SAI Legislative Report 2008, No. 12

April 21, 2008

 

Lead Items:

This week should be the last for the session. Really! Per diem expenses paid to legislators end April 22. It’s time to keep the legislative phone and e-mail information close at hand!

            Senate phone: 515-281-3371

            Legislators’ e-mail addresses: http://www.sai-iowa.org/legmail.html

 

Thank you for all of your support for the Statewide Penny (SILO-HF2663) in the House and Senate. The bill is ready for debate in the Senate. Leadership is waiting to gain more Republican support. We need to contact the Democrats in the Senate to have them encourage their leadership and their Republican friends to show bipartisan support. We need to let the Republicans know that the bill:

-       brings equity to facilities for students,

-       would not require a constitutional amendment since it would be an unconstitutional impairment of contract to take funds that had been bonded against.  Another protection exists regarding “scooping” of funds for other purposes. The current bill stipulates, “The general assembly shall not alter the purposes for which the revenues received under this section may be used from infrastructure and property tax relief purposes to any other purpose unless the bill is approved by a vote of at least two=thirds of the members of both chambers of the general assembly and is signed by the governor.” Let’s not let politics get in the way of this very important piece of legislation.

 

Collective Bargaining:

HF2645-Contact the governor and let him know the process used in the movement of this bill is not the way to begin a collective bargaining relationship. All affected groups should be brought to the table with equal input into the development of new policy. However, we do want to thank him for his support and ask him to continue with his original message that the process was wrong and start a new collaborative process to mutually develop collective bargaining policy.

Governor’s phone: 515-281-5211

Governor’s e-mail: http://www.governor.iowa.gov/administration/contact/  

 

The following bills will also be moving very fast:

-       SF2329 puts categorical funds in the formula,

-       SF2216 core curriculum,

-       SF2411 open meetings (amended in House committee (H8546) to now include basically the committee),

-       HF2682 dropout funding,

-       HF2681 compulsory attendance age,

-       SF2159 pre-school technical bill,

-       HF2680 teacher quality,

-       HF2679 education appropriations,

-       SF2424 IPERS (ok), and

-       SF2413 exceptions to filing deadlines.

 

There will also be a Standings Bill coming out soon. No number yet, but it could have most anything in it that died in one of the funnels or was part of another bill.

 

There will be an Energy Bill coming to address design-build issues. A number will be assigned soon. It will have to be well received to make it through this session. 

 

More detail on individual bills follows: 

 

CATEGORICAL FUNDS IN THE FORMULA

SF2329 has passed the Senate and is on the debate list in the House.

 

TEACHER QUALITY BILL

HF2680 is out of committee in the House. There were a number of amendments, e.g. the market factor money went into salaries, and some of the staff development money and other funds were also shifted. This was done in an attempt to get to the #25 ranking for teacher salaries. 

 

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

The original clean-up bill is HF2645. The amendment H8164 is causing all of the discussion. It expands the scope of bargaining and modifies Chapter 279-Teacher dismissal. This was a surprise amendment prepared without most of the affected parties, introduced during spring break and pushed through on party lines. The governor has said he will veto it if consensus and

bipartisan support cannot be reached. We have been supporting the governor's position. The governor's staff was still meeting with groups this past week. 

 

STANDINGS

This is a bill (number yet to be assigned) that gets a number of issues attached to it. The Home School Assistance Program bill reducing weighting from 6 to 3 percent is attached and has a provision to maintain current levels of spending for HSAP services. The Education Technical and Late Reports bills may also show up here. 

 

CORE CURRICULUM

SF2216 (Favor) is still alive in the House. The offering of personal finance education is addressed in this bill in an acceptable manner. There are attempts to amend this bill by attaching parts of failed bills, e.g. HF2365. An amendment relating to content standards was added in the House. This caused a motion to reconsider to be attached to the bill and thus it is still in the House. Work is being done to clear up the issue and get the bill passed this year.  

 

IPERS

SF2373 is an appropriations bill not subject to the funnel & HF2507 seems to be dead but is on the calendar. The IPERS Benefits Advisory Committee recommended these. A new bill SF2424 has passed the Senate and in the House. It has staff approval. 

 

OPEN MEETINGS

SF2411 (now) (Opposed) is still alive as an appropriations bill. (Moving) & HF2388 is procedures. We favor the concept, but were pleased to see that our areas of concern were removed in the House committee. It is on the House debate calendar.   

 

SOCIAL ALCOHOL

SF2343 (Favor) in House and still alive, it addresses the issue of parties where alcohol and minors are present.

 

DROPOUT FUNDING

HF2682 (now) (Favor) is a Ways & Means bill not affected by funnel. It changes the modified allowable growth for these programs from 5 to 7 percent. This bill would be very helpful with the Mandatory Attendance Age bill (next bill). 

 

COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE AGE 17

HF2681 (now) is still alive as a Ways & Means bill. The previous item on dropout funding could be helpful if this passes.

 

MINOR DRIVER'S LICENSE

SF2356 has been re-referred. It has to do with riders.

 

DE DATA REPORTING

SF2282 passed the Senate and still alive in the House. This contained the use of fingerprints for identification. It looks like fingerprint use is dead for this year, but staff has the information on this for next year. SAI will have a place on the committee on this bill. Also HF2557 is on the House calendar. 

 

LATE REPORTS

SF2218 died but may show up in the Ed Appropriations or Standings bills. We have been told it will be in the form that we favored. We will follow these bills to see if it shows up.

 

PRESCHOOL TECHNICAL BILL

HF2533 (Favor) appropriations bill & SF2159 passed Senate and is still alive in the House for 4-year-olds. Standings?

 

ED TECH BILL

SF2278 passed the Senate and is alive in the House. It has the start date amendment for Aug. 28 and thus is probably dead. HF2239 is on the House calendar. Standings?

 

TEACHER TAX CREDITS

Tax credits for teachers purchasing supplies SF2064 is in Ways & Means and thus still alive (Monitoring). HSB785 no sales tax for non-profits that purchase supplies and donate them, also in Ways & Means.

 

GREEN SCHOOLS

SF2084 (Monitoring) energy conservation in Ways & Means. SSB3284 in Ways & Means - design-build with PPEL. SF517 amendment H8348 includes schools.

 

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

HF2431 (appropriations) farm to school & HF2539 health care coverage passed House &

Senate and back to House amended, still alive. SF2319 passed Senate and in House-Healthy Communities/fitness & SF2279 Healthy Kids Act is alive passed Senate and on House debate calendar, seems to be some lack of support issues in the House, has PE requirement and teaching of CPR and Iowa Health Care SF2390 (on Senate calendar). HF2650 Health Insurance Mandate Commission passed Senate and in House.

 

ELGIBILITY

The 90 days to 180 days-OK with Athletic Unions did not make the funnel, but could show up again since HF2597 is still on the House calendar. Standings?

 

FLAGS

HF2559 is still alive. Requires a number of flags in public facilities to be American-made. Standings?

 

ELECTIVE OFFICE LEAVE

SF465 (Monitoring) is still alive & HF2263 is on the House calendar

 

DE APPROPRIATION

Governor's appropriations SSB3234 and HF2679, which has passed the House and is in the Senate. The financial spreadsheet has gone through the Senate committee. The bills may have a number of items in them that did not make the funnel and are under review. This bill includes the HF2649 Senior Year Plus program. It includes $250,000 for Administrative Mentoring and $595,000 for before- and after-school programming.   

 

WORKER'S COMP BILLS

This must have been a worker's comp year. There are a number of bills that are moving through the Legislature. HF2332 & HF2608 choice of Dr. & HF2567. SF2344 passed Senate and is in the  House. HF2569 & HF2234 & HF2640 cost of living - in House. 

 

SALES TAX TIF

HSB786 includes school needs study.

 

SPECIAL CHARTER CITY SALES/USE TAX

SF2421-in the first cycle the taxes go mostly for economic development. In the second cycle they go mostly for high school scholarships.

 

SCHOOL DISTRICT DEADLINES

SF2413-exceptions to deadlines for allowable growth/budget modifications-passed Senate, in House.

 

BEFORE/AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING

The Education Appropriations bills have $595,000 appropriated and the Healthy Iowans Tobacco Trust (HITT) (SF2417) has $505,000 appropriated. HITT passed the Senate and to the House. HITT will go away next year. There will be bonus funds next year, not endowment funds which have been used up. We need to ask where those funds will go. If they cannot or will not be used as now outlined in the HITT bill, then these programs will have to compete for funding in the General Fund.  

 

IDENTITY PROTECTION

HF2686-Identity Protection & HF2416-Employer Misclassification are Ways and Means bills. Both passed House and are in the Senate. 

 

UNEMPLOYMENT BILLS

SF2002-Deals with temp employees for military personnel. HF2402/SF2160-Unemployment Insurance. HF2693-Participation in adjudications. HF2641-Payment of benefits. HF2675-benefits. SF2416-payment and classification

 

REMEMBER that you can access a great deal of information from the SAI Web site (http://www.sai-iowa.org/). Click on Government Relations on the right of the SAI home page, you can find the Iowa Department of Education Legislative update and bills from the House and Senate where you can set up your own free bill watch account.

 

OTHER BILLS that have an effect on schools that are being monitored:

HF2587 (M)-Kids Mental Health Monitoring-share with schools?

HF2493/SF2163 crisis system

SF2355-Unpaid leave for caucuses, passed Senate in House

HF2384-House Senate back to House-How districts can invest their money

SSB3229-Child Medicaid tied to allowable growth rate

HF2572 -28E/contract with public/private & SF2330 both moving

HF2443-Prohibit political advertising by state agencies

HF2576-Management of Institutional Funds Act

HF2186-Emergency Medical administration of epinephrine (seems dead)

SF2412 (now)-Schools mandated to use biodiesel/ethanol & HF2689 amended and OK

HF2666-Ways & Means-School property tax aid for reduction in valuation & SF2396

HF2388-All retirement income except SS, no Iowa Tax & HF2629 five years no state tax on government pensions.

HF2659-property tax, mandates, foundation levy and levy limits

HF2544-Eye examinations 

 

BILLS TO THE GOVERNOR:

4 percent allowable growth (platform asked for 6 percent). Governor signed.

Voc. Rehab Entrepreneurs with disabilities to DE-DE OK. Governor signed.

HF2137-Board of Educational Examiners’ bill (BoEE OK). Governor signed.

SF2111-Lead and dental screening for kindergarten.

SF2251-Kindergarten eye exams.

HF2364-Expands the use and procedures for using PPEL for energy projects.

SF2212-affects Child in Need of Assistance usage.

SF2316-Management of institutional funds/endowments. Governor signed.

HF2385-How districts can invest their funds. Governor signed.

HF2620-Elections bill - election dates and board terms 4 years/elections odd years.

HF2212-Smoking Ban-makes schools smoke free. Governor signed.

HF2164-Desegregation to meet federal court ruling. Governor signed.

Bills on licenses for plumbing, electrical, fire and sprinkler systems that allow school maintenance without licenses HF2410, HF2411 signed, HF2390 signed, HF2547 signed & HF2646 signed.

HF2542-Worker’s Comp.

HF2568-Comp Calculations. Governor signed.

HF2393-Minority Impact Statements.

HF2366-Joint Communications systems.

SF2307-DE/UNI education research project PK-12. Governor signed.

SF2123-Volunteer tax credits. Governor signed.

SF2364-Minor Emancipation.

HF2526-School Property Sales.

HF2281-Employment Discrimination-attend as a witness. Governor signed.

SF2303-Worker’s Compensation.

SF2221-Worker’s Compensation. Governor Signed.

HF2145-Papilloma Vaccinations

NOTES:

-       Perkins funding is being discussed at 50.6 percent for high schools and 49.4 percent for community colleges with 5.6 percent of community college funds for link with high schools.

-       The foster care group home burden upon districts will come up next year, and SAI has been asked to supply information on the impact of these facilities on districts.

-       The 3/8 sales tax for natural resources, recreation, etc. constitutional amendment passed both houses. This has to happen in a second session and then an election will be held.

-       Some bills are introduced late in a session so they can be around next session.

Dr. Ben Norman
Director of Government Relations
School Administrators of Iowa
515-240-9125
bennorman@mchsi.com 

United States Congress

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