authorizes special charter
cities of 75,000 or more in population to impose a 1
percent local sales and services tax on the same basis
as the state sales tax or in the case of the use of
natural gas, natural gas service, electricity, or
electricity service on the same basis as the state use
tax. [4/21: 29-20 (Angelo, Appel, Behn, Boettger, Bolkcom, Dearden,
Gaskill, Hahn, Hartsuch, Johnson, HF 901 allows employers to require security personnel at establishments that sell liquor to attend training. It also sets up a pilot project requiring at least one certified designated security employee. [4/23: 36-12 (Behn, Boettger, Hahn, Hartsuch, Johnson, Kettering, Kreiman, McKibben, McKinley, Seymour, Wieck, Zaun “no”; Angelo, Houser excused)] HF 2663 repeals the Local Option Sales and Services Tax (LOST) for school infrastructure purposes and changes the state
sales and use tax from 5 to 6 percent.
The increased revenues are deposited into a new Secure and Advanced
Vision for Education Fund (SAVE) to be distributed to all school
districts. These state revenues are to
replace existing revenues from the School Infrastructure Local Option taxes
(SILO). All existing local sales and
services taxes are repealed. A
statewide amount per pupil will be calculated annually. [4/22:
34-15 (Behn, Dearden, Hahn, Hartsuch, Horn, Johnson, HF 2669 prohibits the sale or installation of mercury-added thermostats after July 1, 2009, and establishes a collection program for used mercury-added thermostats. [4/17: 49-0 (McKibben excused)] HF 2673 exempts from the state inheritance tax the value of any
interest in an HF 2685 requires the federal Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) to adopt rules regulating the discharge of wastewater from water drilling sites. During the well drilling process, there may be times when a large amount of water (the wastewater defined in the bill) is discharged from the well site. This bill charges the EPC with adopting rules to ensure the wastewater is handled properly. The bill sets the guidelines for the rules and allows the Department of Natural Resources to collect fees for any general permits to enforce the guidelines of the program. [4/22: short form (Angelo, Houser excused)] [4/22: 45-0 (Angelo, Houser, Lundby, McKibben, Putney excused)] COMMITTEE ACTION: HF 2687, as amended, creates an income tax credit for development of specified distressed property labeled Brownfield and Grayfield sites. The bill provides for enhanced tax credit levels for qualified properties reaching specified levels of “green” development. [4/22: short form (Angelo, Houser excused)] |