Legislative Update: Week 11, 2021

WEEK 11: 2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

State Update

Lots of debate and bills moving at the capitol this week, ahead of the second funnel next week, but the majority of our bills have not moved or changed.

BEGINNING FARMER TAX CREDITS: HF 694/SF 360- SUPPORT (Passed out of the House with a 94 to 1 vote, sent to Senate)

Allows a taxpayer to claim multiple credits (max of $50,000 remains)
Allows for participation in the program for 15 years
Unused tax credits can be carried forward for up to 10 years
Current program has a $12 million appropriation, $6.5 million was used in 2020
Would be effective January 2022, fiscal note HERE

OVERWEIGHT FLUID MILK PERMITS FOR INTERSTATE TRAVEL: HF 790/SF 550- SUPPORT (A Senate Ways and Means Sub met this week and passed SF 550 out with recommended amendment to move the language from 90,000 lbs. to 96,000 lbs.)

Fluid milk has been deemed an indivisible load by the Federal Government and thus eligible to haul overweight on interstates
We're working with the Iowa State Dairy Association and Iowa DOT to create an annual permit for interstate travel up to 96,000 lbs.

CENTRAL FILING: SF 486- OPPOSE (no recent movement)

This bill is in Senate Ways & Means Committee and is funnel-proof this year and next
Introduced by the Iowa Bankers Assn and Wells Fargo
This bill would create a central filing system that all buyers (local sale barns, meat processors, lockers, grain buyers, grocers, etc.) would have to check before issuing payment to each farmer
It shifts the burden to buyers, increases the number of two-party checks and is not an improvement on our current system
Bank lobbyists say they want to move a paper system to electronic but have disregarded solutions that would allow for electronic/e-mail notifications through direct notice
Current bill registrations (all ag groups against, bankers support) HERE

THANK YOU to our co-ops who have gone above and beyond to connect with legislators and to send follow up thank you's. Your phone calls and e-mails have been effective!

BROADBAND GRANT PROGRAM: HF 848/SF 390- SUPPORT

The Governor's broadband bill provides a tiered approach to grant funding based on current broadband access/capabilities and has speed requirements
Tier 1: areas with less than 25/3 mbps speed available
Minimum 20% of grant funds must go to this tier to serve difficult areas
100/100 buildout is eligible for a 75% match
100/20 buildout is eligible for a 50% match
Tier 2: areas with 25/3 to 50 down with no upload target
100/100 buildout is eligible for a 50% match
Tier 3: areas with 50 to 80 mpbs (no upload target)
100/100 buildout is eligible for a 50% match

THE GOVERNOR'S RENEWABLE FUEL BILL: SF 549- MONITORING

This is a work in progress with several amendments being discussed
Subcommittee assigned in Senate Ways and Means: Dawson, Dickey, Jochum, Sweeney and T. Taylor
Fiscal note HERE
Please reach out to your local legislators to connect with them on how this could impact your company, if you would like to

We're working on several other bills that have not had recent movement-- as those bills move or statuses update, we will keep you informed.

Find your state legislators HERE