State Government Committee – Week 6, 2020

FLOOR ACTION:

SJR 2001 – Constitutional amendment against reproductive choice

SJR 2001 is a joint resolution to amend the Constitution of the State of Iowa by specifying that the Constitution does “not recognize, grant or secure a right to abortion” or to require funding for abortion. The joint resolution, if adopted, would be referred to the next General Assembly for adoption a second time before being submitted to the electorate for ratification. If ratified, the Iowa Constitution would no longer protect a woman’s fundamental right to make decisions for herself.
[2/13: 32-18, party-line]

 

COMMITTEE ACTION:

SF 155 – Removes prohibition on mobile barber shops

SF 155 reverses the prohibition on mobile barber shops. This bill was inspired by a barber who plans to launch a mobile barbershop to better meet the needs of the homeless and others in Waterloo.
[2/13: 14-1 (No: Zaun)]

SF 335 – Standards for carbon monoxide protection

SF 335 requires standards for carbon monoxide protection that are consistent with the international building code and international fire code. The bill also allows the fire marshal to include carbon monoxide awareness in fire safety campaigns. A person who violates a rule adopted by the fire marshal is guilty of a simple misdemeanor. A committee amendment inserts “all buildings in which persons congregate from time to time to include but is not limited to…”
[2/13: 15-0]

SF 2077 – Daylight saving time

SF 2007 establishes daylight savings time as the official time of Iowa, year-round.
[2/17: Short Form (No: Celsi, Giddens, T. Taylor)]

SSB 3113 – Amends the Constitution to conform voting age

SSB 3113 amends the Constitution of the State of Iowa by reducing the voting age from 21 to 18. A person who will be 18 by the next general election will be permitted to vote in a primary election. Eighteen years of age is the current voting age throughout the United States since adoption of the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
[2/17: Short Form]

SSB 3016 – Raising age of vaping to 21

SSB 3016 increases the minimum age to buy and use tobacco, tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, vapor products and cigarettes from 18 to 21.
[2/13: 13-2 (No: Schultz, Zaun)]

SSB 3071 – Scope of practice for physician assistants

SSB 3071 expands the scope of practice for physician assistants (PAs) in these ways:

SSB 3111 – Eliminates hospital licensing board

SSB 3111 eliminates the hospital licensing board. The hospital licensing board duties include consulting with and advising the Department of Public Health (DPH) on matters of policy affecting the licensure and regulation of hospitals, developing rules and standards, and reviewing and approving rules and standards prior to their approval by the state board of health and adoption by the department. Instead, DPH would adopt rules setting out the standards for the different types of hospitals to be licensed.
[2/18: Short Form]

SSB 3114 – Constitutional gubernatorial line of succession

SSB 3114 proposes amendments to the Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to the gubernatorial line of succession and the filling of vacant public offices.

One amendment changes a reference from “any office” to “any public office” regarding the governor’s power to fill vacancies where no mode is otherwise provided for by law.

Another amendment creates a system of succession in the case of a permanent or temporary disability of the governor or governor-elect. In the case of a temporary disability of the governor or governor-elect, the lieutenant governor or lieutenant governor-elect will act as governor or governor-elect until the disability is removed, or the governor dies, resigns or is removed from office. In the case of the death, resignation or removal from office, the lieutenant governor or lieutenant governor-elect becomes governor or governor-elect for the remainder of the term. A committee amendment was adopted that makes technical and clean-up changes.
[2/18: Short Form]

SSB 3115 – Public bidding requirements for state and local governments

SSB 3115 changes the public bidding requirements for the state and political subdivisions of the state.

Division 1 deals with the sale of public property and is amended to provide that if real property belonging to the state or a local political subdivision is disposed of, the property must be sold to the highest responsive, responsible bidder unless the executive council, by at least a two-thirds vote, agrees to accept a different bidder for good cause.

Division 2 concerns advertisements for bids and is amended to say that in addition to any method of advertisement required by law, any executive branch agency, the Legislature, the judicial branch, county, township, school district or city must ensure publication of a request for bids and proposals for a certain minimum number of days. A committee amendment modifies the days required to publish notice for bids and public improvement projects, based on size and cost for goods and services, eliminating the possible conflicts between chapter 26 publishing requirements and this new Code section.
[2/18: 10-5, party line]

SSB 3124 – Real estate held in a trust

Under current law, a trustee of a trust is exempt from providing a written disclosure statement to a transferee as part of a transfer of real estate. SSB 3124 eliminates that exemption for a trust, in which the trustee or beneficiary of the trust is alive, and is a former owner of the real estate or was an occupant in possession of the real estate, at any time within the 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the date of transfer. The bill applies to the transfer of real estate held in a trust on or after July 1, 2020.
[2/17: Short Form]

SSB 3139 – Training programs for certain emergency medical care providers

SSB 3139 authorizes a medical care ambulance service or nontransport service to apply to establish a training program. Additionally, the bill makes a corresponding change to the definition of “training program” to reflect the addition of medical care ambulance services and nontransport services to the category of eligible training program providers. Current Code says that an Iowa college approved by the higher learning commission or an Iowa hospital that wants to provide emergency medical care services training must apply to the Department of Public Health for authorization.
[2/17: Short Form]

SSB 3140 – Setoff enforcements move from DAS to DOR

SSB 3140 replaces the setoff procedures administered by the Department of Administrative Services and gives this duty to Department of Revenue. This change was requested by both departments. A committee amendment was adopted from Department of Revenue, making changes to modernize, update and make the setoff program more efficient.
[2/18: Short Form]