Legislative Committees Advance Employment Bills
There was a tremendous amount of floor debate this week at the Capitol following the first funnel deadline last Friday. Some legislation even passed both chambers and was sent to the governor on the same day! This is an indication that legislators want to get policy bills addressed and move on to budget and tax issues.
The legislature advanced several pieces of legislation that ABI supports, including the following bills:
- SF 220 – Legislation clarifies that S Corporations, LLCs, partnerships and financial institutions can claim the increased expensing allowance deduction on Section 179 property. The bill also allows Corporations to claim the allowance. The bill passed the House 87-7 on Monday, and it previously passed the Senate 48-0. It now heads to Gov. Reynolds.
- SF 519 – The House and Senate both approved this bill, which creates a criminal offense for individuals who trespass on an agricultural production facility. Those who use deception to gain access to facilities to cause economic or physical harm to property or individual would be charged with a serious misdemeanor. The governor is expected to sign the bill later today.
- HF 327 – The bill clarifies the franchisor/franchisee relationship. The legislation is necessary to address the 2015 Browning-Ferris NLRB decision, which expanded the definition of the joint employer standard. Passed the House 51-45 and is now eligible for debate in the Senate.
- HCR 10 – A joint resolution supporting Congressional action on a multilateral trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico passed the House earlier this week and passed the Iowa Senate on Wednesday. Iowa is a leader in trade, and Gov. Reynolds and the Iowa Legislature have been very supportive of trade and encouraging the federal government to act.
- HF 668 – The Iowa House and Senate debated and passed this bill that relates to Iowa’s three-tier system governing our alcohol beverage manufacturing and distribution in the state. The bill defines an institutional investor and clarifies that an individual who is an institutional investor does not violate the three-tier system. The bill passed the House 80-19 and the Senate 38-11.
- HF 487 – Legislation that prohibits a local government from stopping a cell tower from being placed if it relates to public safety broadband network and radio access network. Bill is only applicable to counties under 15,000 in population with a few particular exceptions. It passed the House 74-20 and the Senate 38-10.
- SF 229 – Legislation streamlines the water filter certification process by removing an unnecessary step in the process. Iowa would use a national standard to approve water filters and eliminate the Department of Public Health from having to certify third-party tests under the legislation. The House Commerce Committee approved this bill 22-0 on Wednesday.
Did You Miss Iowa Business Day on the Hill? Participate in Tomorrow’s Call.
Did you miss Iowa Business Day on the Hill on Wednesday? Then join us tomorrow, March 15, for our monthly legislative update call. The public policy team will have additional updates and legislative insight to share with you. If you have not yet registered for one of the calls this year, please RSVP to
Michelle Vollstedt.
You will receive an email from her later this afternoon with the call-in information.
Agriculture Secretary Naig Speaks to Senate Committee
Sec. Mike Naig spoke to the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee on March 12. He discussed the sixth anniversary of the Nutrient Reduction Strategy, funding for various projects, and agricultural and urban infrastructure. Sec. Naig mentioned the department is attempting to progress at a rate they never have before.
Read more
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U.S. DOL Proposes New Overtime Rule
Late last week, the Department of Labor announced its
proposed overtime rule
. As you may recall, ABI opposed the prior rule that was published during the Obama administration and provided public comments as to our concerns about the impact the rule would have on jobs and Iowa’s economy. In response to the opposition and court decision in late December 2016, the DOL has proposed a new rule.
Read more
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ABI Joins Letter to Treasury on Business Interest Deductions
One of ABI’s national partners, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), alerted us to an issue at the federal level that could make it more expensive for manufacturers to purchase machinery and equipment. ABI joined other associations and companies around the country in a
letter
requesting the Treasury Department to change the proposed regulations so as not to stifle manufacturing growth.
Read more
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Action Alert: Protect Private Property Rights
Several members of ABI who attended Iowa Business Day on the Hill spent the morning talking to their elected officials about key legislative issues including Future Ready Iowa funding, Empower Rural Iowa and workers’ compensation legislation.
Many companies also talked to legislators about their concern with
HF 636
and
SF 459
, which would prohibit employers from having a policy that keeps guns out of the parking lot. Current law is silent on the issue, so if an employer doesn’t have a policy, the employee can bring their firearm to work and leave it locked and out of sight in their vehicle.
This legislation has lots of support in the Iowa House and Senate, and we need your help to stop the legislation. We encourage you to contact your legislator. You can call them, write them a letter or use a sample of some of the language we have drafted for you
here
.
Read more
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Record Crowd Attends Iowa Business Day on the Hill
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A record crowd of 100+ attended Iowa Business Day on the Hill on Wednesday. After an update on pending legislation at the ABI office, members boarded a coach and headed to the Capitol to meet with legislators to advocate for pro-business policies. There was also a private luncheon, where speakers included Gov. Kim Reynolds, Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg, Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver and Speaker of the House Linda Upmeyer.
Sandler Sales Training and ABI to Host "It's Never About Price" Sales Workshop
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Join us for a sobering discussion about the incredible cost of embedded sales mediocrity and the impact it can have on your bottom line. This no-holds-barred session will challenge your core beliefs about sales performance. Designed for owners, CEOs, presidents and selling professionals, learn how to change the "behavior dynamics" of your sales team, and build a high performing sales culture within your company that will get results. The workshop, hosted by Sandler Sales Training and ABI, is April 9, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at the ABI office. Admission is $29 and includes lunch.
Learn more and register
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Are You a Professional Salesperson or Not?
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Karl Schaphorst
President
Sandler Sales Training
I spent five years of my life earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University and then after that, another six months with the company that hired me out of college to learn about all the products I was going to go out and sell. When all that training was complete, I showed up in the Omaha sales office and my boss told me to go and start selling. Now, think about this: sixty-six months of expensive training and when I started my job, I am asked to do something I am not trained to do.
Read more
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New Trusted Advisor Video: "What's a PEO?" by Focus OneSource
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What's a professional employer organization (PEO)? What are the pros and cons? How do you choose one? Focus OneSource shares the answers in the latest Trusted Advisor video. This series is produced by experts from the
ABI Advisory Council
and offers helpful information on a variety of business topics.
Governor's 2019 Future Ready Iowa Summit is April 30
On April 30, leaders from business and industry, education, nonprofits, elected officials, students and others from across Iowa will come together for the STEM Education + Workplace Partnerships – Governor's 2019 Future Ready Iowa Summit. This event will showcase innovative education-employer partnerships emerging across Iowa to fuel the workforce of Iowa’s future.
Learn more
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ManpowerGroup Study: Steady Job Market Expected in Q2 2019 for Iowa
Demand for skilled talent continues to grow as employers across the U.S. are reporting positive hiring intentions nationwide (+19%) across all 50 states, according to the Q2 2019 ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey. For the coming quarter in Iowa, employers expect to hire at a favorable pace. Read the
full news release
for a summary of results for Iowa. View the
complete Q2 2019 U.S. survey results
.
Healthiest State Initiative Conference to Focus on Mental Health
Mental and emotional well-being is essential to the overall health of your employees. The Healthiest State Initiative’s 2019 Annual Conference, May 14 in Ames, will give you the tools to create an environment that better supports an employee’s mental health. Through interactive panels, inspirational speakers and breakout sessions, attendees will formulate an action plan that includes physical and emotional health, financial wellness and volunteerism.
Learn more
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