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

Highlights in this edition:

• General Fund Revenue Finishes Ahead of Previous Year, REC projections
  • Signals are starting to flash yellow regarding a fourth consecutive year of growth however
• Legislature Prioritizes Access to Child Care
  • Over the last three years, the legislature has prioritized expanding access to child care by increasing child care assistance rates, offering tax incentives, removing administrative barriers, and assisting families afford child care
• Boards and Commissions Review Committee Submits Final Report to Legislature
  • The Committee found that some of these boards and commissions had met their statutory objective, hadn’t met in years, or were duplicative of other boards and commissions’ responsibilities
• Legislature to Examine Driving by High School Students This Fall
  • The six-member interim committee is expected to begin its work with an initial meeting planned for Friday, October 13

Highlights in this edition:

• DAS: State Facilities Have $454 Million of Maintenance Needs
  • Making a substantial reduction to the number of projects on the current list will require a larger commitment to utilizing RIIF for its intended purpose – maintaining the state’s buildings
• Youth Employment Bill Already Making Positive Impact
  • A Des Moines Register poll recently found that 57% of parents approve the aim of the bill
• Iowa Board of Regents Releases FY 2025 Appropriations Requests
  • It is good to see that the Regents institutions responding to House Republican requests to focus their work on the vocations needed most in the state
• National Voter Registration Day
  • September 19 was National Voter Registration Day and a great reminder to double check and ensure you are registered to vote

Highlights in this edition:

• September Workshops for Local Redevelopment/Rehab Program
  • The program provides grants to communities for the redevelopment and rehabilitation of vacant or underutilized buildings
• Iowa Department of Education Releases New Spring Student Assessment Results
  • State-level results from 2022-23 show relatively little to no growth across most grades in English language arts
• Covid- Is It Déjà Vu All Over Again?
  • Schools cannot require students to wear masks
• DNR Notes that Pheasant Survey Results Highest in Eight Years
  • The biggest increases coming from southwest, northwest and northeast regions

Highlights in this edition:

• As the School Year Begins, What Resources Do Parents Have?
  • Parents, guardians and community members should work with district staff to resolve disagreements or concerns
• Mental Health Rate Increases in Effect
  • The Legislature continued prioritized bills to recruit and retain mental health providers in Iowa
• Michigan Election Questions Highlight Need for Iowa’s Strong Election Integrity Laws
  • Iowa received high scores for its ballot security
• House File 718—House GOP Prioritized Taxpayers Over Tax Spenders
  • The legislation passed both chambers with only one “no” vote and minimal controversy

Highlights in this edition:

• Pushing Back Against the Woke Agenda in Education: Part 2
  • Of major note is the 2022 Protect Women’s Sports bill
• Iowa Ranked 2nd Best State for Health Care
  • Broken down by category had Iowa ranked 2nd for cost, 6th for outcomes
• Watch Your Mouth In Michigan as Left-Coast Insanity Takes Hold
  • A new bill regulates the language citizens can use and allows criminal charges if the language used makes a person “feel terrorized, frightened, or threatened” this includes if a person intentionally uses the wrong pronoun to address another - offenders would be guilty of a felony and could face a fine of up to $10,000 or up to five years in prison
• Iowa is the BEST State to Retire
  • Bankrate rated Iowa the number one state for retirement after consideration of affordability, overall well-being, cost of quality healthcare, weather, and crime