(Des Moines) Iowa House Representative Ray Sorensen said the House passed HJR 2006, making it harder to raise taxes. Sorensen said, “With the Republican trifecta in the Capitol, we have been focused on lowering the tax burden on Iowans. The decision to raise taxes should not be made lightly. It should be difficult to take additional money out of the paychecks of hardworking Iowans. This joint resolution is sending a Constitutional Amendment to the ballot for you all to vote on.”
This Constitutional Amendment would require a 2/3 majority vote in the legislature to increase income tax or to create a new tax. Because this bill deals with a Constitutional Amendment, the legislative body would need to pass it again in the next general assembly. Then, it would become a ballot measure for all Iowans to weigh in on.
Soresnen said, “We heard claims on the House floor that this bill would be detrimental to Iowa’s future. However, this policy of a requiring 2/3 majority to raise taxes is not unheard of. At least 16 other states have a similar or more restrictive policy, many of which are blue states.”
The House also passed HF 2668 to help improve the quality of health care and make Iowans healthier. HF 2668 requires health insurers to provide coverage for biomarker testing when the testing has proven to result in better results for patients. Biomarker testing checks for certain genes, proteins or other molecules to look for signs or behaviors of specific diseases or conditions. Doctors can use these biomarker test results to better tailor their treatment. It is often used for patients with cancer or rheumatoid arthritis.
“With this being covered by insurance, patients will benefit from more effective care that will better treat their condition and by avoiding ineffective, harmful treatments. Additionally, it will benefit the health care system by lowering the overall cost of care,” stated Sorensen.
Sorensen also noted that they again backed the blue with the passage of HF 2661. “This bill did three major things to support our men and women in law enforcement. It makes changes to IPERS for Sheriffs and Deputies and allows them to retire at up to 80% of their salaries and includes a 1.5% cost of living adjustment. It ensures that a person charged with murder of a peace officer or corrections officer, or felonious assault of an officer is not eligible for bail, and it creates a tax credit of up to $2,000 for public safety officers moving to the state of Iowa. This bill sends a message to law enforcement both here in Iowa and across the country that Iowa is a place that respects and supports law enforcement.”
And, the House passed the Forest Reserve bill, giving county supervisors the opportunity to collect tax on forest reserve acres, if they so chose. Sorensen said, “In many counties there are acres owned by out of state folks who’ve abused the system and pay nothing for rock roads or other services. If your supervisors vote to collect those taxes, all property owners using county services are chipping in their fair portion for those services.”
