1. A Report from the Sausage Factory
2014 Iowa Legislative Update
Scott Sundstrom
(515)

2. Who Runs the Place?

3. Democrats Control the Iowa Senate

4. Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) Senate Majority Leader
In his eighth term in the Iowa Senate
Senate Majority Leader since 2007
Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) Senate Majority Leader

5. Pam Jochum (D-Dubuque) Senate President
In her second term in the Iowa Senate
Eight terms in the Iowa House
Elected Senate President after elections
Pam Jochum (D-Dubuque) Senate President

6. Republicans Control the Iowa House

7. Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) Speaker of the House
In his sixth term in the Iowa House
House Republican leader since the November election
Speaker of the House since 2011
Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) Speaker of the House

8. Linda Upmeyer (R-Clear Lake) House Majority Leader
In her sixth term in the Iowa House
Became House Majority Leader in
Linda Upmeyer (R-Clear Lake) House Majority Leader

9. The 2014 Session By the Numbers

10. Days of Session Split control Single-party control Per Diem
Odd years = 110 days
Even years = 100 days
Single-party control

11. Bills and Resolutions Filed
Split control
Single-party control

12. Bills That Passed Both Chambers
Single-party control
Split control

13. What’s in the Sausage?
Results of the 2014 Iowa Legislative Session

14. For the Overachievers www.legis.iowa.gov Iowa General Assembly website
Full text of all bills
Fiscal information
Legislator names and contact information
Menus for the Capitol cafeteria

15. Labor & Employment Issues
Labor and employment issues are partisan
Labor and employment issues are VERY partisan
So what?
Senate Labor Committee met seven times this session
House Labor Committee met eight times this session
Commerce Committees met twice as often

16. Some Bipartisanship . . . HF 2199 – Iowa voluntary shared work program
Conformity with federal law
Now includes part-time employees
SF 303 – Home Base Iowa
Package of policies to attract veterans to Iowa
Private employers may provide hiring/promotion preferences to (1) veterans; and (2) spouses of disabled veterans or military personnel killed on active duty
Expedited professional licensing for veterans

17. And Some Partisanship SF 2295 – “Wage theft” (did not pass House)
Burden of proof on employer to show wage deduction lawful
Employers liable for attorney fees and liquidated damages even for unintentional underpayment of wages
Presumption of retaliation if adverse action against employee within 90 days of the employee participating in a wage payment dispute
SF 2350 – Payment by debit card (did not pass House)
Employees must consent in writing to be paid by debit card
Notification of fees
Ability to withdraw all wages without any fees

18. Corporation Law SF 2200 – Voting trusts and financial information
Eliminates 10-year limitation on voting trusts after July 1, 2014
Corporations may make required financial information available to shareholders via the internet without charge
Corporations with less than 100 shareholders and cooperatives excused reporting to shareholders if prepares annual financial statements that are available upon request of a shareholder
HF 2130 – Minority shares in banks
Repeals provisions allowing discounts for minority status and lack of marketability for shares in banks for dissenting shareholders with appraisal rights

19. Taxes Department of Revenue bills: Economic Development Authority
HF 2438 – technical bill (very technical)
HF 2444 – efficiency bill (minor efficiencies)
Economic Development Authority
HF 2448 – changes to various programs with tax credits
Changes to the brownfields/grayfields program
Creates a new workforce housing incentives tax program
Eliminates the enterprise zone program
Cultural Affairs Department
HF 2453 – historic tax credit program revamped

20. Potentially of Interest
SF 2315 – Land use restrictions
Generally, land use restrictions require filing of a verified claim with the county recorder within 21 years after filing a use restriction
Removes the filing requirement for:
Easements granting an affirmative right to use land possessed by another
Cost sharing agreements for real estate taxes, insurance premiums, maintenance, repair, or other costs related to two or more parcels of land
SF 2259 – Security breach notification
Applies to records kept on paper (if printed from computer)
If more than 500 consumers affected by a security breach, must notify Attorney General within five business days after notifying consumers
HF 2387 – Notice of garnishment and levy to judgment debtor

21. Our Democracy in Action
Or should that be “Our Democracy Inaction”?

22. 2014 Elections – Iowa Senate

23. 2014 Elections – Iowa House

24. Questions?
Scott Sundstrom
(515)