February 16, 2018
In the Legislature: This week is the first funnel for this legislative session, making our days busy and full. This deadline focuses us on the issues we’d like to accomplish this year. Any bills, except for tax, spending, and oversight bills, we would like to consider for the rest of the session need to be through the committee in their originating chamber, meaning Senate bills need to get through Senate committee and House bills through House committee. Because of this deadline, a number of issues have been discussed as part of the legislative process during the week.
Here is some information on some of the bills that have survived the funnel.
Future Ready Iowa: Senate Study Bill 3087 is the governor’s Future Ready Iowa initiative, working to educate and train Iowans for the future. The governor’s goal is for 70 percent of Iowans to have post-secondary education by the year 2025.
The bill creates a series of programs to encourage education and fill the gaps in Iowa’s workforce. Some of these programs include an apprenticeship program for high-demand jobs as identified by Iowa Workforce Development, a volunteer mentor program, a summer internship program for at-risk youth, the Iowa Employer Innovation Fund to expand opportunities for credit and noncredit education and training, a skilled workforce grant program, and a program to help provide additional funds for high school students looking to attend classes at community colleges.
This bill moved through the committee to keep it as part of the conversation for the rest of the legislative session, but may see some changes as we get more feedback on it.
Relieving the burden on Iowa’s job creators: Senate File 2190 is a common-sense way to reduce the regulatory burden the state puts on Iowa job creators. The bill limits the number of regulations under which Iowa job creators are forced to operate. It would require the executive branch and the Administrative Rules Review Committee to eliminate one third of the rules in the Iowa Administrative Code by January 1, 2022.
A recent analysis of Iowa’s regulatory framework found more than 160,306 state restrictions that would take one person about 563 hours – or more than 14 weeks – to read. This bill would require the number of regulators in our state to go down and requires Department of Management to develop a model process for reducing the regulatory burden.
Keeping our promise for a pro-growth agenda: Since we (Republicans) have been in the majority, we have advanced a pro-growth agenda. This agenda continues this session with pro-growth energy policy, lowering the cost of energy for many Iowans and job creators, sound budgeting principles, workforce development efforts and most importantly, tax reform and relief for working Iowans.
Data from across the country clearly show states with the lowest income tax rates are consistently the states with the strongest growth in population, jobs, and even tax receipts. Pro-growth tax policy encourages investment, it rewards work, and it provides and environment for career opportunities to develop here in Iowa.
The positive news regarding the effects of federal tax reform continues at a rapid pace. With all the investment announcements by companies large and small, the country is well positioned for a period of strong economic growth. Low taxes, reasonable, predictable regulations, and an educated workforce keep good jobs here and attract investment opportunities from outside the state. In order to take advantage of that reality, Iowa must position itself with a tax and regulatory policy making us as competitive as possible with other states.
Iowa can be a model of economic growth. In the near future we will release the next piece of our pro- growth agenda and it will be significant tax relief for Iowans. It will lower rates, simplify the tax code, and make Iowa more competitive in the Midwest and worldwide.
As always, I want to hear from you. My Senate number is (515) 281-3371 and my home number is (515) 432-7327 or write me at: State Capitol, Des Moines, IA 50319 or at my home address: 1313 Quill Avenue, Boone, IA 50036 or email me at jerry.behn@legis.iowa.gov
