Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal:
“We did some things on job creation in this state on making sure that the resources are there to provide for education and training of employees in this state to match the skills to the jobs that are out there and get thousands of Iowans back to work. So I’m pretty excited about some of the things we did for higher education and in particular community colleges. There are disappointments, there are disappointments in every session. I would have really loved to have gotten something done on commercial property taxes in this state. In the end we felt the plan that the Governor was advancing was one that would shift taxes to homeowners and we couldn’t go along with that.”

Video, audio and a transcript can be found at IPTV.

Senator Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids

Senate proposals approved with strong bipartisan support that the Iowa House failed to consider

Statement by Senator Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids

“Below are ten bills that passed the Iowa Senate with strong bipartisan support.  They focus on job creation, growing Iowa’s economy, health care and public safety.  Unfortunately, the Iowa House failed to debate these bipartisan opportunities to move Iowa forward.”

Small business health care tax credit: SF 506 – Help 60,000 Iowa businesses with 10 or fewer employees by providing a tax credit to defray the cost of employee health insurance. This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 48-0.

Supporting the use of alternative fuel vehicles: SF520 – Tax credits for electric and natural gas vehicle infrastructure, which would create jobs and provide a long-term, environmentally superior alternative to dependence on foreign oil. This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 47-3.

Working families’ tax cut: SF2161 – Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit to cut taxes for 260,000 working families (home to 37 percent of Iowa’s children) and boosting our local economy. This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 48-0.

Buy American when spending public dollars: SF2287 – Preference for American-made products to be used on public projects, unless those products cost 5 percent more than other products. This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 37-13.

Encourage locally-owned renewable energy: SF2326 – Add renewable energy production tax credits for locally-owned projects to create jobs and help the environment. This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 41-9.

Buy Iowan when spending state dollars: SF2302 – Give Iowa companies an opportunity to match a lower bid when the state is purchasing goods and services if the Iowa company is within 5 percent or $10,000 of the lowest bidder. This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 35-15.

Require autism coverage: SF2128 – Require insurance companies to provide coverage of autism spectrum disorders.  This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 43-7.

Alzheimer’s support strategy: SF2270 – Establish a comprehensive strategy to help people with Alzheimer’s and their families. This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 44-6.

Close the “justice gap” for victims of child sexual abuse: SF2295 – Extend the statute of limitations to 10 years from the date they turn 18 for victims of child sexual abuse to bring a civil lawsuit. This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 49-0.

Statewide public safety training center: SF2335 – Establish a governing board and funding mechanism for coordinated statewide programs and facilities for police, fire and other public safety personnel and volunteers to improve training and reduce the burden on property taxes. This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 35-13.

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We filed a property tax cut bill today that contains elements of proposals from the Senate, the House and the Governor. When fully implemented, the legislation will encourage job creation by cutting taxes by almost $350 million.  Our goal is to increase economic growth and jobs in Iowa. Iowa small businesses will benefit the most, thanks to the insistence of Senate Democrats.”

Here are some highlights of the bill:

• All commercial property will receive a tax cut
• Nearly two-thirds (63%)of all commercial property will receive a 40 percent tax cut.
• Taxes will be cut by 40 percent on the first $100,000 of assessed value.
• Local governments will be reimbursed for most lost property tax revenue.
• Limits on how much residential property taxes can increase are toughened.

In addition, the legislation would more than double the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit. This legislation provides $31 million to help working families make ends meet and give a boost to local businesses.

Other provisions will encourage additional affordable housing by cutting property taxes on apartments and eliminate competitive disadvantages in the taxation of Iowa telephone companies.

Link to SSB 3205.

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When we’re done, I think we’re going to have an economy in the state of Iowa–and Iowa’s economy is in relatively good shape–where we can encourage job creation and growth, encourage businesses to come to our state, tackle a problem that’s been going on for 34 years in terms of an inequity in the tax code and provide the resources to make sure we have the skilled workers to fill the jobs that we think will come to our state.  I’m very excited about that.

A sexually violent predator who’d served his sentence was released from a state-run facility directly into a northwest Iowa nursing home.  There he assaulted an elderly woman, who was also a resident.

House File 2422, as approved by the Senate, would:
** Prohibit any sexually violent predator from being released from a state-run facility to a nursing home or residential care facility;

** Allow nursing homes and residential care facilities to refuse to admit registered sex offenders; and

** Permit facilities to discharge sex offenders who are current residents.

The legislation also establishes a task force on the need for a nursing care facility specifically for sexually violent predators.

State Senator Joe Bolkcom

Statement by Senator Joe Bolkcom, chair of the Ways and Means Committee and member of the Senate Appropriations Committee

“Governor Branstad, your reckless rhetoric has helped bring Iowa to the point of fiscal crisis. This weekend, Senator Bill Dix of Shell Rock, the top Senate Republican on budget issues, suggested that Republicans should simply give up on budget negotiations.”

Senator Dix said:

‘I believe that there are sufficient resources that were allocated a year ago to get to January 1,” Dix says, “in which case the next legislature, after this November election, could make a determination at that point of how to supplementally approve resources for the balance of that year.

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“Governor, we need you to help stop a politically-driven Iowa government shutdown that would devastate investor confidence in the Iowa economy, create turmoil at Iowa’s schools and universities, and create needless panic among Iowa’s seniors and families.”

Attorney General Tom Miller warns that storms causing widespread damage can create opportunities for shady contractors who make promises they don’t keep. For example, these scam artists may accept payment for cleaning up tree damage and trimming trees and then do little or no actual work.

If you do hire a tree-trimming service, it’s always best to work with local businesses that you know and trust. Don’t pay in advance and make sure you have a clear understanding of the work to be done.

If you’ve been cheated by these so-called “storm chasers,” you can file a complaint at www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov or call the Iowa Attorney General’s office at 800-777-4590.

“The average student graduating from one of Iowa public universities has almost $27,000 in debt,” said Senator Brian Schoenjahn of Arlington, chair of the Senate Education Budget Committee.  “That number increased by 57 percent in last decade due to falling state support for education.”

Schoenjahn, a former high school government teacher, is helping lead efforts to make college more affordable for Iowa’s middle class families.  Senate Democrats point out that the state share of college costs has fallen from 77% in 1981 to just 40% today.

“Iowa student debt is going up because the state’s investment in affordable education is going down,” Schoenjahn said.  “Iowa actually spends less overall on universities today than we did in 1996.  That’s why tuition rates have doubled and why Iowa students graduate with so much debt.”

Schoenjahn said negotiations with the Iowa House and Governor Branstad will determine how far Iowa moves to reduce student debt this year.  The Iowa Work-Study Program and the Iowa Forgivable Loan Program received zero funding last year.  Borrowing by low-income students is rising quickly, in part because need-based funding like the Iowa Grant Program was cut in half in 2011.

“President Obama is coming to Iowa because the opportunities of Iowa students are being crushed by high costs and high student debt,” Schoenjahn said.  “If we don’t solve this problem, Iowa’s middle class families won’t be able to send their own children to the public universities their tax dollars help fund.”

The Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame was established in 1975, and has since recognized and honored 144 outstanding women who’ve shaped and improved the quality of life for all Iowans. For further information and a nomination form, go to www.women.iowa.gov/about_women/HOF/index.html