ABI Board Acts on 2022 Policies and Priorities

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.