BW INSIGHTS

2019 Legislative Session - Week 12

By BrownWinick | 04.05.2019

Lawmakers raced bills through committee this week, scrambling to beat the second legislative “Funnel.” Most policy measures that didn’t pass out of the House or Senate, and a full committee in the opposite chamber by Friday are dead for the remainder of session. Tax, spending, government oversight, and leadership bills are largely exempt from this... Read More

2019 Legislative Session - Week 11

By BrownWinick | 03.29.2019

A vast majority of the Iowa House advanced a key piece of of the governor’s agenda this week. Under HJR 14, the state constitution would be amended to restore felons’ voting rights after they complete their sentences. Governor Kim Reynolds made the issue a centerpiece of her agenda this year, proposing the amendment in her January Condition of the... Read More

2019 Legislative Session - Week 10

By BrownWinick | 03.22.2019

Governor Kim Reynolds has shifted her focus toward disaster relief following catastrophic floods across Iowa. Yesterday, she requested that President Donald Trump issue an expedited Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for 57 counties. That move would immediately free up federal recovery resources, including FEMA funding. So far, the floods... Read More

March 2019 REC Summary

By BrownWinick | 03.18.2019

The Revenue Estimating Conference ("REC") met yesterday morning (3/15/19) in Des Moines. A short summary of the information discussed during the meeting is below, along with the below spreadsheet handed out during the meeting that contains more detailed information. In short, the report from yesterday shows that revenues for the existing fiscal... Read More

2019 Legislative Session - Week 9

By BrownWinick | 03.18.2019

Iowa’s budget forecast remains relatively stable, although the state will bring in slightly less revenue than anticipated. That’s according to numbers released today by the Revenue Estimating Conference (REC). The expert panel projected the state will rake in $7.84 billion for the fiscal year beginning July 1. That’s roughly $20 million less than... Read More

2019 Legislative Session - Week 8

By BrownWinick | 03.08.2019

Lawmakers raced bills through the committee process this week as Friday’s funnel deadline approached. Most legislation that hasn’t passed subcommittee and full committee in the House or Senate by now is officially “dead” for the 2019 session. Some measures are exempt from funnel—generally those dealing with government oversight, taxes and... Read More

2019 Legislative Session - Week 7

By BrownWinick | 03.01.2019

Senate Republicans released their budget targets this week for the fiscal year beginning in July. Their total spending, about $7.62 billion, is roughly $50 million less than that proposed by the House GOP. The Senate version includes more spending for administration and regulation, and for economic development. As usual, one of the largest... Read More

2019 Legislative Session - Week 6

By BrownWinick | 02.25.2019

House Republicans introduced their FY20 budget targets Tuesday (set out below), which call for slightly more spending than Governor Kim Reynolds proposed. Under the House plan, Standing Appropriations (or “Standings”) would receive the most funding, $3.86 billion. The Standings bill is typically the last piece of legislation passed each session,... Read More

2019 Legislative Session - Week 5

By BrownWinick | 02.17.2019

A surprise Senate resignation capped-off the fifth week of legislative session. Sen. Jeff Danielson (D-Cedar Falls) stepped down from his seat Thursday, effective immediately. He simultaneously quit his position with the Cedar Falls Fire Department, where he has served for 25 years. In an interview with KWWL, a local TV station, Danielson said his... Read More

2019 Legislative Session - Week 4

By BrownWinick | 02.11.2019

Once again, legalized sports betting is top of minds for Iowa legislators. Over the course of two two-hour hearings on eight different sports betting bills (HSB101, HSB102, HSB103, HSB124 SSB1080, SSB1081, SSB1079, and SSB1100), House and Senate lawmakers heard pitches from the Iowa Lottery, casinos, and sports leagues about who should regulate,... Read More