Every Child Counts Newsletter
Children at a Crossroads
January 31, 2010
Greetings!
 
The big news of the third week of session was the release of the Governor's budget.  A few highlights include:
 
  • Ensuring children have access to quality, affordable health care by providing an additional $10.5 million for children's health insurance programs, as well as increasing Medicaid $180.9 million
  • Making the final installment in a 4-year, $60 million investment to the state's voluntary pre-school program
  • Empowerment (in Ed. Approps budget) remains at FY 2010 level (this includes the 10% across the board cut ordered by the Governor in October)
  • Shared Visions has some cuts restored
  • Calls on the legislature to act on the recommendations of the Tax Credit Review Panel
  • Elimination of funding for audiological services and hearing aids.  (Note that insurance companies are not mandated to pay for hearing aids - they are considered cosmetic in many cases see HSB 223).
     
    The budget also calls for enacting the recommendations outlined in the Government Efficiency Review, a savings of more than $340 million according to the Governor.  One of the recommendations of this review calls for reducing and/or eliminating TANF transfers to HOPES, Prevent Child Abuse Iowa, FaDDS and one of the funding streams for Empowerment (in HHS approps budget - early childhood).  
     
    Every Child Counts will continue to advocate for a fair and balanced approach to Iowa's budget. The Governor should be applauded for endorsing the Tax Credit Review Panel's recommendations as a first step in getting control over big business tax credit giveaways.  Now we need the Legislature to to do the same.
     
    Best ~
     
    Sheila 
    • BILLS 
     
    bill in lineQuality Early Care and Education
     
    HF 2056 - An Act relating to the requirements for national criminal history record checks for child care providers.
     
    HF 2069 - An Act authorizing persons who are relatives, friends, or neighbors to provide child care as unregistered child care home providers under certain circumstances.  By Hagenow.  Subcommittee, Mascher, Hunter, and Koester Companion bill SF 2084  
     
    NEW:
     
    SF 414 - An Act providing for a pilot project supporting high=quality
    child care for low=income children   This bill passed the Senate in 2009. 
     
     
    Child Well-Being and Development 
     
    HSB 223 - (a bill from last year) A study bill for requiring certain health insurance contracts, policies, or plans to provide coverage for audiological services and hearing aids for children. Subcommittee assigned, T. Olson, Petersen, and Pettengill.
     
    NEW:
     
    SF 2082 - An Act relating to the income tax checkoff for the child
    abuse prevention program fund and including retroactive
    applicability provisions.  Subcommitte - Schmitz-CH, Ward, Wilhelm.  Subcommittee meeting on 2/2 @ 8:30 a.m. in Senate lounge.
     
    HSB 673 -  An Act providing for vision screenings for certain students, and including applicability provisions. 
     
     
    Family Economic Success
     
    HSB 568 - An Act relating to the provision of deliverable fuels to
    customers eligible for the federal low=income home energy
    assistance program.  Human Resources: Wendt, Chair, Abdul-Samad, and Soderberg
     
    NEW:
     
    HF 2127 - An Act modifying provisions relating to the regulation of delayed deposit services businesses, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.  Commerce:  Wenthe, Helland, Kressig, Reasoner, and Sands.  Subcommitte meeting on 2/1 in House lounge at 11:00 a.m
     
    SF 2125 - An Act requiring provision of deliverable fuels to customers
    under specified circumstances, and including effective date
    provisions.  Subcommittee, Sodders, Courtney, and Hartsuch.  Subcommittee 2/1 @ 9:00 a.m. in Senate lounge.
     
     
    Other Important Bills:
     
    SF 2088 - (formerly SSB 3030) - A study bill for an act concerning state government reorganization and efficiency, making appropriations, establishing fees, establishing criminal penalties, and providing effective and applicability provisions. UPDATE - Placed on Senate Calendar - Probably debated on 2/1.  You can find the Empowerment changes on page 162 line 3 section XXII.  Companion Bill HSB 565
     
    SSB 3139 - An Act creating the early childhood Iowa initiative.  Education.  Subcommittee, Schmitz, Appel and Boettger.  This is the Governor's bill on reorganizing Empowerment.  Same language as in the Senate Reorg bill - SF 2088.
     
    NEW:
     
    SSB 3179 - An Act limiting the amount of research activities tax credit that is refundable and including retroactive applicability
    provisions.
     
    SSB 3171 - An Act relating to public funding and regulatory matters by
    making and revising appropriations made for purposes of health and human services and providing effective dates.  Passed out of appropriations on 1/28.
     
    SF 2118 - An Act repealing the film, television, and video project
    promotion program and including effective date and retroactive and other applicability provisions.  Referred to Economic Growth.
     
     
     
    In This Issue
    Bills
    Legislative Term and Quote of the Week
    Remembering Our Little People
    Iowa Kids Count Report Released
    Join Our Mailing List
    SHansen
    Legislative Term of the Week:
     
    Carryover Legislation- Legislation held over in the same General Assembly from one annual session to the next. It has the same standing as it did at the end of the previous session.
     
     
    Quote of the Week:
     
    "They will do whatever we let them get away with". Joseph Heller
     
    Remembering the Little People: Accounting for Kids
     
    Most families with kids prioritize spending on them. The public sector doesn't. In fact, it's pretty hard to figure out exactly what the government spends on children compared to what it spends on other age groups.

    It's even harder to figure out why we spend the way we do. Read the rest of the story here.....

     
           
    young child 
     

    Iowa Kids Count Report Released

     
    kids count 2008
    Iowa's children and families saw a continued deterioration in their financial situation in 2008, according to CFPC's newly released Iowa Kids Count 2008:  Trends in the Well-Being of Iowa Children.  The report also included findings that showed the unemployment rate for Iowans increased 60 percent from 2000 to 2008 and the percentage of people receiving food assistance (formerly known as food stamps) rose 49 percent. 
     
    To download the full report, click here.