With the March Revenue Estimating Conference completed, the Legislature can begin to focus on state budget targets for each appropriations bill and work towards adjournment. Another step towards adjournment is the second funnel which occurs in the week of March 16 to 20. The funnel week limits the bills that will remain “alive” for passage prior to adjournment. During the second funnel, House bills must have passed Senate Committees and Senate bills must have passed House Committees. That means Committee work should pick up next week. After March 20 only bills in Committees exempt from the funnel (Appropriations, Ways & Means, Government Oversight, and Administrative Rules Review) and bills that have a companion bill will be eligible for further action.
This past week, 35 bills were debated by the House and sent to the Senate. The Senate debated 19 bills that were then sent to the House for consideration.
March 13 was the final deadline for candidates to file for the June primary. Next week we should have a complete list of who has filed to run in a primary election.
Bills of Interest
Five Childcare bills were debated in the House and sent to the Senate for consideration:
HF2270 Childcare Reimbursement HF2271 Infant & Toddler Childcare HF2424 Childcare Assistance
The House passed the bill 98-1. The House passed the bill 99-1. The House passed the bill 99-0.
HF2485 Childcare Home Numbers HF2600 Childcare Grants
The House passed the bill 98-1. The House passed the bill 98-1.
HF2443 Senior Year Plus Student Eligibility and Assessment Requirements
Senate Education Subcommittee reviewed the amended bill and unanimously approved the bill for full Committee consideration.
HF2454 Community College Instructors
House passed the bill 97-0 on March 4.
The Senate passed the bill 46-0 on March 11. The bill now goes to the Governor.
SF2082 DOE Technical Amendment
The Senate passed the bill 48-0 on February 6.
The House passed the bill 98-0 on March 11. The bill now goes to the Governor.
SF2283 Expansion of EMS Training Providers
The House Human Resources Subcommittee reviewed and unanimously approved the bill for full Committee consideration.
SF2391 Ransomware Attacks
Senate passed the bill as amended 28-17 and sent to the House.
Some Lighter News
In view of the news overwhelmingly being about the Coronavirus (COVID-19), here is some lighter news:
Senate and House Resolution 110 Iowa Minor League Baseball
Recognizes the importance of minor league baseball in Iowa and demands that Major League Baseball lend its efforts to eliminate three teams in Iowa (Quad City River Bandits, Clinton Lumber Kings, and the Burlington Bees).
Senate Joint Resolution 2004 Honeybee State Insect
Proposed that the honeybee be named the state insect.
One More Thing
Governor Reynolds announced that Dr. Ann Lebo would become the Director of the Iowa Department of Education effective Friday, Marcy 13, 2020. Dr. Lebo has served as the Executive Director of the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners since 2016. She was previously a secondary principal in Grundy Center, an adjunct faculty member in education and leadership at Waldorf University, and serves as Iowa's Chief Talent Officer for the Council of Chief State School Officers. Lebo was an athletic coach and English instructor at the secondary and postsecondary levels for 17 years and worked in the private sector for five years. Lebo also served on the statewide Teacher Leadership and Compensation Task Force in 2012 and was appointed to the Governor's STEM Advisory Council in 2017. Dr. Lebo holds an Ed.D. and Ed.S. both in Educational Administration from the University of South Dakota, a M.A. in English Language and Literature from UNI, a B.A. in English Education, and a B.A. in Speech Communication from Iowa State University. Dr. Lebo replaces Dr. Ryan Wise who has taken the position of Dean of Education at Drake University.