(Des Moines) Iowa House District 21 Representative Tom Moore highlighted several budget bills that passed the House.
HF868: The Education Appropriations subcommittee relates to the funding of, the operation of, and the appropriation of moneys to the college student aid commission, the department for the deaf and the blind, and the state board of regents. The proposed budget for 2022 would be for $970,357,588, which is an increase of $24,431,888 from the 2021 budget. This is about $14,500,000 less than the Governor’s proposal. Significant increases are $10,000,000 to the Future Ready Iowa Last Dollar Scholarship Program, $1,200,000 to the Iowa Tuition Grant Program, $1,400,000 to Iowa Jobs for America’s Grads (IJAG), and $6,000,000 to Iowa’s community colleges. It also reflects a $0 increase to the board of regents (Iowa’s three public universities). The bill passed 51-37.
HF863: The Transportation budget bill appropriates a total of $398,960,611 to the DOT. This bill passed 89-0.
HF862: The RIIF (Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund) budget was approved by a vote of 55-35. It appropriates $90,229,191 from the RIIF fund, $35 M from the General Fund to the Technology Reinvestment Fund, and an ending balance of $6,163,395 for a total of $200,354,191.
HF860: The Ag and Natural Resources budget appropriates $147,634,862 for Renewable Fuels, foreign animal disease preparations, Value-Added Ag Grant program, state parks, ISU Veterinary Diagnostic Lab to name a few of the budget. The bill passed 54-36.
HF871: The Economic Development budget appropriates a total of $49.7 million to fund 556.68 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions to the Dept. of Cultural Affairs, the Iowa Eco Devo. Authority, the Iowa Finance Authority, the Public Employment Relations Board, the Iowa Workforce Development, and the Iowa Board of Regents for FY2022. The bill passed 54-36.
All of these budget bills will need to be negotiated with the Senate.
Moore also noted SF562: Sexual Exploitation by an Instructor, passed the House 83-2. This bill makes it a crime for an instructor or trainer to engage in sexual activity with the minor they are training. It applies only while the training is taking place. It also removes the statute of limitations for sexual abuse perpetrated on a minor including human trafficking.
