Last week, the Legislature passed a key deadline, the “first funnel.” For Senate policy bills to remain eligible for consideration, they had to be approved by a Senate committee, and House policy bills had to be approved by a House committee to remain alive.
The funnel helps narrow legislators narrow our focus to what has a real chance of becoming law this year. Fortunately, many bad ideas have died, and lots of good opportunities still have the chance to make it to the Governor’s desk.
Reynolds & GOP: Politics & Division
- Voter suppression (SF 413)
- Cut unemployment for Iowans (SF 492 /HSB 203)
- Historic low funding for public schools (SF 269)
- Eliminate background checks, allow guns in schools, and put guns in hand of criminals (SJR 7)
- Take away right of woman to make her own healthcare decisions; ban common forms of birth control (HJR 5/SJR 2)
- Eliminates diversity plans used by some schools (HF 228)
- Provides immunity to firearm manufacturers (HF 621/ SF 514)
- Eliminates housing voucher non-discrimination laws (HF 720/SF 252)
- Expands Charter Schools (HSB 242)
- Bans “divisive concepts” like racism or sexism from being discussed in public schools and universities (HSB 258)
- New barriers for Iowans to get food or health care assistance (SF 389)
- Eliminate tenure at Iowa’s state universities (HF 496)
- Vouchers for private schools (SF 159)
- Punishing cities for keeping budget balanced (SF 479)
- Allows the State to make discrimination easier (HF 481)
- Provide trucking companies immunity from hiring rapists and sex traffickers (SF 537/HSB 259)
- Putting a monetary value on people’s lives when medical malpractice has occurred (HF 592 / SF 557)
- Discouraging Iowans from getting live-saving vaccines (SF 193)
- Punishing private businesses for blocking hate speech and insurrection on social media (SF 402)
- Allows landlords to charge higher fees for late payments and throw away a tenant’s possessions immediately after eviction (HSB 253)
- New “poll tax” before restoring someone’s right to vote (HSB 231)
- Prohibits a social media company from limiting an elected official’s access to the platform (HF 633)
Bi-Partisan Bills Moving Ahead
- Dentists can administer vaccines (HF 528)
- Constitutionally restore felon voting rights (HJR 11/ SSB 1134)
- Prohibits “Gay Panic” defense (HF 310)
- Exempt COVID payments & relief from state taxes (SF 364)
- Creates more affordable housing options (HF 582/ SF 295)
- Increase funding for students learning English (HF 605/ SF 430)
- Expand protections to prevent sexual abuse (SF 253)
- Double tax credit for volunteer EMS/fire fighters (HF 563)
- New tax credits/grants for businesses to build on-site child care (HF 606/SF 176)
- More transparency from drug companies (HF 526)
- Cap cost of insulin to $100 for month supply (HF 263)
- Encourage more OB/GYN doctors to locate in rural Iowa (SF 129)
- New enforcement to stop human trafficking (HF 452/ SF 388)
- Expand Child Care Tax Credit (HF 230)
- Expand adoption tax credit (HF 369)
- Business child care tax credit (HF 370 / SF 123)
- Pharmacists can dispense birth control without prescription (HF 434/SSB 1157)
- New tracking system for rape kits (HF 426 / SF 451)
- Insurance has to reimburse mental health and physical health providers at same rate for telehealth services (HF 294/HF 706)
- Lifetime trout stamp for Iowans over 65 (HF 234)
- Employment leave for adoptive parents (SF 362/HF 724)
- Prohibits employers from restricting low wage workers from getting another job (SF 496)
- Allows storage of inhalers at schools for kids in life-threatening situations (HF 701)
- Expansion of the popular beginning farmer tax credit to attract younger farmers (SF 360)
- More funding opportunities for voluntary fire departments (SF 438)
- Expanded benefits for firefighters (HSB 268)
- Reducing costs for Iowans to examine public records (SF 480)
- Consumer protections for dental visits (SSB 1202)
- Establish Learning Recovery Task Force to recommend fixes for the Covid learning losses (SF 452)
- Prohibits an insurance company from switching a patient’s medication just because it is less expensive (HF 656)
- Expands broadband access (HSB 133)
- Probation and sentencing reform (HF 678)
- $3 million increase for Iowa state park maintenance (HF 749)
- Adds a definition of soil health into the Iowa Code (HF 646)
- Requires DOT to add adult changing stations to rest areas (HF 492)
- Literacy assistance for deaf and hard of hearing children (HF 604)
- Strengthens laws to protect older Iowans from financial exploitation ( SF 391/HF 258)
- Toughens enforcement of retailers selling drug paraphernalia in our neighborhoods (SF 226)
- Explores opportunities to expand broad across Iowa communities (SF 390/HSB 133)
- Enhances communications with our returning veterans to be sure they access benefits they’ve earned (SF 255)
Good News: These GOP Bills Are Dead
- Reduces unemployment appeals for Iowans (SF 187)
- Statewide private school voucher program (SF 127/SF 128)
- Prohibiting any instruction about gender identity in schools (SF 167)
- Requiring survey of political views of university employees (SF 292)
- Allowing discrimination based on religious beliefs/exemption defense (SF 436)
- Penalize or remove school board members and administrators for disagreeing with the Governor (SSB 1213)
- Prohibits mask requirement on college campuses (HF 204)
- Digital tracking women looking for reproductive care online (HF 515)
- Legalize conversion therapy & ban medical care for some kids (HF 193)
- Punish students in communities with high COVID cases (HF 165)
- Death penalty (HF 271/SF 82)
- Publicly shaming woman for their health care decisions and falsely declaring an “abortion pandemic” in Iowa (SF 508)