ISAC Update: 2.26.16
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86th Iowa General Assembly, Second Session, Week Seven
This week legislative work focused mainly on floor debate as each chamber moved bills over to the other chamber after the first funnel. On Tuesday, the federal Center for Medicaid Services approved the Iowa plan to privatize Medicaid but delayed its full implementation date to April, 1. This will likely complicate an already challenging budget year as the projected savings brought on by the privatization will be impossible to meet. Negotiations on other budget items such as education and supplemental funding remain stalled due to other factors including whether to couple Iowa’s tax code to recent federal tax changes and an uncertain forecast by the Revenue Estimating Conference.
· NEW Statewide Interoperability Platform
· NEW County Seats
· NEW Iowa Public Agency Investment Trust
· NEW Peace Officer Confidentiality
· County Day at the Capitol
· Environmental Lobby Day and REAP Day at the Capitol
· Weekly Legislative Forums
New and Noteworthy
· NEW Iowa County Fiscal Reports
· NEW Rural Impact County Challenge: A National Effort to Combat Rural Child Poverty
· NEW Iowa Employment Conference
· NEW Solar Powering Iowa 2016
· Spring School Registration Closes Today
Statewide Interoperability Platform
On Wednesday, the Senate passed SF 2155 a bill that appropriates $20.37 million for a statewide interoperability radio system to be utilized by state and local officials. The funding for this system comes from the 2016 ending balance of the state budget. ISAC continues to favor this funding approach and is against the diversion of E-911 surcharge funding for this system as was done last year.
Click here to comment on the statewide interoperability platform.
County Seats
SF 165, a bill relating to the establishment, consolidation, or relocation of a county seat, was reintroduced to a subcommittee in the House Local Government committee this week. This bill would modify the aforementioned changes of a county seat from a vote of the board of supervisors to a vote of the county electorate. This bill passed the Senate on a party line vote and came out of the House Local Government committee but failed to pass the full House last year. ISAC remains opposed to this legislation as it goes against county home rule and circumvents the decision making ability of the board of supervisors.
Click here to comment on county seats.
Iowa Public Agency Investment Trust
HF 2261, ISAC’s objective addressing the Iowa Public Agency Investment Trust (IPAIT), passed out of the House on Monday. The bill would allow a joint investment trust like IPAIT to be operated in accordance with the requirements of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). This change is necessary because of recent changes to SEC Rule 2a-7 that will affect the way money market funds are required to value the securities in their portfolios. If IPAIT is able to be regulated by GASB it would be able to continue with the same valuation methods and types of investments as current. Click here for a more in-depth explanation of the IPAIT legislative objective. ISAC is registered For HF 2261, which now goes to the Senate.
Click here to comment on IPAIT.
Peace Officer Confidentiality
HF 2161 passed out of the House on Tuesday. The bill would allow a peace officer to file a written request with a local official to have their name, address, and telephone number removed from any internet site maintained by that local official. The bill defines local official to include the assessor, auditor, recorder and treasurer. ISAC is registered Undecided as the sheriffs and deputies are in favor while the assessors, auditors, recorders, and treasurers have major concerns about the ability to effectively accomplish the intent of the bill because of all the information that’s been obtained by third-party vendors. HF 2161 is now in the Senate and a subcommittee has been scheduled for Tuesday. The members of the subcommittee are listed below if you wish to contact them prior to the meeting.
· Senator Mary Jo Wilhelm (D-Howard), subcommittee chair
· Senator Michael Breitbach (R-Clayton)
· Senator Chaz Allen (D-Jasper)
Click here to comment on peace officer confidentiality.
County Day at the Capitol
Please plan to attend County Day at the Capitol on Wednesday, March 9. This is a free event held annually to promote the importance of county government to the public and legislators. Lunch will be served, so pre-registration is required and closes at 4:30 pm today, February 26, 2016. Click here for more information and to register.
Environmental Lobby Day and REAP Day at the Capitol
Join individuals and organizations from across Iowa on Tuesday, March 22 at the Iowa State Capitol to advocate for Iowa’s natural resources at Environmental Lobby Day and REAP Day at the Capitol. There is no cost to attend for individual attendees, but an RSVP is requested. Click here for a schedule, additional information for individual attendees and perspective exhibitors, and to RSVP.
Weekly Legislative Forums
Most legislators conduct forums back in their home districts on Fridays and the weekends to seek constituent feedback on a variety of topics. These can be an effective tool to advance and address issues that are vital to counties. A link to these forums can be found here:
http://www.iowahouserepublicans.com/forums
http://iowahouse.org/events/
http://www.iowasenatedemocrats.com/events
http://www.iowasenaterepublicans.com/events/
Iowa County Fiscal Reports
The Iowa State University – Iowa Government Finance Initiative released the “Annual Fiscal Conditions Reports for Iowa Counties” last week for FY 2014. There is a separate report for each of the 99 counties in Iowa. Click here to access the reports and to print a PDF of your county’s report.
ISAC will be hosting a Spring School educational seminar on March 10, 2016 from 9:00 am - 10:15 am titled “Fiscal Trends and Situation of Iowa Counties: Introduction of the new ISUEO Initiative.” Biswa Das, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, ISU Extension and Outreach, will be presenting on the new fiscal reports. You are encouraged to print out your county’s report and bring it to the seminar.
Rural Impact County Challenge: A National Effort to Combat Rural Child Poverty
Recognizing the critical role local officials play in supporting innovation and change, the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the White House Rural Council have come together on a national initiative to help advance counties’ efforts to reduce the number of rural children and families living in poverty. The Rural Impact County Challenge (RICC) seeks to recognize and support counties making real difference in the lives of children in rural communities. Click here for more information, a sample resolution and to sign up.
Iowa Employment Conference
The Iowa Employment Conference is being held April 20-21, 2016 in Altoona at the Meadows Events and Conference Center. This conference is the largest of its kind, in the state of Iowa, offering over 60 informative, interactive and educational sessions delivered by some of the top employment lawyers, payroll professionals, workforce development leaders and many others, from Iowa and surrounding states. It remains an essential event for those who want to stay up-to-date and compliant with the latest developments in labor and employment law, best practices, healthcare reform, how-to's, wellness and analysis and trends, and more. Click here for more information and to register. The early bird registration rate ends on March 1.
Solar Powering Iowa 2016
The Solar Powering Iowa 2016 conference will be held in Cedar Rapids on March 23-24, 2016. Click here to learn more and to register for the event.
Spring School Registration Closes Today
Registration for the ISAC Spring School of Instruction being held on March 10-11 at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown closes at 4:30 pm today, February 26, 2016. Click here to register. Find all information on the Spring School website - http://www.iowacounties.org/meetings-and-events/spring-school-of-instruction/.
If you did not get into the Des Moines Marriott Downtown and wish to stay there, please contact and request to be placed on the Marriott waiting list. She will contact everyone on the waiting list when rooms become available. Please make reservations at an alternate hotel prior to placing yourself on the waiting list. The waiting list does not guarantee that you will get a room at the Marriott.
Contact Information:
Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC)
5500 Westown Parkway, Suite 190, West Des Moines, IA 50266
Phone: 515.244.7181 Fax: 515.244.6397
www.iowacounties.org
This ISAC Update is being sent to all ISAC members.