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During the state legislative session, the IAA sends out a bi-weekly legislative update. In these emails you'll get an update on what's going on at the State Capitol, and in Congress, as well as actions you can take to advocate for afterschool!
We hope this communication is helpful to you!
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Federal Policy Update
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Despite President Trump's recommendation to eliminate the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, t
he U.S. House Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee recently voted to increase funding by $100 million. While there are still many negotiations to be had between the House and the Senate, this news offers some encouragement.
The IAA will be following these negotiations closely and providing updates throughout the process. For guidance on how to take action, you can visit the Afterschool Alliance's website.
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State Policy Update
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The state legislature adjourned for the year over the weekend. Bills passed by the legislature now move to the Governor's desk who has 30 days to either sign or veto legislation.
Check out the sections below for updates on the bills that passed and highlights on this year's appropriations. Looking for more detailed analysis on this year's budget bills? Click
here for information.
Helpful Links
Click
here to find your legislator.
You can search by address, city, school district, county, or zip code.
To find bios, contact information, and photos of all the legislators, go to the Legislators page on the Iowa Legislature website. Select either "Senators" or "Representatives" on the left-side menu to see a complete list of all members, including links to their information page and district map.
For a complete list of Senate and House committees and members, click here.
For a full list of Senate and House leadership, click here.
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Legislation
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House File 546 Relates to school funding by modifying provisions relating to the collection of sales tax for deposit in the secure an advanced vision for education fund (SAVE).
Passed Senate with amendment on April 24th and returned to House for another vote. Passed House on April 25th. The bill will now be sent to the Governor.
House File 681 Permits qualified entities to request national criminal history checks of certain covered individuals.
Passed House on April 9th and passed Senate on April 23rd. Governor signed the bill into law on May 1st.
House File 690 Establishes a children's behavioral health system and a children's behavioral health system state board.
Passed House on March 21st and passed Senate on April 16th. Governor signed the bill into law on May 1st.
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Appropriations
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House File 756 Appropriates federal funds made available from federal block grants.
Awaiting Governor's signature. Highlights of the budget include:
- $69.2 million for the Child Care and Development Block Grant.
House File 758 Department of Education Appropriations.
Also funds the College Student Aid Commission, the Department for the Blind, and the State Board of Regents. Awaiting Governor's signature. Highlights of the budget include:
- An increase of $11.8 million to the Department of Education.
- A new appropriation of $2.1 million for children's mental health training and support.
- An increase of $500,000 for Early Childhood Iowa's (ECI) School Ready Grant.
- An increase of $1.0 million for the Governor's STEM Initiative.
House File 766 Department of Human Services and Department of Public Health. Awaiting Governor's signature. Highlights of the budget include:
- A new appropriation of $338,000 for the Children's Behavioral Health Hotline.
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| Important Dates |
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May 27 Deadline for Governor to sign bills into law
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