Executive Director’s Report – Legislative Summary

v2009 End of the Session Summary

Here is a brief summary of the bills and issues ICAA followed this year:

SF 478- STANDINGS BILL

Shared Visions – 

The line item for the Child Development Council got a decrease of $923,000 from FY09. This is the where the Shared 

        

        Visions funding in located. This means that the Council will make the final decision about how these cuts are made 

        

        to the programs funded through this line item. 

Child Care Regulatory Fee -

This language will require all child care centers to pay a licensing fee of not more than $150.00. All homes will also be required to be licensed by July 1, 2013, (about 20% per year). Child care centers will be required to pay the fees associated with back ground checks and DHS is required to get the notification of passing the inspection back to the agency within 60 days of the inspection. 

Franchise Fees-

City governments can collect a franchise fee on utilities up to 5% and you need to know the legislature did include funding for energy conservation measures for low=income homeowners, low-income energy assistance programs, and weatherization programs.  (Page 95, line 25 of the bill). 

The Standings Bill is waiting for Governor Culver’s signature.                        

HF 820-  FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT APPROPRIATIONS

We did get the change of 5% administration for DCAA for one year only to provide additional resources to the Division for oversight of the ARRA funds. This bill is waiting for Governor’s signature.

SF 389 -  IOWA HEALTH CARE FOR KIDS

The bill creates a Legislative Health Care Commission, appointed by the Legislative Council, with nine stakeholder members and ex officio members from the Legislature and DHS, DPS and the Insurance Division.  It also requires the Commission to develop a health care reform plan, to make recommendations on care for children, subsidized and unsubsidized health care coverage, offering coverage under a state plant to non-state public employees, requiring employers with more than ten employees to offer health care options and options on coverage for uninsured persons.   Adult children: The bill does not require an adult child to be continuously covered in order to be eligible under a parent’s insurance plan. Children: Requires the DHS to cover children under 19 who meet income eligibility requirements for Medicaid when there is a federal match and to provide continuous coverage under HAWK-I when there is a federal match. The bill also requires taxpayers to indicate on tax forms if children have health care coverage. Requires the Department of Revenue to send a notice if an uncovered child may be eligible for HAWK-I or Medicaid and also requires the taxpayer to apply to the appropriate program in 90 days. The bill says DOR and DHS must report on uninsured children. Requires the coverage of children of legal immigrants under 5, if federal matching funds are available, to allow income averaging for self-employed persons, to use presumptive eligibility and to take other steps to increase the eligibility of children.   Authorizes the DHS, with the approval of the HAWK-I board, to contract for supplemental dental coverage. ICAA will not be naming someone to the Commission, this change happened during the conference committee debate. We may be asked by the Legislative Council, but the final version of the bill does not name ICAA.   Governor Culver has not yet signed the bill.

HF 672 – THE IDA BILL

This was a simple bill that did some clean up on the wording of the legislation that passed last year.   We needed to strengthen the language to make it match the federal.    Signed by the governor.

HF 234 – SF 218 ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT

 This bill requires insurance companies to cover the cost of alcohol and substance abuse. The legislature did pass mental health parity a couple of years ago, but it did not cover these issues.   Unfortunately, this bill did not get a vote.  

HF 684- PROPANE EDUCATION

There is no additional charge to propane customers and it does allow the council to develop energy efficiency programs dedicated to weatherization and other measures. This bill is waiting for Governor Culver’s signature.

FaDSS FUNDING –

We ended up just short of last year’s funding level.    This year we were funded at $5,,563,042. FY2010 we will be funded at 5,496,956, $66,096 less than last year. The funding is in the HHS Budget and it has not yet been signed by Governor Culver.

SSB 1307 & HSB 280 PAY DAY LOAN BILL

Even with the compromises that advocates made during the session, this bill did not come up for a vote.

FEDERAL DEDUCTABILITY

The bill to remove deducibility of federal taxes did not get a vote this session. 

EMPOWERMENT FUNDING

SF 470 -Department of Education Budget-

HF 811 -  HHS Budget

• $7,350,000 is appropriated for the early childhood grants program (significant to note that no cut was experienced in this particular line item)
• $1,097,084 is allocated for professional development for the early care, health and education