Two of the “dirty dozen” are on the debate schedules for today, one in the Iowa House and one in the Iowa Senate. This update is to ask for your help today, and to encourage you to keep speaking up on other “dirty dozen” issues and on the revised Branstad-Reynolds-Republican budget we expect to see any day now.
Speak Up For Iowa Workers
In the Senate, we continue to need your help to stop the legislation (SF435/HF518) that would gut Iowa’s highly-rated workers compensation system.
The Insurance Journal rates Iowa’s system as the third best in the country. Premiums have fallen three of the last four years. Case filings are down. This bill is NOT an Iowa solution to an Iowa problem. Republicans did not campaign on this issue. This legislation is being pursued at the request of big-money, out-of-state special interests.
By speaking up, you have slowed down this legislation, but it did pass the Iowa House on Thursday and is now back on the debate schedule for today—Monday, March 20—in the Iowa Senate.
With your help, we can find 4-5 Senate Republicans who will finally stop this bill and give Iowans a chance to consider this legislation more carefully before next year’s legislative session.
Please e-mail Republican Senators today and call the Senate switchboard (515-281-3371) to leave messages for specific individual Republican Senators this afternoon. E-mail contact information for Republican Senators is available at www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find.
Here are some of the provisions in SF435/HF518 that would create new barriers to workers’ compensation or arbitrarily reduce compensation:
- Additional barriers due to alcohol or drug use, even if unrelated to employment.
- Reduction of compensation for all shoulder injuries.
- Reduction of compensation for all second work injuries.
- New “light duty” requirements that could reduce or bar compensation.
- New and unrealistic time deadlines for asserting a claim.
- Discriminatory age limitations against people age 67 or older.
- A new “predominant factor” test that will take away compensation from injured workers because of pre-existing conditions such as age, weight and prior work injuries.
- New provisions that allow or encourage employers and their insurers to delay paying compensation.
Stop the Attack on the Des Moines Water Works
Just like we need your help in the Senate, House Democrats need your help today to stop the bill (HF484) that would take over the Des Moines Water Works, dismantle the utility, and deprive voters from having their say on what should happen to its $300+ million in assets.
HF484 is on the debate schedule today in the Iowa House, so e-mail state representatives or call the House switchboard (515-281-3221) to leave messages for specific individual Representatives. If House Democrats can find 9-10 House Republicans to oppose this bill, they will be able to stop it.
Update on the Rest of the “Dirty Dozen”
Here is the status on the rest of the “dirty dozen”:
- Prohibit Local “Pre-Qualification” for Bidding (SF438) – passed Iowa Senate, now in Iowa House
- Lower Local Minimum Wages (HF295) – passed Iowa House, now in Iowa Senate
- Circumvent “Buy American” on local road projects (HF203) – passed both Iowa House and Iowa Senate, and is now pending Governor’s signature. You can call his office at 515-281-5211 to urge Governor Branstad to veto HF203.
- New Government Barriers to Voting (HF516) – passed Iowa House, now in Iowa Senate
- Make Planned Parenthood Ineligible for Medicaid Reimbursement (SF2) – passed Iowa Senate, now in Iowa House
- Create Religious Exemptions for Boarding School Regulations (SF443) – still in Iowa Senate
- Eliminate Permits to Acquire Firearms, Other Firearm Changes (HF517) – passed Iowa House, now in Iowa Senate
- Unfunded Mandate on Local Officials to Enforce Immigration Laws (SF481) – still in Iowa Senate
- End Bottle and Can Deposit Law (HF575) – still in Iowa House
- Restrict Right To Bring Nuisance Lawsuit (HF468/SF447) – passed Iowa Senate, now in Iowa House
Almost every day there is another misguided bill added to our daily debate calendar. Today, the Iowa Senate is expected to debate new caps on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases (SF465) that would be particularly hard on children, seniors and others who do not have “economic” losses—such as lost wages—to recover in the rare cases when medical providers make mistakes that cause harm. This bill is in the Iowa Senate now, and if it passes, will go to the Iowa House for more consideration.
Last Thursday, the Iowa Senate passed a proposed Constitutional amendment (SJR9) that would incorporate today’s budgeting rules into our Constitution (99 percent spending limitation and revenue forecasting) and would also place a hard cap of 4 percent annual budget growth in our Constitution, regardless of inflation or other emergency health or safety situations that may arise. This amendment is at best unnecessary, and at worst, would tie the hands of future Legislatures at the exact moment when action is most needed. This resolution has passed the Iowa Senate, so please speak up with Iowa House members about it.