This week was second funnel and several bills died failing to pass that threshold. The ones we're working on and monitoring are mostly still alive, with the exception of the vegetation management bill: HF 460 that did not survive the second funnel.
THE GOVERNOR'S RENEWABLE FUEL BILL: HSB 185/SF 549- MONITORING(House version passed out of Ways and Means Committee with 5 NO votes: Eisenhart, Jones, McConkey, Osmundson and Wheeler)
37 page amendment HERE: just introduced on Tuesday
Please reach out to your local legislators to tell them how this would impact your company
BROADBAND GRANT PROGRAM: HF 848/SF 390- SUPPORT (HF 848 passed out the House with a vote of 94 to 0 and was sent to the Senate)
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
CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE OFF RAMP:HF 302- SUPPORT (Passed out of Senate Human Resources Committee on Thursday)
Would provide a tiered approach to childcare assistance to address the cliff effect that causes some employees to refuse promotions that would eliminate their assistance (happens in instances where raises don't outweigh the lost assistance)
OVERWEIGHT FLUID MILK PERMITS FOR INTERSTATE TRAVEL: HF 790/SF 550- SUPPORT (Working out details on an amendment to allow 96,000 lbs. for $500/year)
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)
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
