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Keep Up the Momentum; Donate to IIPAC by June 30 Deadline
With a historic general assembly completed, ABI is working to sustain our momentum and grow on the sound policy reforms and savings Iowa employers gained in 2017-18. We need your help to ensure pro-jobs candidates retain their seats in the Iowa House and Senate. Please consider a $100 personal contribution to IIPAC before midnight on Saturday, June 30. With more than 20 new legislators who will serve in 2019, we need your help to elect candidates who will continue to support Iowa's growing economy!
Click here
to donate.
Supreme Court Decision Allows States to Collect Sales Tax for Online Sales
The United States Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision on June 21, overturned the Quill Corp. vs. North Dakota case, which prohibited states from charging sales tax unless the business had a physical presence in the state. The South Dakota vs. Wayfair decision clears the way for states like Iowa to begin collecting this otherwise lost revenue and to make sales tax on internet sales more like that for brick and mortar stores.
The Iowa tax reform package that passed during the 2018 legislative session,
SF 2417
, includes provisions that anticipated this outcome and will now allow the collection of online sales tax in Iowa.
The parts of the tax reform bill that expand Iowa sales tax collection to marketplaces and remote sellers take effect on January 1, 2019.
The law allows an exception for small sellers. Keep reading.
New Laws Go into Effect on July 1
Each year, the Iowa Legislature passes hundreds of pieces of legislation. Some bills go into effect immediately, but many of the reforms advocated for by ABI this year will go into effect on Sunday, July 1.
To get a more comprehensive list of the key bills ABI tracked during the legislative session, click here. If you missed the sine die edition of the Voice of Iowa Business, you can read it
here
.
Future Ready Iowa (
HF 2458
): Workforce was the top priority for ABI in 2018. The Future Ready Iowa legislation took a comprehensive approach to addressing Iowa's workforce shortage. Many components are focused on upskilling Iowa's workforce. More details on the legislation can be found
here
.
Final Stage Motor Vehicle Manufacturing Regulatory Relief
(
SF 2262
): Alleviates the regulatory burden on Iowa's multi-stage vehicle manufacturers by allowing a clean transfer of the manufacturer's statement of origin to the end customer. Prior to the passage of this law, these manufacturers had to sell their new products as used vehicles. Beginning July 1, companies can now pass title to Iowa customers, saving companies money and administrative time.
Water Quality
(
HF 2440
): Adds industries named in the nutrient reduction strategy to the definition of "eligible entity" for purposes of the new revolving loan fund created by the legislation. The bill gives industry a seat at the table in water quality discussions as they move forward and evolve. The first water quality bill (
SF 512
)
that sets up the structure for water quality projects also goes into effect Sunday.
Agency Discretion
(
HF 2343
): Restricts agencies from implementing a standard, requirement or threshold without clear federal or state authority.
Association Health Plans
(
SF 2349
):
Legislation changes requirements for association health plans that reflect federal regulatory changes to provide small businesses and employees with more affordable healthcare plans. Legislation also allows Farm Bureau to provide plans to their members that do not conform with the mandates of the Affordable Care Act.
Alcohol Testing
(
HF 2383
): Conforms Iowa's testing for alcohol to the Federal Motor Safety Carrier Administration (FMSCA) guidelines. Iowa has .04, and the federal guideline for transportation and safety-sensitive positions is .02. The legislation states Iowa cannot test for a level less than .02.
Employer Wage Statements
(
HF 2240
): Clarifies the code to make clear the process for employers' electronic notification of employees' wage statements. Provides the opportunity for employee to request in writing to receive the wage statements in a format other than electronic.
Land Recycling Program
(
HF 2464
): Raises the cap on reimbursable costs to DNR from $7,500 to $25,000 for companies that voluntarily enroll in the Land Recycling Program. It does not affect sites that were enrolled in the program before July 1, 2018. DNR issues a "No Further Action Letter" to companies once they remediate a contaminated site. The letter reduces the company's liability in regards to "Superfund."
Equipment Sales Tax Exemption
(
HF 2478
): Clarifies that equipment dealers are not required to pay sales tax on construction equipment purchased.
Dram Shop Reform
(
SF 2169
): Limits the liability of restaurants and establishments that serve alcoholic beverages by capping "non-economic" damages to $250,000. There is an exception to the cap, which allows juries to award an unlimited amount of money for "permanent or substantial" damages sustained from a drunken driving accident. The bill is designed to help control liability insurance costs for establishments that have to purchase dram shop.
Texting While Driving Commercial Vehicles
(
HF 2196
): This bill prohibits a person subject to the department of transportation motor carrier safety rules from operating a commercial motor vehicle while engaged in texting or while using a hand-held mobile telephone as prohibited by federal regulations, except in an emergency or as otherwise permitted under federal regulations.
Economic Development Budget Provisions
(
HF 2493
): Contains provisions funding the Iowa Economic Development Authority and various programs including money for the registered apprenticeship program, the summer youth pilot program and a Future Ready Iowa coordinator position. Also includes an authorization to use $39 million in federal Reed Act dollars from the Unemployment Trust Fund for an Iowa Workforce Development technology systems upgrade. Contains a provision changing the definition of insurer so that self-insured companies are now covered by the existing workers' compensation fraud statute.
Federal Spotlight: Supreme Court Janus Ruling and Justice Kennedy to Retire
The last two weeks have been monumental for the U.S. Supreme Court. Several 5-4 split decisions have come down, including Wayfair last week and Janus yesterday. The Janus v. AFSCME 5-4 decision states public employees cannot be forced to pay fees for collective bargaining. ABI has been a long-time proponent of Iowa's Right to Work law and was a strong defender of the law in the last decade at the state level. The decision of the Supreme Court yesterday will allow all public sector employees to get or keep a job without having to pay dues or fees to an organization they may not support. Keep reading.
Federal Spotlight: ABI Supports Letter Regarding EPA Statutory Interpretations
ABI is one of more than 100 organizations that have signed a letter encouraging Administrator Neomi Rao of the Office of Management & Budget to implement good government practices when it comes to the issuance of new regulations and the rescission of old ones. The letter specifically highlights the need for the EPA to reexamine statutory interpretations and use cost-benefit analysis when determining the role of regulations and rules. The Trump administration has made deregulation and efficiency in government a key part of the agenda, and businesses are looking to provide input on how the government can make the regulatory environment at the federal level more competitive for businesses. You can read the full letter
here
. Thanks to our partners at the National Association of Manufacturers for leading this effort.
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ABI Survey Results: Business Leaders Enthusiastic About Iowa's Economy
Survey results released by ABI on Monday found members are enthusiastic about the state's continued economic growth.
"There's a general feeling of enthusiasm about Iowa's economy right now," said Mike Ralston, ABI president. "Overall, business leaders feel really good about where we are and where we're heading."
Keep reading
.
Media coverage:
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Building Your Future Workforce
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Connecting Statewide Leaders -- Building Your Future Workforce
Join ABI members and local leaders at Shive Hattery in West Des Moines on August 8, 4:00-5:15 p.m., for a panel discussion on how you can develop your future workforce by building and maintaining partnerships with Iowa's educational institutions. A networking reception with Leadership Iowa University members will follow. Register now.
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Predictive Health Partners
Did you know that 78% of your employees don't understand their benefits and 59% don't know how to use them? That's the worst of both worlds: poor consumerism and reactive healthcare. What if it was your customer who didn't understand your product or how to use it? Would you even stay in business? We fail to think about employees as consumers, or at least we used to. Recently, innovators in healthcare technology have been working to change the status quo. Keep reading.
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Cain Ellsworth Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Cain Ellsworth, a company specializing in accounting, tax and business consulting services, will mark 50 years on July 1. Tomorrow, some special people will be on hand at an open house celebrating the occasion--clients from company's first day of business.
Read the news release.
Webinar: Understand How Sales Taxes Impact Your Business
BerganKDV will host a webinar, "Getting to the Bottom Line," on July 17, 12:15 p.m., to help you understand how sales taxes impact your business.
Attend this session to learn best
practices to ensure you aren't under or overpaying sales and use taxes. Register now.
intellicents Expands in Central Iowa With Acquisition of Focus 50 Capital Management
intellicents has expanded its fee-based personal financial management services with the addition of two new branch offices in Des Moines and Pella led by Devin Reimer.
Read the news release.
WELLCOM Iowa to Host Worksite Health and Wellbeing Summit
WELLCOM Iowa will host "Life on Purpose: New Directions in Health and Wellbeing," a
worksite health and wellbeing summit, August 2, 7:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m., in Des Moines. The keynote speaker will be Victor Strecher, PhD, MPH.
Learn more and register.
IWCC Manufacturing Center Named After Fred Lisle
Longtime ABI member Fred Lisle, who passed away in March, was honored Tuesday by Iowa Western Community College. School officials named and dedicated the Fred Lisle Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing building.
Read the KMA Land report
.
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