Appropriations Bills Introduced – Future Ready Iowa Funding Included

March 28, 2019

The House and Senate have begun the budget process in earnest this week, with four of the 10 budget bills introduced on Tuesday and Wednesday. Each year, the House and Senate take turns starting the budget bills. So far, the following bills have been introduced:

HSB 248 – Education Appropriations – Includes $14.78 million for last dollar scholar program and $1 million for the skilled workforce grant program, both components of the governor’s Future Ready Iowa initiative and ABI priorities. We expect to see the additional dollars allocated in other budget bills yet to be introduced this year.

HSB 249 – Administration and Regulation Appropriations – This budget funds many state agencies including the Department of Revenue, Department of Inspections and Appeals, Office of Drug Control Policy and the Employment Appeal Board that hears all appeals from Iowa Workforce Development on unemployment insurance decisions prior to district court.

SSB 1250 – Economic Development and Workforce Appropriations – Appropriates $1.2 million for the Employer Innovation Fund that ABI supports to help leverage private dollars and invest in workforce programs in regional areas. The legislation also includes language and resources to do a housing needs assessment. In addition to funding the Iowa Economic Development Authority and a key policy initiative ABI supports, the legislation also funds Iowa Workforce Development. The legislation allocates up to $2.8 million of interest off the unemployment insurance reserve fund to be used to pay for field offices.

SSB 1251 – Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations – Legislation appropriates $3 million for water quality from the General Fund and an additional $2.375 million out of the Environment First Fund. Both provisions have policy language to focus on high priority watersheds. $425,000 from the Environment First Fund for ambient air monitoring.

SF 600 – Transportation Appropriations – Bill allocates more than $250 million between the Road Use Tax Fund and the Primary Road Fund for highways. The legislation was approved without opposition through committee last week and is ready for floor debate.