BW INSIGHTS

United States Supreme Court Issues Decision on Enforcement of Arbitration Clauses

By BrownWinick | 06.07.2022

The United States Supreme Court recently issued a decision significant to the enforcement of arbitration clauses in contracts. In a unanimous decision, the Court held in Morgan v. Sundance, Inc. that federal law does not contain a “prejudice requirement” in determining whether a party has waived its right to arbitration. The prejudice requirement... Read More

Government Relations Update - 10.29.21

By BrownWinick | 10.29.2021

Yesterday, the Iowa Legislature met in a special session and approved the second redistricting map prepared by the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency (“LSA”). Every 10 years, states are required to redraw congressional and legislative district maps using updated U.S. Census population data. The Iowa Senate passed the new map by a vote of... Read More

Government Relations Update - 10.15.21

By BrownWinick | 10.15.2021

October 15, 2021 REC SUMMARY The Revenue Estimating Conference (“REC”), comprised of a three-member panel (Kraig Paulsen, Holly Lyons, and David Underwood) met this morning (10/15/21) as part of their standard schedule of meetings to estimate future state revenues. A summary of the information discussed during the meeting is below, along with the... Read More

Government Relations Update - 9.15.21

By BrownWinick | 09.15.2021

MICHAEL BOUSSELOT WINS ANKENY SPECIAL ELECTION House District 37 will continue to be represented by a republican as Michael Bousselot defeated Andrea Phillips in yesterday’s special election. Bousselot, an attorney and former director of Iowa’s Department of Management, secured 51.58% of the vote. The democratic candidate Andrea Phillips received... Read More

Government Relations Update - 9.10.21

By BrownWinick | 09.10.2021

Gov. Reynolds Deputy Chief of Staff to Join BrownWinick Des Moines, Iowa (September 10, 2021) – BrownWinick Law is pleased to announce the addition of Paige Thorson as a member to the firm. Thorson compliments the firm’s established government relations, insurance, health care, and energy and natural resources practices. Prior to joining... Read More

2021 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 18 Summary

By BrownWinick | 05.17.2021

The Senate has advanced a sweeping tax bill crafted as a compromise between the chamber and Governor Kim Reynolds. SF 619 cleared both the Ways and Means and Appropriations Committees last Tuesday, making it eligible for floor debate. Among other things, the measure would remove the revenue benchmarks the state must meet, or “triggers” for 2018... Read More

2021 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 17 Summary

By BrownWinick | 05.10.2021

The House Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed a tax proposal last Thursday (HF 893)—the day after the Senate and Governor Kim Reynolds introduced their own compromise bill (SSB 1276). Mental health funding is one of the main differences between the two proposals. Reynolds and the Senate are calling to phase out the mental health property... Read More

2021 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 16 Summary

By BrownWinick | 04.30.2021

The 2021 Iowa legislative session has officially gone into overtime as lawmakers continue crafting next year’s budget. Bills covering 10 major areas of spending, including Education and Health and Human Services, are eligible for floor debate in at least one chamber. The Senate unanimously passed its Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals... Read More

2021 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 15 Summary

By BrownWinick | 04.26.2021

House and Senate Republicans have agreed to spending $100 million next fiscal year as part of a statewide broadband expansion effort. The House GOP folded the funding into the Administration and Regulation budget bill (HF 867) which passed last Wednesday on a party-line vote, 55-37. Governor Kim Reynolds has made rapid broadband expansion one of... Read More

2021 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 14 Summary

By BrownWinick | 04.19.2021

Last Thursday Senate Republicans introduced one of the final major budget bills for the coming fiscal year. The Health and Human Services (HHS) appropriations bill, SSB 1267, sets funding levels for the Iowa Department of HHS, Department of Public Health, Iowa Finance Authority, Department of Veteran Affairs, Iowa Veterans Home, Department of... Read More