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News from Every Child Counts
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5/10/12
The House and Senate adjourned sine die yesterday at 6:13 p.m and 5:23 p.m., respectively. The week started out a little slow and then ended quite rapidly as they worked out their differences in conference committees.
Every Child Counts had an ambitious legislative agenda and we were able to accomplish many items on that agenda.
We did a recap of some of the accomplishments from the 2012 Session. Please keep in mind that this is a quick summary as we are still analyzing final bills and reports. You can download the summary here. We will have a more complete summary in the coming days.
Earned Income Tax Credit:
I am sure you are aware that the legislature could not come to an agreement on property tax reform. Each Chamber passed their own version of a bill with each refusing to take up the other's bill. This left the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in serious jeopardy and at the end of session - DEAD!
It is unfortunate and frustrating that a tax break for thousands of hard working Iowans would not be passed by the House Republicans. Keep in mind this tax break cost between 15-30 million and the property tax break cost between 350-450 million and primarily helped businesses like Wal-Mart, McDonalds, etc. At the end of the day Wal-Mart and McDonalds will be okay. We will work on EITC over the interim and hopefully get something passed next year!
Each year seems to bring a different experience lobbying, advocating and educating the Legislature and Executive Branch on issues related to children and families, especially low income children and their families! Given our current political climate, things could have been a lot worse. We appreciate that there isn't the same gridlock at the Iowa Capitol as there is in Washington, DC. Even though there were some divisive issues and, at times, some not so nice moments between the parties - they came together at the end and produced a budget.
In Senator Gronstal's closing remarks, he stated, " Legislative politics is not about a group of people who agree with each other all the time, getting together and telling each other how right they are. Legislatures never work that way. Success in legislatures occurs when people of good faith work to find reasonable compromises. That happened many times this year." That is so true! We will move on and celebrate our legislative successes and work to accomplish next year what we didn't accomplish this year. There were so many legislators that helped us accomplish our agenda and we will give them a proper shout out in the next update. Please remember to thank your legislator for his/her hard work. This was Danielle's first official legislative session (she interned for us last year for part of the session). I hope it isn't her last and she decides it is an okay experience! A big thank you to Danielle for a great session and to all the CFPC staff for their contribution to ECC's work during the session. And a Thank You to all of you for contacting your legislators, visiting the Capitol and attending legislative forums. None of our work can be accomplished without your voices! The governor will have 30 days from today to sign, line item-veto appropriations bills, or veto entire policy bills. He has never been shy with his veto pen in the past, so we don't assume he will be now. We will keep you posted on any vetoes and interim work being done. Eastern Iowa Government has a list of what they believe the legislature did and didn't accomplish. You can read it here.
Sincerely,
Sheila Hansen & Danielle Oswald-Thole
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 House Budget Reconciliation Would Cut Children by Additional Tens of Billions of Dollars The U.S. House of Representatives will vote today on the reconciliation package to its fiscal year 2013 budget that would cut an additional tens of billions of dollars more in investments in the country's children. The package was cleared for the floor after a Monday vote in the House Committee on the Budget passed the measure 21-9 along party lines.
The cuts would be in addition to those already passed in the House budget, which include more than $190 billion to children's health, $61 billion to children's nutrition, and $4.2 billion in immediate cuts in the discretionary budget to children's priorities like education and housing.
First Focusreleased today an analysis of the reconciliation package cuts to children in an update to an earlier look at the House budget resolution. The analysis includes in-depth looks into the effect on child health, child nutrition, family economics, child care, and child welfare.
Child advocates and lawmakers do not know exactly how much the cuts will affect children because neither the House Committee on the Budget nor the individual committees making reconciliation recommendations have asked for that analysis from the federal agencies responsible for administering each initiative.
Download the First Focus analysis here.
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Bills of Interest
 Quality Early Care and Education
SF 2321- A study 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, and providing effective date provisions. Update - Passed on 5/8.
SF 2284 (ed reform)- A bill for an act relating to programs and activities under the purview of the department of education, the state board of education, the board of educational examiners, the state board of regents, school districts, and accredited nonpublic schools; and providing for the retention of certain fees and for the use of certain funds. Fiscal Note can be read here. Update - Passed on 5/7.
SF 2315 - An Act relating to redesign of publicly funded mental health and disability services.. Update - Passed on 5/8.
Child and Family Economic Success
HF 2274 -A study bill relating to property taxation and local government budget. Update - passed House - Senate had own bill but failed Senate - could not agree on bill SF 2161 - An Act relating to the amount of the earned income tax credit. Increasing credit from 7% to 13%. Passed full Senate on 48-0 on 2/15. Update - DEAD at end of session!
Signed by Governor: SF 2325- A bill for an act relating to the income tax checkoffs for the child abuse prevention program fund and the veterans trust fund and volunteer fire fighter preparedness fund, and including retroactive applicability provisions. Signed 4/19/12.
HF 2226 - A study bill relating to child abuse reports and disposition data. Signed 4/12/12. SF 2318- A bill for an act relating to the Iowa health information network, providing for fees, and including effective date provisions. Signed 4/12/12.HF 2390- A bill for an act relating to obscene material, commercial sexual activity, and human trafficking, and providing penalties and making penalties applicable. Signed 4/4/12. HF 2368- An Act providing for the issuance of a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth, providing for a fee, and including effective date provisions. Signed 3/26/12.
SF 2247- A study bill relating to terminology changes in Iowa Code references to mental retardation. Signed 3/22/12. SF 2225- A bill for an act relating to child abuse by prohibiting retaliation for reporting, providing for implementation of reporting policies at postsecondary institutions, requiring planning for training requirements, and providing for the distribution of information on child sexual abuse, and providing a remedy. Mandatory reporting task force created. Signed 3/30/12
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"The most violent element in society is ignorance. "
Emma Goldman
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Help Us Put Child Care on the Map
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From National Women's Law Center
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 When policymakers formulate their agenda priorities, whose interests are at the forefront of their minds? It is hard to remember that even though access to good quality child care is something that you and I spend a lot of time working on and advocating for, not everyone does - including our policymakers. And unfortunately, not all of us have strong relationships with the people that vote on critical policies like child care that affect women, children, and families.
We want to change that - and we need you! Join our new initiative: Putting Child Care on the Map. We're kicking off this campaign with a conference call on Thursday, May 17, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. Join the initiative AND register for the conference call today!
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Get timely updates from the Child and Family Policy Center:
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How is state policy affecting the families around you?
Tell us about it! Sheila Hansen
Every Child Counts
Director
Danielle Oswald-Thole
Every Child Counts Outreach Coordinator and Policy Advocate
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A donation to
Every Child Counts helps us do what's good for Iowa kids
and families.
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Health Care Update
Iowa Adverse Childhood Experiences Summit - June 11, 2012You are invited
to the Iowa
ACEs Summit
to learn about often
overlooked root causes of
adult disease and disability
and innovative solutions
for reversing Iowa's trends.
12:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Sheraton West DM Hotel
1800 50th Street
West Des Moines, IowaFor more information, click here.
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Legislative Forums
Many of you can't make it to the State Capitol in Des Moines - that doesn't mean you can't have some face to face time with your state legislator.
Legislators host forums in their districts throughout the session. They get a chance to update constituents on the issues and listen to concerns from constituents .
House Republican Forums (it appears the House Republican forum schedule has not been updated in sometime - you have to click on member name and then click on forums)
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Inspiring our Inner Leadership
presented by the
Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children
Saturday, May 19Holiday Inn and Suites, 4800 Merle Hay Rd, Des Moines
Registration Deadline: May 12
Iowa AEYC is excited to bring you Holly Elissa Bruno as the featured speaker.
Holly is a fantastic speaker. She delivers her message with wit and humor and will leave you empowered and inspired.
Here are a few topics the training will focus on:
Using your brain to stay cool under pressure
Gossip free zones: Problem solving to prevent power struggles
Eliminate whining
Register here!
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