There is plenty of “doom and gloom” regarding issues being considered in this legislative session. And, I’m sure you get tired of hearing about them week after week. However, there are also some positive policies moving through the legislative process. This week I would like to share what I feel are some good ideas for the citizens of Iowa.
Iowa’s Support for Veterans and Military Personnel
Over the course of the last three years, Iowa has expanded services for veterans and military personnel. A large number of Iowans have served in the military throughout the state’s history. During the modern period Iowa continues to provide substantial numbers of active duty personnel and many of the National Guard and Reserve units serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Accordingly, Iowa has become a leader in providing services to veterans and military personnel. Our state programs are becoming a model for other states on how to provide effective support for citizens that choose to serve their country.
Below is a list of some of the law changes, programs, updates to programs, and recognition that Iowa has provided over the last three years. These are broken down by category, and each entry represents a separate bill passed and signed by the Governor:
Assistance and Services:
Services Improved:
Recognition:
Ethics Rules for Lobbyists Tightened
This week the Iowa Senate approved legislation that makes changes to Iowa’s ethics laws in the wake of some failures last year. During the session last year it turned out that an association failed to properly report a reception that was held in Des Moines.
The legislation as passed by the Senate amends an exception to the gift law that requires public disclosure of expenses for a function sponsored by a restricted donor where every member of the legislature is invited to attend a function that takes place during session.
Another issue that has plagued the Ethics Committees of both chambers has been the lack of latitude for the committees to sanction an individual or organization without launching and expensive and protracted investigation. The bill allows the Ethics Committees in the respective chambers to adopt rules enabling the committees to take certain types of action on valid complaints without requesting the appointment of independent special counsel and without requiring action by the appropriate chamber.
Finally, the legislation ensures continuity between reports on resources expended on lobbying both the legislature and the administration. Currently, the client of a lobbyist is required to file an annual report that contains information on all salaries, fees, retainers, and reimbursement of expenses paid by the lobbyist's client to the lobbyist for lobbying purposes during the past year. The bill provides that the amount reported to the legislature and the Ethics Board shall include the total amount of all salaries, fees, retainers, and reimbursement of expenses paid to a lobbyist for lobbying both the legislative and executive branches.
January Tax Revenues
January revenues are in and we continue the roller coaster ride. It seems after taking one step forward tax receipts have taken two steps back. The State received $99 million less (-17.0 %) in January 2010 when compared to the January 2009 tax receipts. Part of the decrease can be explained because the month ended on a weekend which moves those tax receipt deposits into February. The weather has also played a factor, with less people shopping and in some cases being unable to work due to the inclement weather.
Year-to-date revenues are still coming in above the Revenue Estimating Conference (REC) estimates. The REC estimate is a decrease of 8.5 percent compared to FY 2009. Actual year-to-date receipts show a decline of -7.5 percent.
There are still some positive points to the negative numbers, with receipts from personal income tax withholdings payments showing a slight increase of 0.5 percent. These are the people who have taxes withheld from every paycheck, the constitute a majority of the taxpayers in Iowa, Personal income tax receipts overall for January fell by $46 million compared to January 2009. Year-to-date personal income tax receipts fell by 3.9 percent. The REC estimate predicts a -3.6 percent change when compared to FY 2009.
Sales tax receipts have remained flat, which compared to the REC estimate of negative 5.3 percent, represents a positive move. Finally corporate income tax receipts are took a dive in January and year-to-date receipts fell by 18.3 percent. The REC estimate predicts a -18.1 percent change when compared to FY 2009.
The Revenue Estimating Conference is the official body that estimates all types of tax revenues. The REC made its last estimate on December 11, 2009. The REC will reevaluate its estimate sometime in March.
Definition of Textbook Expanded for Nonpublic Schools
On Tuesday, the Senate Education committee passed SF 2058 by a vote of 11-2, with support from all Republicans on the committee.
The bill will expand the definition of “textbooks” used in accredited nonpublic schools to include laptop computers. The bill clarifies that because these are public funds, the laptops, like regular nonpublic textbooks purchased with state aid, cannot be used during religious instruction.
For the 2008-2009 school year, nonpublic schools across Iowa received $682,500 for textbooks in their classrooms. They are estimated to receive $563,071 for the current school year.
This bill will enable Iowa’s nonpublic schools to better compete in the 21st Century. By bringing more technology into the classroom, the possibilities for innovative types of instruction are endless.
SF 2058 now moves to the Senate calendar where it wil, hopefully, be brought forward for the entire Senate to consider on the floor.
If you have any questions or concerns involving the Iowa Legislature, please feel free to email me at james.Seymour@legis.state.ia.us.