DES MOINES, Iowa â After the Iowa Legislature adjourned Sine Die, Gov. Kim Reynolds released a statement calling the session a win for Iowans.
âEarlier this year in my Condition of the State Address, I said now is the time to deliver on the promises we made to Iowans looking for a way up. Through collaboration and compromise, those Iowans will be better off today than they were before. The biggest winners of this legislative session were Iowa students, families, farmers, small business owners, and our rural communities,â Reynolds said.
âWe made historic investments into preK-12 Education and put more money into community colleges and our public universities. We protected job creators who hire individuals with past criminal offenses and funded the Future Ready Iowa
âWhile a lot was accomplished, weâre not finished yet. Next year, I will push again for a constitutional amendment to restore felon voting rights and work to expand access to contraception. We will also continue our focus on growing the economy as well as create opportunities to attract top talent to Iowa by sharing our story as a vibrant, affordable, and welcoming state,â Reynolds added.
Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg echoed Reynoldsâ sentiment in his own statement.
âThis legislative session was a success for Iowans as well as a direct result of compromise, bipartisanship, and Governor Reynoldsâ effective leadership,â he said.
âOne of those critical priorities we accomplished this year was the passage of the Empower Rural Iowa Act. Building off of recommendations from Iowans across our state, we put together an effective plan to empower our rural communities. By significantly funding the broadband grant program and doubling the rural set-aside in the workforce housing tax credit, we coupled two of Iowaâs greatest assets: our rural spirit and our people,â Gregg added.
âWhile we should be proud of where we are today, the governor and I know that thereâs more to do. In the months and years to come, Gov. Reynolds and I look forward to building on the progress we made this legislative session,â he concluded.
The Governorâs office highlighted legislative priorities accomplished this session.
Budget
- A conservative budget that is balanced and leaves our cash reserves full
Education
- $98 million in new money for preK-12, including including:
- $2.1 million to assist schools in addressing childrenâs mental health issues
- $2.9 million for per pupil equity
- $7.8 for transportation equity
- $6.4 million for the Governorâs STEM Advisory Council
- $12 million in new money for the Regentsâ universities
- $6 million in new money for community colleges
- 20 year extension of SAVE, 1 percent sales tax to invest in schools and provide property tax relief at the local level
Workforce
- Nearly $16 million in new money to fund last-dollar scholarships, grants and the Employer Innovation Fund as part of the Future Ready Iowa Initiative
Criminal Justice
- HF 650: protects job creators who hire individuals with past criminal offenses
Mental Health
- HF 690 creates a first of its kind Childrenâs Mental Health System
- $1.2 million for home and community-based childrenâs mental health services to eliminate the waiting list that currently exists
- Established a childrenâs mental health hotline
- Increased reimbursement for Assertive Community Treatment to treat individuals facing a mental health crisis in their own homes and communities
- Increased funding for the Stateâs mental health institutions for additional staff
Child Welfare
- Nearly $6 million for additional staff to ensure the safety of Iowaâs children
Flood Recovery
- $15 million for flood recovery efforts.
- $10 million for the workforce housing tax credit
Ag Protection
- SF 519 protects Iowa farmers from safety threats or biosecurity risks that untrained people on their property may cause
Judicial Nominating
- We reformed our judicial nominating system to give Iowans a greater voice in the process
Property Tax Reform
- SF 634 provides taxpayers with more transparency and information about how property taxes are collected at the local level
Rural Iowa
- HF 772, The Governorâs Empower Rural Iowa Initiative. This initiative serves as a connector to existing programs and resources which provide our communities with a roadmap for continued success
- $25 million for the workforce housing tax credit
- $5 million for broadband connectivity