WEEKLY BILL TRACKING

HOUSE DEMOCRATIC RESEARCH STAFF

Agriculture

HF 634         Department of Agriculture Code Cleanup. Strikes outdated and unused provisions for code sections pertaining to the Department of Agriculture (Signed; effective 7-1-15)

Appropriations

HF 664         K-12 School Supplemental Aid FY 2017. Provides SSA at 2.00% for FY 2017. The bill provides total state general fund amount in FY 2017 of $3.099 billion, an increase of approximately $125 million compared to FY 2016. (passed Committee 14‐10) to House Appropriations Calendar

HF 665         K-12 School Categorical Funding FY 2017. Provides Categorical funding for FY 2017 at 2.00% which provides funding for the Teacher Salary Supplement, Professional Development, Early Intervention, and the new Teacher Leadership Compensation package. (passed Committee 14‐10) to House Appropriations Calendar

SF 500         Child Support Programs Agreement. The bill makes the necessary changes to the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act to be in compliance with federal legislation under the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act and to avoid the loss of $38 million in federal funds supporting state child support programs and possibly TANF funds (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). In 2007, the United States signed the Hague convention on the international recovery of child support and other forms of family maintenance.  The agreement will help facilitate the recognition and enforcement of child support and other forms of family maintenance orders of parties from the United States seeking enforcement in foreign countries, and reciprocally for orders from foreign countries seeking enforcement in the United States.  In 2014, the U.S. Congress passed federal implementing legislation for the convention, which required each state to enact the legislation proposed in this bill as a condition for continued receipt of federal funds supporting state child support programs. (passed House 84-4) to Governor

SF 505        Health and Human Services Budget. This budget bill provides funding for the Departments of Human Services, Public Health, Aging, Veterans Affairs, as well as the Iowa Veterans Home. The bill appropriates a total of $1.904 billion. This is a decrease of over $14.8 million compared to FY 2015. The bill includes cost containment savings for Medicaid Managed Care of over $68 million for FY 16. The bill closes two of the Mental Health Institutes in Iowa. The bill underfunds Medicaid by $35.6 million. (Senate Refused to Concur, House Insists) to Conference Committee

SF 510         Standings and Miscellaneous Provisions. The bill makes adjustments to standing appropriations in current law, addresses several miscellaneous policy issues, and a number of truly corrective Code editor fixes due to legislative action that has occurred this session.   The statutory standing appropriations and those amended by the bill are estimated to appropriate $22.2 million in FY 2015, $2.993 billion in FY 2016, and $3.214 billion in FY 2017 from the general fund. The House strikes the entire bill leaving out K-12 school supplemental aid spending, reducing the funding in the bill to $518 million in FY 2016 and $564 million in FY 2017. The House plans to address K-12 funding in other legislation. (Passed Senate 26-21, Committee 14-10, House 54-42) to Senate with House Amendment

Environmental Protection

HF 544         Plasma Gasification.  Adds plasma gasification to the list of preferred pollution prevention measures.  (passed Senate 46-2) to House as Amended

Judiciary

HF 622         Vehicle Rental Fees.  Allows rental companies to charge recovery fees for licensing and registering vehicles outside of the bundled cost quoted for a vehicle rental.  (signed; effective 7-1-15)

State Government

SF 366         Peace Officer Retirement. Changes how much a benefit can be decreased for a retiree who cannot longer work as a peace officer due to a disability and finds work. No benefit can be lower to more than half. This only impacts disability retirees who are under the age 55. (Signed; effective 7/1/15)

Ways & Means

HF 614         Legalize Fireworks.  Legalizes the sale and use of consumer fireworks and novelties.  (passed House 53-43) to Senate

HF 634         Department of Agriculture Code Cleanup. Strikes outdated and unused provisions for code sections pertaining to the Department of Agriculture.  (signed; effective 7-1-15)

HF 638         Wine Gallonage Taxes.  Changes the frequency of reporting from businesses to the Alcoholics Beverages Division from monthly to twice a year.  (signed; effective 7-1-15)

HF 646         Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) use for Transportation Repair.  Currently PPEL is allowed for purchase of transportation equipment for transporting students.  The bill expands the use of PPEL for repair of a piece of transportation equipment that is over $2,500.  This would be for a school budget starting after July 1, 2015.  (signed; effective 7-1-15)

SF 482         Social and Charitable Gambling. Complete update and rewrite of chapter 99B. Updates the code language and does clean up to modernize the language and regulation. (signed; effective 7-1-15)

SF 488         Air Quality – Title V Fund.  Creates an air emissions and an air quality fund within the Department of Environmental Protection to support emissions fees, operating permits, major air contaminant sources, minor sources, and asbestos.  (signed; effective 5-15-15)