Legislative News

Items to Note
This week the Legislature has been busy with many issues impacting schools. HSB 517, the House study bill covering the Governor's reform package, has generated considerable attention. 

On Mon., Jan. 23, SAI member Carol Seid provided testimony to the House Education subcommittee. She spoke on the issue of annual evaluations for every teacher and explained how a principal can be more effective working with teachers in many other ways. She explained that annual evaluations could be provided for every teacher, but it would most likely be a watered-down version which would not be moving instructional leadership and learning in the right direction. We also shared these two concerns with the proposal:
1. The literature and research are clear that there are more effective ways to impact teaching and student learning.
2. The vast majority of schools do not have the administrative capacity to evaluate every teacher every year through an effective and comprehensive process.

Ed Redalen and Tracey Adamowski were also invited that day to share information with the subcommittee on the Parent Information Resource Center. It is an outstanding program and would be helpful for schools to connect with all parents in the work you are doing to help improve student achievement. Thanks to Carol, Ed and Tracey for a job well done.
 
Now is the time to share your thoughts on this proposed legislation with your legislators. The subcommittee plans to complete its work on HSB 517 by about Feb. 14.
 
We also want to remind you of the annual SAI Legislative Breakfast Feb. 29 in Room 116 at the Capitol from 7 - 8:45 a.m. 

Education: House | Senate
HF 579  Prohibits use by any student enrolled in a school district and use on school grounds of nicotine products and providing restrictions for violation of the prohibition. (Formerly HF 414)
HF 2001  Transfers certain duties of the board of educational examiners to the department of education, making an appropriation, providing for properly related matters, and including effective date provisions.    Willems
HF 2022  Relates to state and school district finances by increasing the regular program foundation base percentage.    Taylor, J.
HF 2040  Limits area education agency administrator salaries.    Taylor, J., Windschitl, Kaufmann, Pettengill, Vander Linden, Paustian, Klein, Schultz, Hagenow, Lofgren, Moore, Sweeney, Massie, De Boef.
HF 2044  Eliminates the department of education's authority to approve certain requests to waive the school start date. Cownie
HF 2053  Requires superintendents and AEA administrators to pay 25 percent of health insurance costs.    Taylor, J., Massie, De Boef, Vander Linden, Lofgren, Paustian, Fry, Schultz
HF 2054  Requires the DE and College Student Aid Commission consult with schools.    Taylor, J.
HF 2072  Provides for the adjustment of state foundation aid amounts payable to school districts based on a district's advanced placement program.    Willems, Cownie
HF 2075  Relates to school guidance counselors and professional service providers, including professional service and secondary guidance counselor preparation and professional development programs, related licensing and endorsement requirements under the board of educational examiners, and the provision of career and academic guidance counseling services by school districts.     Isenhart, Koester
HF 2087  Relates to the repeal of the Iowa early intervention block grant program and including effective date provisions.    Steckman, Thede, Willems, Hanson, Kressig, Kajtazovic, Heddens, Gaskill, Abdul-Samad, Mascher, Lensing, Winckler, Wessel-Kroeschell, Koester, Kearns
HF 2093  Creates the Iowa hot lunch challenge campaign.    Petersen, Oldson, Cownie, Heaton
HF 2094  Relates to mandatory reporting of school employee misconduct to the board of educational examiners.   Koester
HF 2102  Relates to teaching and credit requirements for courses offered by a school district under the state's educational standards for grades six through twelve.   Taylor, J.
HF 2107  Authorizes students in a district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program to decline college credit.    Koester
HF 2108  Provides for the adjustment of state foundation aid amounts payable to school districts with certain enrollment levels.    Willems, Swaim, Wittneben, Hanson, Wenthe, Thomas, Muhlbauer
HF 2109  Relates to student enrollment following reorganization or dissolution of a school district and including effective date and applicability provisions.    Schulte
HSB 517  Relates to programs and activities under the purview of the department of education, the state board of education, the board of educational examiners, school districts, and accredited nonpublic schools; and providing for the retention of certain fees and for the use of certain funds.
HSB 566  Extends the duration of the Iowa early intervention block grant program and including effective date provisions.
SF468  Prohibits the use of nicotine on school grounds. Abdul-Samad  Voted out of Committee
SF 2023  Eliminates the department of education's authority to approve certain requests to waive the school start date.    Kibbie, Johnson
SF 2036  Relates to rules adopted by the state board of education for the provision and supervision of courses delivered by means of telecommunications.    Anderson, Kettering
SSB 3002  Relates to mandatory reporting of school employee misconduct to the board of educational examiners. Bowman, Schoenjahn, Smith
SSB 3003  Requires background checks for school bus drivers, providing for fees, and making penalties applicable.  Dvorsky, Beall, Smith

SSB 3009  Relates to programs and activities under the purview of the department of education, the state board of education, the board of educational examiners, school districts, and accredited nonpublic schools; and providing for the retention of certain fees and for the use of certain funds. Quirmbach, Schoenjahn, Hamerlinck 
Appropriations: House | Senate
SF 2052  Relates to and makes appropriations to the state board of regents for programs established by the state board or its universities that are designed to increase college readiness and college awareness in potential first-generation college students and underrepresented minority populations, and to increase the number of ethnically diverse Iowa students in agriculture, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degree programs.    Hatch, Bolkcom, Dotzler, Dvorsky, Danielson, Horn, Fraise, Courtney, Beall, Gronstal, Dearden, Black, Wilhelm, Jochum, Ragan, Hogg, Seng, Bowman, Schoenjahn, Kibbie, Rielly, Sodders
Economic Growth: House | Senate

HSB 509  Eliminates the Iowa studies professional development plan and the Iowa studies committee under the department of cultural affairs.
Judiciary: House | Senate

HF 2004  Provides for an exception to municipal tort liability for claims arising from sledding on municipality-controlled property.    Baltimore 

SF 2021  Relates to school bus safety, including providing penalties for failure to obey school bus warning lamps and stop signal arms, providing for a school bus safety study, and making an appropriation.    Ragan, Bartz 
Labor: House | Senate

HF 2012  Reduces the years of experience used to calculate an employer's contribution rate for unemployment insurance.    Lukan 

HF 2013  Reduces the time period during which new employers are subject to the new employer contribution rate for unemployment insurance and including effective date provisions.    Lukan  

HF 2019  Relates to the evaluation of permanent disability for purposes of workers' compensation benefits.    Swaim    

HSB 546 Eliminates the requirement that school superintendents issue work permits for children. Horbach, Kearns, Klein  

SF 2040  Increases the state minimum hourly wage.    Courtney  

SSB 3004  Relates to construction contractor registration fees collected by the labor commissioner and making an appropriation. Courtney, Jochum, Ward 

SSB 3005  Relates to unemployment insurance employer charges and claimant misrepresentation regarding benefit overpayments, providing a penalty, and including applicability provisions.  Dotzler, Jochum, Anderson 

SSB 3006  Relates to child labor requirements administered by the labor commissioner, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.  Hatch, Jochum, Bertrand
Local Government: House | Senate

HF 2014  Relates to city and school corporation elections by changing the date of the election of city officers and directors of local school districts, merged areas, and area education agency boards.    Gaskill
Public Safety: House
HF 520 Allows a licensed private security guard in performance of duties to have a weapon on school grounds.  Klein, amended with professional weapons permit, voted out of committee
State Government: House | Senate

HSB 506  Relates to school corporations by changing the date of the election of directors of local school districts, merged areas, and area education agency boards. Subcommittee assigned, Cownie, Gaskill, and Jorgensen. H.J. 74  

SF 2064  Concerns retirement incentive programs for school district employees.    Danielson 

SSB 3018  Relates to governmental bodies and meetings of governmental bodies under Iowa's open meetings law. 01/12/12 Jochum, Danielson, Chelgren

SSB 3093  Lowers the minimum age at which a person may register to vote to 16 years old.  Danielson, Jochum, Dix  
Transportation: House | Senate

HF 2016  Allows a person with a special minor's license to drive to and from school and school activities along a route that begins or ends at the home of either parent.    Pettengill

HF 2084  Relates to moving traffic violations committed during certain hours within a school zone and providing penalties.    Pettengill  
Ways and Means: House |  Senate

HF 2034  Provides a sales tax exemption for sales of textbooks for a limited time period annually and including an effective date.    Kressig 

HSB 500  Relates to state and local government finances by increasing the regular program foundation base percentage, establishing a property tax exemption for commercial and industrial property, establishing property tax levy limits for cities and counties, eliminating certain reporting requirements, and including applicability provisions.  Subcommittee assigned, Sands, Helland, Jacoby, Kaufmann, and Kearns. H.J. 54.  

HSB 519  Relates to property taxation and local government budgets by establishing and modifying property assessment limitations, providing for certain property tax replacement payments, establishing budget limitations for counties and cities, eliminating certain reporting requirements, making appropriations, and including applicability provisions.  

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Federal Relations

  • AASA Legislative Action Center: important legislative information, including talking points on the reauthorization of ESEA and other federal policy issues. 
  • NAESP Legislative Update: members are also encouraged to check out federal action and contact your Congressmen at this site. 
  • NASSP Federal Alerts: Find information on important Congressional issues at the Principal's Legislative Action Center.