BW INSIGHTS

2022 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 16 Summary

Week sixteen officially started overtime for the 2022 legislative session. Out of curiosity you may be wondering if the session has gone into overtime in the past…the answer is, more often than not, YES. The first legislative session was held by the Iowa Territory Legislative Assembly in 1838. The Iowa General Assembly began holding legislative... Read More

2022 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 15 Summary

The 100th day has passed with two days of debate in the Senate and zero activity in the House this week. At this point the only real deadline is July 1st - the date of the new fiscal year and the date which the budget bills take effect. Several legislators have primary contests and are chomping at the bit to get out there and door knock. The... Read More

BrownWinick Hosts the New Carbon Economy Summit

BrownWinick recently hosted the New Carbon Economy Summit in West Des Moines, IA. The summit brought attendees from across Midwest and beyond to learn about emerging innovative technologies, practices, and solutions that promote carbon sequestration, capture, and or transfer to address our climate challenges. The discussions covered a spectrum of... Read More

2022 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 14 Summary

The days leading to Easter weekend are usually slow as legislators like to participate in activities back in their districts. It is safe to say that the legislature won’t adjourn next Tuesday April 19th on the 100th day. At this point, it may just be safer to say, “no end in sight.” In what could have been a major shake-up in Iowa’s U.S. Senate... Read More

2022 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 13 Summary

In what we hope is the calm before the storm, week #13 was fairly uneventful as negotiations continued between the House and the Senate. The House passed two appropriations bills in a late night debate on Tuesday. Those two appropriations bills, the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund and Health and Human Services budget, are usually the last bills... Read More

2022 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 12 Summary

The end of the 2022 legislative session is getting ever closer as we approach the 100th day of session. Tuesday, April 19th is the target adjournment date, but that is not a hard and fast end date. Lawmakers’ per diem payments end on that date so it is a built-in incentive to conclude legislative work in a timely manner - the final “funnel” of... Read More

Iowa Property Tax Protests & Appeals

The Iowa property tax is a tax on “real property”, which includes (among other things) land, buildings, structures, or improvements constructed on or attached to land. Assessments of real property occur every two years, in odd-numbered years. The assessment is intended to be the actual or market value for most property taxes. Iowa Code Chapter... Read More

2022 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 11 Summary

The Senate had a short week of debate with no activity Monday or Thursday. On Tuesday, the chamber did pass eleven bills off the floor. They also passed ten bills Wednesday with eight passing unanimously. Across the rotunda, House lawmakers debated eleven bills on Tuesday, four bills on Wednesday, and thirteen bills on Thursday. This included the... Read More

Government Relations Update - 03-21-2022

Friday, March 18th marked the filing deadline for state and legislative offices. November’s ballot will include races for U.S. Senate, all four U.S. House of Representative Districts, Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer, Secretary of Agriculture, and Attorney General. Candidates for the June 7, 2022 primary election are... Read More

Immigrants May Be Targets for Cybercriminals: What You Need to Know

Immigrants face many unique challenges in American society. Despite being a country comprised primarily of the descendants of immigrants, persons arriving in the United States to start a new life often find that there are many barriers to their success. Some obstacles may be inherent in moving to a new country, but others often serve to... Read More