ABI Board Acts on 2022 Policies and Priorities |
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The ABI Board of Directors met Thursday and adopted policies and priorities the organization will pursue in the coming year. Hundreds of ABI members participated in a months-long, member driven issue committee process that culminated with the Board’s action.
Workforce leads the priority list again for 2022. While 2021 saw gains for childcare and workforce housing programs, workforce challenges remain on laborshed issues related to the Iowa Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. Iowa must modernize the way benefits and incentives are combined to lower unemployment and encourage Iowans to return to the workforce.
ABI’s next priority is tax reform. Iowa’s business tax climate is ranked 40th in the country, which puts the state in an uncompetitive position. ABI will be advocating for pro-growth tax policy to improve Iowa’s ability to compete with other states.
Infrastructure remains a priority following historic investments during the last legislative session in high-speed broadband deployment. Federal efforts to spur similar development will require careful stewardship to ensure best use of resources and best outcomes for Iowans.
ABI’s policy team will also work on regulatory reform. ABI will continue monitoring the regulatory climate in the state to ensure compliance with needed regulations, while limiting the cost of time and resources to our members.
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Latest ABI Quarterly Business Survey
Shows Positive Economic Outlook
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Iowa manufacturers are expecting sales to increase, expand their number of employees and invest in capital expenditures, according to the latest ABI Quarterly Business Survey. This reflects a continued optimistic outlook for Iowa's economy.
- 70.5% of respondents expect sales to increase
- Nearly 56 percent expect the number of employees in their business to grow
- 76% plan to make capital expenditures the next quarter. This is up from 75% in the previous quarter.
ABI Quarterly Business Survey respondents say the issues they plan to address in the next quarter include recruiting more employees and navigating supply chain issues, which are the two key issues they are currently facing in their companies. ABI served on the advanced manufacturing workgroup that previously provided feedback to Gov. Kim Reynolds related to Manufacturing 4.0. SF 619, passed this year, establishes a Manufacturing 4.0 grant program. Eligible recipients are able to receive up to $75,000 in a matching grant to bring Manufacturing 4.0 technology investments to small manufacturing.
The positive expectations for Iowa manufacturers also align with the continued optimism companies are seeing on a national level. According to the National Association of Manufacturers' Manufacturers' Outlook Survey, 87.5% of respondents reported feeling optimistic about their company outlook.
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Reminder: Sustainable Materials Management Meeting Next Week |
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ABI members are welcome to register for next week’s Zoom meeting to learn more about the DNR’s Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Initiative. SMM is an initiative that seeks to reimagine solid waste management in Iowa. ABI’s team has been participating in the stakeholder process as Nicole Crain and Brad Hartkopf sit on subcommittees for Plastics and Renewable Energy. Third-party contractors with DNR will be presenting on the topic this coming Tuesday, September 15 at 1:30 pm CT. This is your chance to learn about SMM and ask questions. Please contact Michelle Vollstedt to register.
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Feedback Requested: Mandatory Electronic Permitting for Air Quality Documents Considered |
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The DNR recently held an air quality stakeholder meeting relating to a proposed rule. The rule would require industry to electronically emissions inventory, air construction permit applications and more. The proposal was revised following stakeholder feedback. Please view the latest version of the rule here. The deadline to submit feedback to DNR is Friday, September 17. If you have any comments you would like ABI to submit to the DNR on your behalf, please send those to Brad Hartkopf by Thursday, September 16.
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Iowa Department of Revenue Issues Proposed Rule on Out of State Tax Credit Against Iowa Income |
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A 2020 law passed by the Iowa Legislature changed how pass-through entity taxpayers determine tax liability calculations. The Department of Revenue has issued a proposed rule to provide clarity for compliance with the new law and other issues related to tax liability for foreign income. Taken together the provisions of the law provide a small net benefit to taxpayers in this category but since each taxpayer will have their own experience, ABI policy staff wanted to flag the rule for those affected.
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Governor Announces Monumental Investment in Housing |
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This week, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds declared she would invest $100 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds into a number of programs aimed at expanding housing options in Iowa. The governor indicated that with this announcement, Iowa will have allocated $330 million over the next five years to address the state’s shortage of housing.
Find more details about the breakdown of the investment and how to apply here.
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State Rep. Wes Breckenridge Resigning from Iowa Legislature |
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Iowa State Rep. Wes Breckenridge, a Democrat who represents Jasper County, is resigning from the state legislature to take a new job position at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. This means there will be a special election in House District 29 to fill his seat in the Iowa House.
Rep. Breckenridge served his first term in the Iowa House in 2017. He was a former lieutenant with the Newton Police Department. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will have to schedule a date for the special election to take place. Read more at The Des Moines Register.
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State of Iowa Announces National
“This is Iowa” Ad Campaign
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“This is Iowa,” a nationally televised commercial aimed at introducing Iowa and our outstanding quality of life debuted this week. The 30-second advertisement encourages individuals to visit, live and work in Iowa. It will be airing through a variety of mediums later this week. The “This is Iowa” campaign is an initiative that seeks to highlight the benefits and opportunities that Iowa has to offer to visitors and residents alike. You can visit the “This is Iowa” website here.
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ABI to Lobby the Iowa Congressional Delegation for Competitive Tax Policy |
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ABI is joining other Iowa-based interests to advocate for competitive tax policy. ABI plans to sign on to a public letter directed to members of the Iowa congressional delegation asking them to move carefully and thoughtfully as federal lawmakers consider revenue increases to fund a potential growth in government spending. This was authorized by the recent passage of budget reconciliation authorizing up to $3.5 trillion in new spending.
As a state known for manufacturing and agriculture, tax changes considered in Washington, D.C. that target the transfer of closely-held businesses and farm operations or increased tax rates for pass-through entities can do outsized harm to Iowa. Look for more information as we launch this effort next week. With questions, please contact JD Davis at jddavis@iowaabi.org.
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Biden Administration Announces COVID-19 Action Plan |
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The Biden Administration announced Thursday a COVID-19 Action Plan which states all employers with 100 or more workers will have to require their employees to get vaccinated or take weekly COVID-19 tests. The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will issue an emergency temporary standard with this requirement in upcoming weeks, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Employers will also be mandated to provide employees with paid time off to get vaccinated. This latest directive comes as cases related to the rise of the Delta variant continues.
The Biden Administration will also mandate the executive branch’s federal employees and government contractors to be vaccinated.
While strongly encouraging vaccinations, ABI has contacted the Iowa congressional delegation to urge their continued support for private businesses being managed without interference from the government.
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National Small Business Week Virtual Summit on September 13-15 |
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This month, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is celebrating National Small Business Week. This week focuses on contributions of America's entrepreneurs and small business owners.
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EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS WEDNESDAY! |
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Take advantage of early bird pricing for both the Legends In Manufacturing Awards Dinner AND Advanced Manufacturing Conference when you register by Wednesday, September 15th. And don't miss these valuable workshops at the Advanced Manufacturing Conference which are certain to help you plan the next stages of your company and accelerate toward innovation.
ADVANCED MANUFACTURING CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS
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State and Federal Tax Update and Potential Planning Opportunities or Pitfals
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Taking a Deep Dive on Iowa’s Manufacturing 4.0 plan
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ESOPs in Advanced Manufacturing
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The Buying Journey
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Marijuana Maze: Tips for Employers on Navigating the Changing Legal Landscape
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Repurposing Your Engineering Assets in a New Reality
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Strategic Techniques to Innovate Around Patented Technologies
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Building a Manufacturing Workplace for the Future
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Learn How to Reduce Your Tax Liability & Potentially Take Advantage of the R&D Tax Credit
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Inside the Ransomware Wave: How to Prevent Attacks and Limit the Damage
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Join in on Wednesday, Sept. 15 for a conversation about how to reignite that spark that you felt during your Leadership Iowa experience and identify ways to engage others to participate in this impactful program! Barb Baker (LI '11-12, Grinnell Mutual), Nick Smith (LI '17-18, Musco Lighting) and Shelly Greving (LI '11-12, Emerge Marketing Solutions) who will share their experiences from Leadership Iowa involvement, takeaways, and next steps to keep leadership growing and impacting your business, community and personal development. Register HERE for call information!
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Click on the headlines to learn about the latest ABI member news
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SHRM Conference - October 6-8 |
Iowa SHRM has “stacked the deck” to bring you a can’t miss 2021 Iowa SHRM State Conference. The conference will be held October 6-8 at the Iowa Events Center and will include:
- Keynote Speakers Jeff Civilico and Dima Ghawi
- An “Investigation Symposium”
- Up to 14 SHRM PDC’s (self-directed HRCI credits)
- Networking with sponsors, vendors and other attendees, and much more
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TOP SUPPORTERS - GOVERNOR |
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