Employment

SF 413 – Guts Iowa ’s Right to Work law by allowing unions to collect fees from non-members.  Amended to apply to public sector unions only.  Passed Senate 28-21 on March 8.

 
FAILED TO PASS

Workers’ Compensation

SF 424/HF 914/SF 584 – Would repeal employer choice of medical provider in workers’ compensation claims, and instead allow employee to choose.  Allows employee to seek own care at employers’ expense without notice of injury to employer for up to 90 days.

 
FAILED TO PASS

SF 341 – Would allow workers’ compensation claims to be made in Iowa for injuries suffered by an employee while working outside the state, but domiciled in Iowa .  Would toll statute of limitations for potential claims in Iowa .  Passed Senate 30-19 on March 29.

FAILED TO PASS

HF 676 – allow claimants to reopen an award or agreement for settlement of worker’s compensation benefits based on changes in earning capacity that were known at settlement but not adequately reflected at time of settlement.

 
FAILED TO PASS

HF 797 – repeals apportionment of successive injuries from benefits previously paid.

 FAILED TO PASS

HF 743 – Eliminates use of scheduled injuries and allows for additional workers’ compensation payments for an injury resulting in a reduction in the employee’s earning capacity.

 
FAILED TO PASS

SF 421 - a "consensus bill" sponsored by the Workers' Compensation Advisory Committee where all stakeholders are represented. Includes a provision regarding specific exclusions in work comp policies as well as some provisions related to balance billing by health care providers.

 
PASSED

Liability Issues

SF 520 – Creates a private cause of action for consumer fraud with overly broad definition of deception and fraud, allows attorney fees, allows treble damages for willful violations.

 
FAILED TO PASS

SF 538 - Creates a cause of action for parents to recover damages for loss of consortium or loss of services resulting from injury or death to a child of any age.  Passed Senate 37-13 on April 3. Passed House 56-40 on April 26.

 
PASSED

Health Care

HF 790 – Allows small employers to pool employees to purchase health insurance, and provides wellness incentives.  Passed House 97-0 and Senate 49-0.

 
SIGNED

SF 382/HF 769 – mandates expanded insurance coverage for broadly defined mental illness, alcohol and substance abuse, including eating disorders, reading difficulty and sexual disorders.

 
FAILED TO PASS

SF 514 – Creates new healthcare mandates for coverage of certain enteral formulas, audiological services and hearing aids for children, and vaccinations for human papilloma virus.

 
FAILED TO PASS

SF 508/HF 791– Creates new healthcare mandate for coverage of prosthetic devices. Passed Senate 37-11 on April 4.

 
FAILED TO PASS

Environment

HF 497 – Implements increased fee structure for water withdrawal and use.

FAILED TO PASS

 HF 800 – permits negotiated reimbursement amounts paid by distributors to dealers, redemption center operators, and dealer agents for empty beverage containers.

 
FAILED TO PASS

Taxes

HF 326/SSB 1242 – Combined or “unitary” corporate income tax reporting for companies domiciled outside of Iowa .

FAILED TO PASS

HF 854/SSB 1361 – Increase in statewide sales tax from five to six cents to replace school infrastructure local option (SILO) tax.  Includes use tax on materials purchased by manufacturers and road use tax on vehicle purchases.

 
FAILED TO PASS

SF 604 – Reclassifies apartments and manufactured homes from commercial to “residential-commercial” over 7 years, and freezes residential “rollback” at 45.6%.

 
FAILED TO PASS

HF 931 – Provided commercial property owners owing property valued at less than $300,000 a $320 tax reduction.  Reduces the growth rate for assessed valuation of commercial and industrial property from four to one percent.

 
FAILED TO PASS

HF 319 – Updates the Iowa code for research and development tax credits consistent with the Internal Revenue Code.

 SIGNED

Misc.

HF 810 – would establish a prevailing wage rates for all public construction projects including repair, maintenance, renovations and new construction.  Would set wages and benefits from union collective bargaining agreements adding significant costs and liabilities of public projects, costing taxpayers millions because lack of competitive bidding.

 
FAILED TO PASS

SF 472 - Requires DOT administrative rules to regulate railways on private property for close-clearance. Provides reimbursement to property owners for signs and installation.

 PASSED

SF 475 – Prohibits below cost sales of petroleum.

FAILED TO PASS

SF 427– Adds additional protected classes beyond federal standards creating additional causes of action under the Iowa Civil Rights Act.  Passed House 59-37 and Senate 34-16 on April 25.

 
PASSED

SF 512/HF 798 – Regulates private contracts of pharmacy benefit managers.

FAILED TO PASS