The 2022 Session of the 89th Iowa General Assembly officially came to a close when the Senate adjourned “Sine Die” shortly after midnight (12:10 am) on Wednesday, May 25, followed by the House at 12:16 am.  Adjournment followed two very long debate days where all ten budgets, a second tax bill, the first revision of the state’s bottle bill since its passage 44 years ago, and several major policy bills flew through the process.

The Legislature’s late adjournment has left many legislators scrambling to deal with a short turnaround before the June 7th primary election. Thanks to the decennial redrawing of legislative lines following the US Census, most legislators have large areas of new voters they are racing to meet, and a handful of legislators are dealing with primary elections against an incumbent colleague. In short, there are 45 legislative primary elections – 33 in the House and 12 in the Senate. Of the 33 House primaries, they feature 25 Republicans (13 incumbents have primaries, but 6 are matched up against each other) and 8 Democrats. Of the 12 primaries in the Senate, they feature 6 Republicans and 6 Democrats.

Another fun fact, due to retirements, the 2023 General Assembly will feature AT LEAST 45 new members, but probably slightly more than that. That means over 30 percent of the Legislature will be comprised of newly elected legislators that are trying to learn the ropes.

Read more and learn about approved budget highlights from the session:

Remember that the Governor can use a line item veto on spending bills. If you are tracking something, especially if it’s a new allocation that hasn’t appeared in previous budgets, it might not be a bad idea to reach to the Governor’s office (HERE) to express your support. 

HF2564: Economic Development Budget

• Cuts funding to Councils of Governments by $25,000 ($250,000 total) and STEM internships by $366,675 ($633,325 total).
• Increases funding for the butchery innovation program established in 2021 by $250,000 ($1 million total). 
• Adds new tourism office appropriation ($1.1 million) for implementation of the strategic plan for tourism and travel. Lifts the standing (automatic) appropriation cap on regional tourism marketing so all $1.4 million is available. 
• Transfers an additional $1 million from liquor taxes ($2 million total) for the Tourism Office, but funds come from the amount going into the general fund.
• Reduces the High Quality Jobs Tax Credit cap by $2 million ($68 million total). Creates a new Employer Child Care Tax Credit ($2 million) for employers that provide childcare benefits to their employees (25% of qualified childcare expenses, 10% resource and referral expenses, up to $150,000 per business annually, beginning calendar year 2023). 
• Adds $500,000 for new Housing Renewal Pilot Program to provide grants to buy, rehabilitate, and resell homes for ownership (funds to be appropriated to Habitat for Humanity). At least 25% of the funds to be used in the 88 least populated Iowa counties. Maximum per housing unit of $100,000, with up to 36 months for the grant to be used. 
• No changes in Iowa Workforce Development funding, Regents economic development funding.
• Directs the IEDA to award contracts to one or more entities to conduct statewide tourism marketing services and to provide services to campaigns, workshops, and conferences that promote travel and tourism, and specifies requirements of those contracts.

More detail at: www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/NOBA/1291277.pdf.

HF2579: Infrastructure/RIIF Budget

• Maintains funding for water quality initiative ($8.2 million total, $3 million of which was shifted from general fund), Great Places ($1 million), State Housing Trust Fund ($3 million), regional sports authority districts ($500,000), lakes ($9.6 million), commercial airports ($1.9 million), and sports tourism marketing ($1.5 million).
• Increases funding for Community Attractions & Tourism grants by $5 million ($10 million total), Sports Tourism by $10.5 million ($12 million total), state parks by $3 million ($5 million total), water trails by $500,000 ($1.5 million total), recreational trails by $1 million ($2.5 million total), and railroad revolving loan and grant fund by $1 million ($2 million total).
• Makes buildings purchased by counties from the federal government eligible for funding from the Vacant Building Demolition Fund and the Vacant Building Rehabilitation Fund, with priority to those who have not already received funds from these programs.
• Changes the name of the Sports Tourism Program to the Sports Tourism Marketing and Infrastructure Program, and allows infrastructure projects to get money under the program. Projects already receiving reimbursement under a sales tax rebate or in a reinvestment district are ineligible for this new funding. Funds are awarded only after financing for a project is secured and documented, and the applicant can demonstrate city, county, or private match. 

More details can be found at: www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/NOBA/1291281.pdf. 

HF2575: Education Budget

• Increases funding for Rural Primary Care Loan Repayment Program by $780,431 for physicians practicing in rural areas ($2.5 million total), Health Care Loan Repayment Program by $250,000 for ARNPs, nurses, nurse-educators, and physician assistants ($500,000 total), and the Future Ready Iowa Last Dollar Scholarship Program by $922,261 ($23.9 million total).
• Increases funding for Jobs for America's Graduates/iJAG by $3.5 million to expand into more schools ($8.1 million total), community colleges by $6.5 million ($221.7 million total), state universities by $5.5 million ($486 million total).
• No change in funding for Early Childhood Iowa/School Ready Grants, and community college infrastructure.
• No change in distribution of the Skilled Worker & Jobs Creation Fund.  

More information at: www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/NOBA/1291312.pdf.