First funnel: what survived and what didn't

First funnel: what survived and what didn’t

Today marks the Iowa General Assembly’s first funnel deadline - a self-imposed deadline from the Legislature that requires proposed legislation be passed out of one House or Senate committee to remain alive.

Appropriations, ways and means, government oversight, and leadership bills are excluded from the funnel. Below is a list of key bills for Iowa employers. The list does not include legislation that is “funnel proof”. Please note that not all bill numbers have been updated to reflect the new number after committee passage.

Live Bills 
SF 270 - Wage Payment Collection
SF 269 - Minimum Wage Increase
SF 225 - Adds additional employment protections for adopting parents
SF 202 - Mandates co-pay equalization for physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech pathologists
SSB 1062 - Mandates employers provide time off to attend presidential caucuses
HSB 104/SF 60 – Broadband expansion
HF 308 - Aligns state and federal alcohol testing policies
SF 344 - Tax credit for companies who have apprenticeship programs
SSB 1069/HSB 66 – Omnibus transportation policy bill 
SSB 1004 - Increases regulations for entities who pay employees via pay card
HSB 136 - Establishes human capital enrichment advisory council and operations team
HF 192 - Requirement of written equalization notice and property tax appeal date changes
HF 194 - Statute of repose repeal 
HF 371 - Allows disclosure of radon testing to potential buyers of non-public buildings
SF 382 - Air Quality Bureau funding
HSB 144 - Streamlining water filter testing requirements
SF 286 - Establishing business accelerator for women-owned businesses
HSB 179 - Transmission line requirements 
SF 297 - Classifies workers’ compensation administrative law judges as merit employees 
HF 421 - Relates to qualifications for career and technical education instructors
HF 240 - Allows increased teaching load for community college career and technical education instructors
HSB 176 - Creates new code section related to recreational vehicles
HSB 167 - Cell Tower Siting
HF 394 - Regulation of transportation network companies (Uber/Lyft)
HF 514 - Establishes motor vehicle insurance verification program

Dead Bills
HF 21- Random choice of physician in workers’ compensation
HF 18- Right to Work repeal
SSB 1028 - Provides Cause of Action of bad faith patents
SSB 1231 - Limits clawback period for wage payment discrimination claims
SF 62 - Bans use of triclosan in products
HSB 96/SSB 1157 - VOIP deregulation
SF 242 - Solar energy purchase mandate
HF 40 – Places several restrictions on employment agencies including caps on fees for service, background checks, and transportation costs to place of employment
HF 439 - Prohibits sale or manufacture of personal care or dental products containing microbeads
HF 426 - Solar energy purchase requirements
SSB 1188 - Establishes benefit corporations
SF 231 - Employment of illegal immigrants and e-verify
SF 58 - Allows employers to use methods approved by DHS for drug testing
SF 37 - Allows counties to establish replacement tax districts for natural gas
SF 129 - Pipeline financial assurance proposal

There will be another deadline at the end of March to keep legislation moving forward. Bills will have to have passed one chamber and through a committee in the opposite chamber. Several of the bills mentioned this week have only made it through one committee and have additional steps to take. If you have concerns or interest in any of the bills above, contact Nicole, Rachel or Zach.