In This Issue
Important Dates
Legislation
Committee Assignments

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June 3, 2014   

State Policy Update    

The Governor signed legislation (HF 2460, Economic Development Appropriations) putting $3 million into an Apprenticeship Training Program (overseen by the Iowa Economic Development Authority) and $3 million into the Job Training Program (for programs hosted by community colleges). This analysis summarizes the final bill passed by the Legislature, but Governor Branstad used his item-veto authority to make changes. He vetoed all language changing how the 260F Job Training Program is administered (the bill would have moved coordination of the community colleges' job training program funding from the Iowa Economic Development Authority to the Department of Education). He also vetoed the creation of an Apprenticeship Training Program Advisory Board. Click here for the Governor's item veto messages with rationale for the vetoes. The end result is that the 260F Job Training Program will continue to be administered the way it has been, and a new Apprenticeship Training Program has been created. Other links of interest:
Governor's Office press release on Iowa Apprenticeship and Job Training Act
Des Moines Register article: Iowa apprenticeship programs get access to more funding

The Education Appropriations bill was signed with no item vetoes; it maintains level funding for the workforce training and adult basic education programs achieved last year. The Home Base Iowa Act was also signed. The Governor vetoed a supplemental appropriations bill that would have provided an additional $400,000 to Home Base Iowa, among other items.

The statewide expansion of child care assistance eligibility to people participating in training/education was included in the Health and Human Services Appropriations bill (HF 2463).

Federal Update
Bipartisan, bicameral legislation called the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was introduced in Congress on May 21. (Senator Harkin is one of the sponsors.) It would would reauthorize WIA for six years (2015 through 2020). See the National Skills Coalition's analyses here and here for more information.

NSC is currently featuring Elisabeth Buck of United Way of Central Iowa in its Leadership Spotlight. The article mentions that the Iowa delegation to the 2014 Skills Summit received NSC's State of Action Award. Barb DeVore was also part of the delegation representing AIWP. As a member of the coalition that advocated for state investments in workforce training and adult basic education (the Iowa Skills2Compete Coalition), AIWP shares in the award! 
Important Dates

May 2

Session adjournment 

 

May 30  

Governor completed action on bills 

Legislation
Senate File 2363 (Formerly SSB 3224) Supplemental Appropriations Bill. A bill for an act relating to state and local finances by making transfers and appropriations, providing for properly related matters, and including effective date and applicability provisions. Contained a supplemental appropriation of $400,000 for the Home Base Iowa Initiative. 

Click here for bill summary. Passed Senate and House. Governor vetoed.

  

Senate File 2347 (Formerly SSB 3213) Education appropriations. Funds the College Student Aid Commission, Department for the Blind, Department of Education, and State Board of Regents.

Workforce training appropriations:

  • Community Colleges General Aid is increased by $8 million over FY 2014.  
  • Adult Literacy for the Workforce Program: $5.5 million
  • PACE (Pathways for Academic Career and Employment program): $5 million
  • Gap Tuition Assistance: $2 million
  • Statewide Work-Based Learning Intermediary Network: $1.5 million
  • Skilled Workforce Shortage Tuition Grants: $5 million
  • Workforce Preparation Outcome Reporting System: $200,000

Sponsored by Appropriations. Read first time, placed on Appropriations calendar. Committee report, approving bill.

Committee amendment H-8248 adopted. Various other amendments filed; none adopted. Passed House, ayes 53, nays 45. Messaged to Senate with amendment S-5157. Senate refused to concur with S-5157. Messaged to House. House insisted. House conference committee appointed: Dolecheck, R. Taylor, Highfill, Winckler, and Steckman. Senate conference committee appointed: Schoenjahn, Horn, Quirmbach, Sinclair, and Boettger. Conference committee report filed and adopted in House and Senate. Passed Senate, ayes 28, nays 21. Passed House, ayes 90, nays 8. Signed by Governor.

Senate File 303 Home Base Iowa Act. A bill for an act relating to veterans, military service members, and certain survivor beneficiaries and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions. Key provisions: Fully exempts military pensions and military survivor benefits from state income tax. Directs Iowa's licensing boards to adopt rules allowing credit for military training and experience in the licensing process. Allows private-sector companies to allow a preference in hiring and promoting veterans. Eliminates the special plate issuance fees charged for plates associated with military service. Expands eligibility for the Military Homeownership Assistance Program, which provides $5,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance. Additional funding for the program is provided in a separate appropriations bill. Passed House and Senate. Signed by Governor. 

House File 2463 Health and Human Services Appropriations. Includes: Changes eligibility requirements for child care assistance to include people who meet the income requirements and are employed OR participating in training/education for at least 28 hours per week in aggregate (Division XV of the bill). Passed House and Senate as conference committee report. Item-vetoed; signed by Governor.

House File 2460 (Formerly HSB 683 and SSB 3212) Economic/Workforce Development appropriations. Makes FY 2015 appropriations to the Department of Cultural Affairs, Economic Development Authority, Iowa Workforce Development, Iowa Finance Authority, Public Employment Relations Board, Board of Regents and Regents institutions. Total amount for IWD field offices: $11,345,497. Highlights:
  • $3 million to the Job Training Fund 
  • $2.75 million to the Apprenticeship Training Program Fund
  • $1 million for a new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Internship Program in the Economic Development Authority. IEDA is to collaborate with employers providing internships for Iowa students that lead to permanent employment. Employers will be reimbursed for paying student interns, with a maximum of $5,000 for each internship.
  • $9,179,413 from the general fund to IWD for field offices
    • $150,000 of that to State Library to license an online resource that prepares people to succeed in the workplace through improving jobs skills and vocational test-taking abilities
    • At least $1,130,602 of that for the operation of 3 satellite field offices projected by IWD to serve the most people from the offices in Decorah, Fort Madison, Iowa City, or Webster City
  • $1,766,084 from Special Employment Security Contingency Fund to IWD for field offices
  • $400,000 from Unemployment Compensation Reserve Fund to IWD for field offices 
  • $358,464 for an offender reentry program to provide offenders with employment skills; IWD to partner with Department of Corrections 
  • $100,000 to IWD "to develop a long-term sustained program to train unemployed and underemployed central Iowans with skills necessary to advance to higher-paying jobs with full benefits." 
Sponsored by Appropriations. Introduced, placed on Appropriations calendar. Amendments filed; Amendments H-8193, H-8194,  H-8183 lost. Amendments H-8187, H-8195 adopted. Amendment H-8190 withdrawn. Passed House, ayes 97, nays 2. Secretary's report on correction in engrossment. Messaged to Senate. Read first time, referred to Appropriations. Committee report, recommending passage. Amendment S-5192 filed, adopted. Passed Senate, ayes 27, nays 23. Messaged to House. Senate amendment H-8349 filed (same as S-5192 passed by Senate). Messaged from House to Senate, with amendment S-5207 (amends the first Senate amendment). Senate concurred with S-5207. Passed Senate, ayes 27, nays 20. Item-vetoed, signed by Governor.

House File 2199 (Formerly HSB 601) Conforms the voluntary shared work program under  the state unemployment insurance law to the requirements of  the federal Middle Class Tax  Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. Sponsored by Labor. Introduced, placed on calendar. Fiscal note. Passed House, ayes 98, nays none. Explanation of vote. Messaged to Senate. Read first time, referred to Labor and Business Relations. Subcommittee, Brase, Anderson, and Dotzler. Committee report, recommending passage. Passed Senate, ayes 46, nays none. Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President. Signed by Governor.
Committee Assignments
Click here to view members of workforce-related committees and their corresponding workforce development region.

This update is a bi-weekly publication intended to share information and resources regarding legislative activities, events, and bills related to workforce issues in Iowa. If you have questions or need more information, please contact Stacie Bendixen at sbendixen@sppg.com or 515-237-0338.