June 27, 2019
LEGISLATIVE NEWS
Several New Laws Go into Effect July 1
July 1 is coming on Monday, and that’s important because it means the beginning of fiscal year 2020. It also means that several bills that Gov. Reynolds signed into law go into effect on that date as well. The Iowa Legislature adjourned sine die on April 27, and with that, approved 12 bills that ABI actively advocated for throughout the 2019 session. Some of the key bills that go into effect on July 1 include... Read more .

Governor Names New Director of DNR
Gov. Reynolds announced on Wednesday that Kayla Lyon will serve as the new director of the Department of Natural Resources. Lyon will start her position on July 8. She will replace Bruce Trautman, who is currently the acting director and has been in that position since May 2018. Lyon brings a variety of experience to the table as she was previously the governor’s legislative liaison for the 2019 legislative session. Read more .

Governor Names New Director of DAS
On June 20, Gov. Reynolds appointed Jim Kurtenbach as the Director of the Department of Administrative Services (DAS). He will take office on July 1. Gov. Reynolds noted Director Kurtenbach’s past public service in her  news release . He is a resident of Nevada, a former two-term state representative, former co-chair of the Republican Party of Iowa and former associate dean of Iowa State University’s College of Engineering.

Director of Revenue to Address Tax Committee
The Director of the Department of Revenue Kraig Paulsen will speak to attendees at the ABI Tax Policy Committee meeting on Thursday, August 15. Director Paulsen was appointed to the position by Gov. Reynolds in February, and he was confirmed by the Senate in early April by a vote of 49-0. He was formerly the director of both Supply Chain Initiatives and Business Analytics Initiatives at Iowa State University’s Ivy College of Business and the Speaker of the Iowa House from 2011-2015.  Register  to attend the meeting.

DNR to Host Air Quality Meeting
The DNR announced an Air Quality Fee Advisory Group meeting will take place on Thursday, August 1 at 10 a.m. in the Wallace State Office Building 2nd Floor North Conference Room. The meeting will center around a discussion of funding for the Air Quality Permitting Program–specifically a deficit in funding for the program and a plan for the next five years of funding. Read more .

Governor Sets Special Election Date
Gov. Reynolds issued a  proclamation  regarding a special election taking place in House District 46 in Story County. The seat was formerly held by longtime Rep. Lisa Heddens (D-Ames), who resigned her position in the House after being appointed to fill a vacancy on the Story County Board of Supervisors. The special election will take place on Tuesday, August 6. Ross Wilburn, a former Iowa City mayor and 2018 Democratic... Read more .

Employer Innovation Fund Applications Being Accepted
Gov. Reynolds announced last Friday that applications for the Future Ready Iowa Employer Innovation Fund may now be submitted. Applicants can file and submit their proposals via  IowaGrants.gov  by August 1. Eligible applicants include employers, employer consortiums, community organizations and other entities. The Employer Innovation Fund will award grants to support initiatives that help provide postsecondary credential attainment for Iowans. Read more .

Federal Spotlight: Grassley Town Meetings Coming Up
Sen. Grassley will continue his annual 99-county tour by holding three town meetings next week. The senator will be in Forest City on Monday, July 1, Anamosa on Tuesday, July 2 and Pocahontas on Wednesday, July 3. This is Sen. Grassley’s 39th year of holding at least one meeting in all 99 counties, which he has done every year he has served in the U.S. Senate. Learn more about the  meetings .
ABI UPDATE
ABI Releases Q3 Survey Results
Nearly half of Iowa business leaders expect their company’s sales to expand in Q3, according to survey results released Monday by ABI.

Although that’s down 26% from last quarter and down 27% from one year ago, ABI President Mike Ralston isn’t alarmed. “It’s a dramatic drop,” said Ralston. “Yet the fact that almost half of Iowa companies expect growth is great news for Iowa’s economy.” Read the full news release .

Select media coverage:
Cindy Dietz Elected ABI Board Chair
Cindy Dietz of Collins Aerospace in Cedar Rapids has been elected chair of the ABI Board of Directors for the 2019 fiscal year, which begins July 1. The board unanimously elected Dietz during its 116 th annual meeting on June 5 in Ames.

Dietz is associate director, state government relations, for Collins Aerospace. She is active on several boards and initiatives, both in Cedar Rapids and throughout the state, including the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council.

Read the full news release for complete board election coverage, including a list of new officers, executive committee members and board members.
FROM THE DESK OF...
Cyberattacks Can Impact Any Industry. Yes, Yours!
Steve Simpson
Account Executive
Aureon

You may be thinking “that’ll never happen to me,” but these days, it’s more a matter of time. Without the proper IT security in place, you are vulnerable to cybercriminals breaching your network to access customer or employee data, or gain control of your systems. Cybersecurity solutions are vital to keeping your company and your customers protected. Read more .
MEMBER NEWS
Brian Rickert Appointed Chair of State Bar Assoc.’s Construction Law Section Council
BrownWinick Law Firm Attorney Brian Rickert has been appointed to serve as the Chair of the Construction Law Section Council of the Iowa State Bar Association for their 2019-2020 fiscal year. Members of the Construction Law Section Council include construction law attorneys from across Iowa. Read the full news release .
Free Business Consulting Services Available from University of Iowa
Did you know the University of Iowa’s John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC) offers free business consulting services to startups and businesses across Iowa? Iowa JPEC is now accepting applications for consulting services that will run in conjunction with its fall academic semester. Learn more and apply .

Healthy Job Market is Forecasted for Q3 2019 for Des Moines-West Des Moines; U.S. Employers Report Strongest Outlook in 13 Years 
U.S. employers are reporting the strongest nationwide hiring intentions in 13 years at +21%, according to the Q3 2019 ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey. The last time the survey of more than 11,500 employers reported an outlook as high as +21% was in Q3 2006. For the coming quarter in Des Moines-West Des Moines, employers expect to hire at an optimistic pace. Read the full news release .

Winnebago Industries Announces Key Leadership Updates and Formation of New Advanced Technology Group
Winnebago Industries has announced several important updates related to key leadership positions within the organization. The company also announced the creation of a new Advanced Technology Group to enable stronger levels of product innovation in the future. Read the full news release .

AT&T Invests Nearly $100 Million Over 3-Year Period to Boost Local Networks in Iowa
AT&T  has invested nearly $100 million in its Iowa wireless and wired networks during 2016-2018. These investments boost reliability, coverage, speed and overall performance for residents and businesses. It's also improved critical services that support public safety and first responders using the FirstNet communications platform. AT&T's wireless network covers more than 99% of all Americans and has become...  Read the full news release .
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