Week 8 of Iowa Legislature: Key Bills
March 3, 2022
SF 2325: IEDA Bill
SF 2325 is the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) policy bill and includes several areas the authority oversees, including the Workforce Housing Tax Credit program. This bill allows a project that is part of the Workforce Housing Tax Credit Program to receive an additional one-year extension on a deadline if the housing business applies and shows the IEDA that this is needed due to “extenuating circumstances outside the control of the housing business.” The application would have to be submitted prior to the first one-year extension expiring. Another change to the Workforce Housing Tax Credit program is updating the definitions of “small city” and “urban area.”
- Status: Passed Senate 45 - 0
- Passed House 99 - 0
- ABI Position: For
HF 2165: Future Ready Iowa
The Iowa House unanimously approved a bill that expands the eligibility of the Future Ready Iowa Last Dollar Scholarship program by allowing part-time students to apply. There is a similar bill that has passed the Senate Education Committee.
- ABI Position: For
HF 2521: Health Care Employment Agencies
The legislation would require that a health care employment agency register every year with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. The legislation adds additional documentation and recordkeeping requirements. It would also expand liability for an agency’s failure to meet requirements under the bill. This legislation passed the Iowa House unanimously. The Senate has passed a companion out of the Human Resources Committee.
- ABI Position: Monitoring
SF 2190: Pizza Dough Rollers
This bill adds an exception in Iowa law that would allow people under 18 to operate power-driven pizza dough rollers if they have: safeguards to prevent fingers, hands or clothing from being caught in the machine, gears that are enclosed and microswitches that disengage the machinery if the backs or sides of the rollers are removed. The bill already cleared the full Iowa Senate and the House Labor Subcommittee passed this bill on Monday. The Iowa House Labor Committee passed it on Thursday.
- ABI Position: Neutral
SSB 3152: Aircraft Omnibus
On Wednesday, ABI staff testified in a subcommittee advocating for sales tax exemptions contained in SSB 3152. The bill eliminates the current sales tax on the parts and service of general aviation aircraft. This provides the same sales tax status for general aviation as for commercial aviation in Iowa and makes the tax code competitive with our border states. Without this change, out-of-state repair of planes starts with a 6 percent price advantage due to the tax code alone. It is hoped that the passage of the measure will allow for more repairs to occur in Iowa, bringing vitality to our regional airports and providing careers in Iowa for the workers we train at our community colleges in aircraft repair.
- The bill passed the full Ways & Means Committee on Wednesday.
- ABI Position: For
HF 2198: Minimum Age for Employees at a Child Care Center
This bill would amend the Department of Human Services rules to allow employees and substitutes who are at least 16 years old to provide child care without additional supervision. Currently, state regulations require that people who are working at child care centers be at least 16 years old and under the direct supervision of an adult. Employees must be at least 18 years old in order to work without this additional supervision. The Iowa House voted 55-43 to pass this bill Wednesday with an amendment that allows the child and the parent or guardian to provide fingerprints with written permission.
- ABI Position: Monitoring
HF 2200: Direct Healthcare Agreements
ABI staff has been advocating against passage of HF 2200 which allows the sale of direct care agreements between individuals or groups of healthcare professionals and individuals. Such contracts are not subject to state regulation and are not required to provide all services included in traditional health plans. As such many of the costs factored into health plans are omitted, such as inpatient care and surgeries. The House passed this legislation 90-9. There is similar legislation being considered in the Senate.
- ABI Position: Against
HF 2200: Direct Healthcare Agreements
ABI staff has been advocating against passage of HF 2200 which allows the sale of direct care agreements between individuals or groups of healthcare professionals and individuals. These contracts are not subject to state regulation and are not required to provide all services included in traditional health plans. As such, many of the costs factored into health plans are omitted such as inpatient care and surgeries. The House passed this legislation 90-9. There is similar legislation being considered in the Senate.
- ABI Position: Against
SF 2287: Catalytic Converters Bill
This bill adds a definition for “business transaction” for scrap metal transactions. Business transactions are defined in this legislation as transactions between a scrap metal dealer and another scrap metal dealer, or between a scrap metal dealer and specific businesses with a fixed location. Scrap metal companies would have to comply with additional requirements for transactions related to catalytic converters under this bill, including recordkeeping procedures. The bill also adds additional penalties. The Iowa Senate passed the bill Wednesday.
- ABI Position: Against