Government Affairs Weekly Report - Week 13: Apr. 2-5, 2018

by CBI Lobbyist Jeff Boeyink - Partner, LS2 Group
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Overview / Major Events
Today marks the 88th day of what is scheduled to be a 100-day Session. On April 17 the per diem expenses paid to members will end and legislators will begin to work at their own expense. This circumstance normally triggers enhanced efforts to finish work for the year.

There are two key (and closely related) decisions that must be made prior to making a run to adjournment:

1. Size of the tax cut for FY19 (while there is desire to do a multi-year tax reform package, settlement of the reduction amount for FY19 would help set the table for starting FY19 budget work).
2. Joint budget targets for FY19 (agreement between the House and Senate on the total spending amount for each budget area is essential to efficient floor work on the 10 budget bills that must be approved by both Chambers).

As of today, neither of these decisions has been made (or, has been made public). This suggests we still have at least two weeks of additional work before Session ends (and means we are likely to exceed the 100-day expense limit).
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Sanctuary City legislation heads to Governor Reynolds
This week the House and Senate concluded action on a piece of legislation that started its journey back in March of 2017. SF 481 seeks to penalize any local government in Iowa that attempts to set itself up as a “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants and refuses to cooperate with federal officials in the enforcement of federal immigration law.

SF 481 passed the House 55-45 and the Senate 28-18.

Eco-Terrorism bill also heads to Governor Reynolds
A bill intended to deter eco terrorism and severely punish those who attack critical infrastructure cleared the final legislative hurdle this week and now goes to the Governor. The Iowa House amended and passed SF 2235 on a 69-31 vote and the Senate concurred with the amended version and passed it by a 35-13 vote.

SF 2235 makes such acts a Class B felony and imposes fines at a minimum of $85,000 and a maximum of $100,000. Multiple attacks on the Dakota Access Pipeline project in Iowa last year helped prompt the legislation.
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Banking Legislation:

• Governor Reynolds signed HF 2234, a bill shortening the time periods for redeeming property in foreclosure proceedings, was amended in the House and passed for the 2nd time. It now bounces back to the Senate for one more vote to concur in the House amendment. CBI supported this bill.