Highlights in this edition:

• Major Maintenance List Grows to $474 Million according to DAS
  • The State Historical Building has $75.5 million of work
• Democrats Unanimously Oppose Maternity Home Legislation
  • A maternity group home is a community-based residential home that provides room and board, personal care, supervision, training, support and education in a family environment for women who are pregnant or have given birth in the last two years
• Certified Enrollment for 2023-24 Holds Steady; 16,757 ESA Participants Enrolled at Iowa Accredited Nonpublic Schools
  • Public school district certified enrollment was 483,699, down only one-half percent
• Bills Advance on Child Care, Maternal Health, and Parent Access to Medical Records
  • House File 2064 requires health care providers to give parents access to their children’s health care information

Read the full amendment HERE. 

Highlights in this edition:

• What Happens When the State of Iowa is Facing a Lawsuit?
  • Who pays any claim or settlement when the state or one of its employees is being sued? The taxpayers
• Area Education Agency Update
  • The Governor’s office has stated that an amendment to the original bill is coming
• What is a Woman?
  • House Study Bill 588 sets a definition of “woman” in Iowa code
• Where Does the DEI Restructuring Plan at Iowa Universities Stand Right Now?
  • The Regents universities appointed their own committees to help implement the Board of Regents recommendations, but those implementation plans won’t be before the board until April
• Your Children Still have the Right to Privacy
  • Protecting the privacy of children should be a priority for all adults

Highlights in this edition:

• Gambling Tax Revenue Climbs in December, But Still Lags Behind FY 2023
  • The Revenue Estimating Conference projected that gaming tax revenue will come in at $318.5 million which represents a $24 million decline from the previous year
• Social Media Use Leads to Poor Mental Health Among Teens and Negatively Impacts Learning
  • When schools place limitations on phones during recess, researchers found that students exercise far more, burning off energy, fostering physical health, and promoting better attention in class
• House HHS Committee Hears Presentation on Mental Health
  • Republicans approved nine different bills dealing with mental health last session
• You Can’t “Yada Yada” Road Safety Anymore, with Feds Now Coming for Humorous Road Safety Messages
  • The Federal Highway Administration issued new guidance for states to stop using humorous phrases on electronic signs

Highlights in this edition:

• Governor Releases Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Proposal
  • The Governor is proposing an increase of $367.1 million or 4.29 percent over the adjusted FY 24 budget
• Eighth Circuit Upholds Constitutionality of Two Iowa Ag Trespass Laws
  • The laws dealt with ag production facility trespass and with cameras or electronic surveillance device trespass
• Governor Reynolds’ Education Priorities Include Higher Teacher Pay, Better Reading Instruction and AEA Reform
  • Increases the minimum teacher salary from $33,500 to $50,000 and create a minimum teacher salary of $62,000 for teachers with 12 years of experience
• Race, Ethnicity, Household Income, Education, Sex of Parent Are Not Determinants of Youth Mental Health
  • Parenting style is far more important than demographics
• Governor Reynolds Lays Out Work Based Learning Plan for Students
  • Allows students to earn core credit for competency based WBL programs

Highlights in this edition:

• Revenue Estimating Conference Makes Slight Adjustments to Forecasts for Fiscal Year 2024 & 2025
  • The slight decline $60 million in revenue comes from the next round of rate reductions adopted in the 2022 tax reform bill
• Blue States Feeling Blue About Future Revenue
  • Minnesota Democrats increased state spending by 38.5 percent and spent down their budget surplus from $17 billion to $2.4 billion
• Chronic Absenteeism in Iowa Schools
  • Iowa is one of only five states that saw an increase in chronic absenteeism
• Exposure to Age-Inappropriate Material is Harmful to Children
  • Two lawsuits aim to invalidate recently implemented guidelines what is not age-appropriate material in schools
• Study Finds Children Who Grow Up In Politically Liberal Households More Prone to Suffer Mental Health Problems
  • Among the differences that conservative parents displayed from liberal parents were the ability to "effectively discipline their children, while also displaying affection and responding to their needs
• Public Retirement Systems Committee Hears Presentations
  • The IPERS report continues the trend of the funded ratio moving upwards seeing the highest funded ratio since FY 2012

Highlights in this edition:

• Smaller Growth Projected by Surrounding States as FY 2025 Revenue Forecasts Set
  • Kansas and Nebraska still expect continued economic growth, just at a slower rate
• Iowa Insurance Division Publishes Health Insurance Report
  • Public programs provide health insurance to 1.5 million Iowans through Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs
• $29 million provided to EMS in Iowa
  • This helps local communities fund life-saving emergency medical services for their citizens
• Tax Fraud Prevention Efforts See Success
  • The fraud prevention team found $48,951,421 in refund reductions

Highlights in this edition:

• Casino Gambling Down, Sports Betting Up in October
  • For the first four months of Fiscal Year 2024, the state has received $105.2 million in casino gaming taxes which is a decline of $5.9 million over the same time period in Fiscal Year 2023
• Iowa State Board of Education Hears Proposed Rules on Key Parents’ Rights Bill
  • Age-appropriate material and parents being informed of their own child’s behavior didn’t use to be controversial
• Annual Actuarial Valuation Report Published for Municipal Fire & Police Retirement System
  • Despite market volatility and rising inflation, the Fire and Police Retirement System gained over $131 million in actuarial value in FY2023 an increase of 7.56%
• Iowa National Guard Protects U.S. Southern Border
  • The influx of migrants attempting to cross the border came from various countries including China and Iran

Highlights in this edition:

• Iowa’s Opioid Settlement Funds: How Much Does Iowa Get?
  • The opioid settlements come with fifteen pages of restrictions on how the settlement payments can be used
• Iowa Department of Education Releases New State School Performance Ratings and Federal Designations
  • Of the 468 total schools currently identified in need of targeted assistance, nearly half were identified because students with disabilities performed below the lowest 5 percent of all schools
• DNR--Anticipation is High for Iowa’s 2023 Pheasant Season
  • Iowa’s statewide pheasant population survey showed a 15 percent increase over 2022
• Iowa Sends Help to the Southern Border
  • While deployed, officers assisted in stopping 40 human smuggling cases, 11 drug trafficking cases, 42 car chases while turning in 491 illegal immigrants to Customs and Border Patrol

Highlights in this edition:

• Iowa on Solid Financial Footing According to State Revenue Estimating Conference
  • The one area where there is room for concern is falling gambling revenues which impact infrastructure funding
• How the U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision is Trickling down to Iowa’s K-12 Schools
  • The DE is proposing a rescindment of an Administrative Rule which provides, in part, that race or ethnic origin may be considered when “selecting applicants for an interview, employment and promotion”
• Tips for a Safe Halloween
  • Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs
• Election Day Preparedness
  • Iowans can vote early in person now until Monday November 6 at their county auditor’s office