What Do You Want the Future of Business in Iowa to Look Like?

The theme for the July Business Monthly is the Quarterly Executive Survey, with reporting on trends in business, the business climate and perspectives from key industry voices. One purpose for highlighting the survey is to educate readers and public policymakers on the state of business in Iowa. It’s hoped that the collective knowledge will serve as a guide to future public policy.

Your ABI public policy team will use the information to educate policymakers as well. In addition to the survey, ABI also convenes industry experts for feedback on specific aspects of policy affecting membership. It began with regional public policy meetings for that purpose throughout Iowa in May and June.

Coming in August more focused meetings will occur with the convening of the ABI Public Policy Committee meetings at the ABI offices in Des Moines. As an ABI member, you or someone from your team is welcome to participate and provide the expertise vital to making sure we continue to improve the competitiveness of the business climate in Iowa.

We seek input in five specific issue areas:

Workplace and Product Safety Committee
Most recently this committee has forwarded public policy recommendations that have become law around tort reform for medical employers and trucking companies as well as managing costs and creating predictability in workers compensation cases.

August 6 | Guest Speaker: Adam Lathrop,
Division Administrator, Labor/OSHA Division - Iowa
Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing

Environment Committee
This committee recently saw success in limiting arbitrary air dispersion modeling not required by federal or state law, saving expanding businesses regulatory burdens at the time of investment.

August 7 | Guest Speakers: Sarah Piziali,
Iowa Department of Natural Resources Air Quality
Bureau Chief

Employment and Workforce Committee
New laws relating to work-based learning, expansion of apprenticeship programs, childcare solutions and ongoing support for workforce housing incentives all started
as initiatives of this committee.

August 13 | Guest Speaker: Tim Goodwin,
Chief Strategy Officer for Iowa Workforce
Development

Economic Growth Committee
A two-year effort of this committee saw the enactment in 2024 of a MEGA-site incentive package allowing Iowa to compete with other states in landing Billion dollar investments in the Iowa economy.

August 14 | Guest Speaker: Debi Durham,
Director of the Iowa Economic Development
Authority and Iowa Finance Authority

Tax Committee
Business taxes today are lower because of the work of this committee. Employers structured as pass-through entities will see a flat 3.8% income tax rate and corporate
filers are ahead of schedule to a flat 5.5% rate in just a few tax cycles.

August 20 | Guest Speaker: Kraig Paulsen,
Director of the Iowa Department of Management

Thanks to you, the ABI member companies that have participated in the public policy committee process as the effort has clearly led to an improved business climate in Iowa. Please consider continuing those efforts. And for member companies that have not participated, please consider picking a committee and getting involved.

More information is available at iowaabi.org/events. ABI