Legislative Update

SF 414 - An Act providing for a pilot project supporting high=quality child care for low=income children. Introduced by Senator Bolkcom. Referred to Human Resources. Subcommittee, Bolkcom (C), Boettger , Schmitz . Passed Senate. Passed House Human Resources Committee on 3/25. UPDATE - Placed on House calendar under unfinished business on 4/9.

HF 703 - An Act relating to preschool support provided through school ready children grants under the community empowerment initiative. STATUS - passed House. Referred to Senate Education Committee. Subcommittee, Schmitz, Appel, and Boettger

HF 754 - An Act relating to regulation of child care by the department of human services by providing for licensing of child development homes, establishing a regulatory fee and appropriating the fee proceeds, making penalties applicable, and providing effective dates. Subcommittee, Mascher, Petersen and Soderberg. Passed Human Resources Committee. Referred to Appropriations Committee. STATUS - unclear at this time.

HF 739 (formerly HF 565) - An Act providing for a state research and development prekindergarten through grade twelve school. Passed out of Education Committee on 3/11. STATUS- Referred to Appropriations. Subcommittee, Cohoon, Huseman, and Wenthe

HF 576 - An Act relating to the criteria used for selection of school districts for participation in the statewide preschool program for four=year=old children and providing effective and applicability dates. STATUS - may see language in SF 470.

SF 470 - bill for an act relating to the funding of, the operation of, and appropriation of moneys to the college student aid commission, the department for the blind, the department of education, and the state board of regents, providing for related matters, and providing effective dates. Passed Ed approps Committee on 3/31. Passed full Senate Approps Committee on 4/1. UPDATE - passed full House Approps Committee on 4/9 without any amendments. Should be debated early next week.

Child Well-being and Development

SF 389- An Act relating to health care, health care providers, and health care coverage, providing for appropriations, providing penalties, and providing retroactive and other effective dates. Has many divisions. The purpose of the chapter is to ensure that all children and all other Iowans in the state have affordable, quality health care coverage, and to decrease health care costs and health care coverage costs. Passed Senate. Passed House Human Resources Committee with MAJOR Amendments to divisions other than the divisions dealing with children. STATUS- the House is holding subcommittees on the different divisions of the bill.

HF 382 - A study bill relating to the public health system by providing for the voluntary accreditation of certain public health agencies, the adoption of Iowa public health standards, the establishment of an accreditation data collection system, creating a fund, and providing for a penalty and an effective date. 1-29-09. Passed House Human Resources Committee. UPDATE - Bill language fournd in HF 811.

HF 588 - An Act creating an excise tax on paint, primer, and speciality finish and directing moneys to fund the childhood lead poisoning prevention program. Introduced, referred to Ways & Means

HF 811 - An Act relating to and making appropriations for health and human services and including other related provisions and appropriations, providing penalties, making penalties applicable and providing effective, retroactive, and applicability date provisions. UPDATE - passed House on 4/9.

HF 234 - A bill for an act requiring health insurance coverage for costs relating to mental health conditions, including alcohol or substance abuse treatment services. Amendment H-1178, H-1213, H-1214, H-1215, H-1216, H-1221, H-1290 and H-1292. STATUS - Placed on calendar under unfinished business.

Family Economic Success

HF 672 - An Act relating to individual development accounts available to certain persons with low income and providing effective and applicability date provisions. Passed House. UPDATE - passed Senate 49 - 0 on 4/6.

HF 636- STATE CHILD & DEPENDENT CARE CREDIT (Sands) Increases the income level before the state child & dependent care credit ends to $50,000, and increases the other income thresholds. STATUS - Passed out of Ways and Means Subcommittee on 3/25.

SSB 1307 -A study bill for an act relating to the regulation of delayed deposit service businesses. Referred to Ways and Means. Subcommittee: Stewart, Bolkcom, Feenstra STATUS: Passed Senate Ways and Means Committee on 3/25.

HF 807 -(formerly HSB 284) - An Act relating to the individual income tax by providing for reduced tax rates, the elimination of federal deductibility, increasing the credits for elderly and blind individuals, increasing the amount of the earned income tax credit, and adjusting the eligibility for the child and dependent care tax credit and early childhood development tax credit and including a retroactive applicability date provision. Referred to Ways and Means Committee. UPDATE - passed out of Subcommittee meeting and Committee meeting on 3/31. Public Hearing held on 3/31.

HSB 280 - An Act modifying provisions relating to the regulation of delayed deposit service businesses, making penalties applicable, and providing an effective date.
Referred to Ways and Meand Committee. Subcommittee - T. Olson, Helland, and Petersen. STATUS - passed out of Subcommittee on 4/2. On to full Committee

Other Bills of Interest

SF 137 - An Act providing that wage discrimination is an unfair employment
practice under the Iowa civil rights Act and providing an enhanced remedy. House passed but with an amendment so it will have to return to the Senate. The Senate approved the bill originally 32-18. UPDATE - Senate concured with amendment. Passed Senate on 4/7 32 -17.

SF 264 - A study bill for an act concerning the appointment of members to local boards, commissions, committees, and councils. Passed House on 3/18. UPDATE - Referred to Senate Local Government Committee on 4/10.

HF 760 - (formerly HSB 268) - ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS (Education) Requires the state universities and community colleges to develop a statewide articulation system for an associate or bachelor of applied science. Requires the Regents to accept up to 80 hours of credit from a community college transfer. Requires the agreement to include the general education courses needed and a guarantee that an associates degree from a community college is fully transferable. Requires an appeal process and annual reviews.

Bills Signed by the Governor

HF 64 -

An Act relating to disaster assistance by providing a jumpstart
housing assistance program, disaster aid individual assistance grants, and community disaster grants, making appropriations, and providing effective and retroactive applicability dates. Signed by Governor Culver on 2/2.

SF 101- Establishing a shaken baby syndrome prevention program in the department of public health. Signed by Governor on 3/5.

HF 315 - A bill for an act creating an Iowa collaboration for youth development council and state of Iowa youth advisory council in the department of human rights. Signed by Governor on 4/9.