SF 600 – Transportation Budget

SF 603 – Funding for dual enrollment, allowing it to replace required courses

SF 608 – Economic Development Budget

SF 609  – Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget

SF 615– Justice Budget – ITEM VETO

SF 616 – Judicial Branch Budget

SF 632—Gambling Treatment Appropriation

SF 638—Standings

HF 307 – Transportation and DCPP Equity Funding

HF 756 – Federal Block Grant

HF 758 – Education Budget

HF 759 – Administration and Regulation Budget

HF 765 – RIIF Budget

HF 766– Health and Human Services Budget

SF 600 – Transportation Budget

SF 600 makes a supplemental appropriation for FY18-19. It also makes FY19-20 appropriations from the Road Use Tax Fund and the Primary Road Fund to the Department of Transportation.

FY 2018-2019 Supplemental appropriations
SF 600 makes a supplemental appropriation of $8.7 million from the Primary Road Fund for salt, effective upon enactment.

Department of Transportation

Road Use Tax Fund
FY20 Appropriation                         $51,488,498
FY19 Appropriation                         $51,036,884
Difference                                          $451,614
Percent                                                0.9% increase

Primary Road Fund
FY20 Appropriation                         $353,199,194
FY19 Appropriation                         $338,492,899 *includes FY19 supplemental
Difference                                          $14,706,295
Percent                                             4.34% increase

Total FY20 Increase:                       $15.2 million

 

Highlights:

Road Use Tax Fund 

DOT provides driver and identification service centers in the most populous areas of the state, and county treasurers provide services in counties that do not have a service center. There are 17 service centers in 16 counties – two in Polk County. County treasurers provide services in the other 83 counties, working as DOT agents via 28E intergovernmental agreements.

Dallas County started offering services in 2002, but its population has more than doubled and is projected to grow another 20 percent in the next five years (to 107,000 in 2023). This has created service demands that exceed the county treasurer model. The current annual issuance volume is 26,000 licenses and IDs per year, compared to the average county volume of 3,500. Dallas County issuance is now comparable to centers in Ames, Council Bluffs and Dubuque.

The DOT budget request includes an adjustment for an additional eight FTEs (full-time equivalents), $515,000 in operational funds for positions to staff the service center, and $350,000 in capital funds to establish a new leased facility. The service center will open in January 2020.

Primary Road Fund

Appropriations include $26,951,000 for a Sioux City facility that will combine the services and uses of five existing DOT facilities.

Sale of the existing facilities will return those properties to taxable use and will return an estimated $1,376,000 to the Primary Road Fund. It also should avoid an estimated $3,798,000 in major maintenance to existing facilities over the next 15 years, which will also benefit the Primary Road Fund.

Consistent with steps to reduce the physical footprint in other districts, the DOT proposes to consolidate five facilities into a single facility – the current District 3 main office, the Leeds and Hamilton garages, and the Leeds resident construction engineer’s office.

These facilities are 40 to 60 years old. Consolidating avoids duplication of facilities and common spaces, improves coordination of staff, moves the facilities out of what are now residential areas to an area with better access to the highway system, and creates garage space large enough to accommodate modern DOT equipment.
[4/2: 46-0) Absent: Brown, Kinney, Mathis, Zaun)]

SF 603 – Funding for dual enrollment, allowing it to replace required courses

SF 603 has three main provisions and is estimated to cost between $1 million and $3 million. It also requires $108,000 for a new FTE at Iowa Department of Education.

First, SF 603 increases supplementary weighting for liberal arts concurrent/dual enrollment from .46 to .50.

Second, the bill allows concurrent enrollment programs to supplant, rather than supplement, two high school courses currently required to be “offered and taught” under the state’s educational standards. The bill allows one of the required science or math units to be taught under dual enrollment if the number of pupils enrolled exceeds five and the school district’s total enrollment does not exceed 600 pupils. Public schools with more than 600 students may use college classes to count for one existing “offer and teach” requirement for science or math, but they will not receive additional/weighted funding. This is estimated to increase the school aid amount by $2 million.

Before schools can use the program, they must show a “good faith effort” to hire a certified high school teacher for the courses. Additionally, the bill adds requirements before a high school course can be supplanted:

• Enrollment of the unit must exceed five students.
• The unit must be offered during the regular school day.
• The unit is made accessible by the school district to all eligible students.

The bill expands the Chapter 709 sexual exploitation language to provide additional protects for high school students when taking community colleges courses. Community college instructors previously were not considered school employees for purposes of sexual misconduct/assault on a minor by a school employee. This closes that loophole.

Third, the bill provides new state funding to pay for concurrent community college enrollment of private school students. Like new student population thresholds for public schools, accredited private schools can use concurrent enrollment to supplant one science or math course. They can get “extra funding” if they have fewer than 200 students. If a nonpublic school has more than 200 enrolled students, they can still use community colleges to cover offer and teach requirements, but no extra/weighted funding is provided. This provision has an appropriation of $1 million in the Higher Education budget. If the nonpublic schools exceed this, funding will be pro-rated to the community colleges.
[4/26: 48-0 (Excused: Lykam, T. Taylor)]

 

SF 608 – Economic Development Budget

SF 608 is the Economic Development Budget. It appropriates $41.9 million from the General Fund to the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA), the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) and Iowa Workforce Development (IWD). This is an increase of $1.68 million over the FY19 budget. This budget is $1.19 million less than FY17 before the mid-year cuts.

The bill appropriates $28.1 million from other funds. This is an increase of $1.25 million from FY19 budget. Other funds include Skilled Worker and Job Creation Fund, IWD’s Special Contingency Fund and the Unemployment Insurance Reserve Interest.

General Fund Changes from FY19 budget

Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA): increase of $275,000 over FY19.

• Historical Division: increase of $100,000 over FY19.
• Arts Division: increase of $100,000 over FY19.
• Cultural Trust Grants: increase of $75,000 over FY19. Cultural Trust Grants go to Iowa nonprofit arts, history, sciences and humanities organizations for education programs and support local endowment building.

Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA): decrease of $50,000 compared to FY19.

• The World Food Prize is reduced by $25,000 from FY19 ($375,000).
• The Council of Governments receives an increase of $75,000 over FY19 ($275,000).

Iowa Finance Authority (IFA): IFA receives status quo funding ($658,000) for the Home and Community-Based Services Rent Subsidy Program that provides rent assistance to individuals on one of the Medicaid Home and Community-based Services (HCBS) Waivers.

Public Employment Relations Board (PERB): status quo funding.

 

Iowa Workforce Development (IWD): $138,000 less than FY19.

• $12,000 increase to Workers’ Compensation Division.

• $1.25 million General Fund decrease to workforce field offices.
• $50,000 general increase to the Offender Reentry Program.
• $150,000 decrease for the Future Ready Iowa Coordinator (now funded out of the Skilled Worker and Job Creation Fund).
• New Appropriation/FUTURE READY IOWA line item: $1.2 million for the Iowa Employer Innovation Fund, which was established in the Future Ready Iowa Act (2018). The funding will be used to match eligible employer moneys to expand opportunities for education and training that lead to high-demand jobs and to encourage Iowa employers, community leaders and others to provide leadership and support for regional workforce talent pools throughout the state, and for Future Ready Iowa Education and outreach.
• $1.7 million less to Iowa Workforce Development than FY17 before the mid-year budget cuts. Specifically, funding has been reduced to Workforce Field Offices and the Labor Division (OSHA inspectors, wage and hour investigators, child labor investigators, etc.).

 

Board of Regents—General Fund

• NEW Appropriation: $825,000 to Iowa State University for Biosciences Innovation Ecosystem and $275,000 to University of Iowa Biosciences Innovation Ecosystem. This is a total of $1.1 million. The money will be used to establish a nationally renowned innovation ecosystem in Iowa bioscience platforms (bio-based chemicals, precision and digital agriculture, vaccines and immunotherapeutics, and medical devices) to grow and diversify Iowa’s economy. The universities look to hire individuals, creating a funding program focused on early-stage technologies and creating an “Iowa Innovates” program to attract young innovators to Iowa.
• NEW Appropriation: $400,000 to University of Northern Iowa for equipment, technology and salaries to expand UNI’s additive manufacturing capabilities.

Skilled Worker and Job Creation Fund Appropriations (non-General Fund): $23.45 million

• IEDA
  • NEW Appropriation/FUTURE READY IOWA line item: $400,000 (from the Skilled Workers and Job Creation Fund) to the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Services to establish a volunteer mentor program to support implementation of the Future Ready Iowa Skilled Workforce Last-Dollar Scholarship program. The program was established in the Future Ready Iowa Act (2018).
  • NEW Appropriation: $100,000 (from the Skilled Worker and Job Creation Fund) to the Iowa Economic Development Authority for a Housing Needs Assessment Grant Program. IEDA will develop rules. The program is intended to provide small communities with hard data and housing-related information specific to the community being analyzed.
  • NEW Appropriation: $300,000 (from the Skilled Worker and Job Creation Fund) to the Iowa Economic Development Authority for Rural Innovation Grants Program. IEDA will develop rules.
  • High Quality Jobs: $1.95 million less to the High Quality Jobs Program. This funding is from the Skilled Worker and Job Creation Fund (total: $11.7 million). This is $4.2 million less than FY17 before mid-year cuts ($15.9 million).
    • New: IEDA may allocate up to $300,000 for supporting statewide worker education (will go to the Labor Center at University of Iowa.).

• IWD: Future Ready Iowa Coordinator: $150,000 (this was previously funded out of General Fund in FY19).

• ISU, UI and UNI: status quo from the Skilled Worker Job Creation Fund for their economic development initiatives.
• College Student Aid Commission: New Appropriation/Future Ready Iowa line item: $1 million for grant to help Iowans who left college with at least half the required credits for a bachelor’s degree in a high-demand field to enroll in a public or private four-year institution in Iowa to complete the degree. This program was established in the Future Ready Iowa Act (2018).

Other Funds

• IWD: increase of $1.25 million from other funds (Unemployment Insurance Reserve Interest) from FY19 budget, for field office operations. With this increase in other funds and the decrease in the General Fund appropriation, the field offices are at status quo from FY19.
• Tourism Marketing (from Adjusted Gross Gaming Receipts): status quo from FY19 ($900,000), which is $224,000 less than FY17.

New Policy: Adds four legislators as ex-officio members on the Iowa Finance Board.
[4/24: 37-13 (Yes: Republicans, Dotzler, Giddens, Mathis, Quirmbach, J. Smith)]

SF 609  – Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget

SF 609 is the FY20 budget for the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and for the Department of Natural Resources.

FY19 Appropriation                         $39.4 million
FY20 Appropriation                         $42.7 million
Difference                                          $3.3 million
Percent Increase                              8.3 percent

Significant Funding Increases

Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS): $304,000 increase for operations over FY19, to establish the industrial hemp program and implement the Iowa Hemp Act (SF 599/HF 733).

Farmers with Disabilities: $50,000 increase over FY19, increasing the appropriation to $180,000. This money provides support to Easter Seals to administer the Rural Solutions program that assists farmers with physical or mental disabilities. The program offers agricultural worksite and home modification consultations, peer support, services for the family, information and referrals, and medical equipment loan services.

 

Foreign Animal Disease Response Fund: increases funding by $250,000, doubling the appropriation to $500,000. This funding assists IDALS in developing response and preparedness efforts for future outbreaks of infectious animal diseases. IDALS, in cooperation with farm groups and the Livestock Health Advisory Council at Iowa State University, will develop measures to prepare for, prevent, control or eradicate the transmission and incidence of foreign animal diseases for livestock in the state.

 

Department of Natural Resources (DNR): increases funding by $366,000, which is $1 million less than the department received from the General Fund in FY16.

Iowa State University – Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory: increases funding by $300,000.

University of Iowa – Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH)

• $130,000 to fund the director position. I-CASH was established by the Legislature in 1990 to coordinate prevention and education programs provided by UI, ISU, IDALS and the Iowa Department of Public Health to Iowa’s agricultural community.
• UI has reduced funding for a number of legislatively-established centers at the university. I-CASH is required by Code to have a full-time director employed by the university. The bill includes additional language that UI cannot further reduce support for I-CASH, similar to language in this budget regarding funding support for the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab at ISU.

Allocations of remaining WIRB funds

• The Watershed Improvement program ended in 2017 and remaining funds in its account were appropriated to IDALS for water quality improvements.
• This bill allocates $100,000 of that money for a farm demonstration program, with $1.7 million being allocated to the Water Quality Initiative.
• This one-time funding can be used for salaries, providing more “boots on the ground” to help establish more locally-led watershed projects.

Other Significant Funding Issues

Resource Enhancement and Protection program (REAP)

• $12 million, which is $4 million below FY17 and $6 million below the highest funding levels for the program in FY10.
• REAP funding is allocated under the formula to these separate accounts:

• Open Spaces – Open spaces is used to permanently protect and develop Iowa’s public lands and waters. DNR also uses funds in this account to pay property taxes owed to counties for land that has been acquired by DNR.
• County conservation boards – County conservation boards compete for grants that they can use to develop programing and public areas under their control.
• Soil and water conservation – This money is divided between projects and practices funding. IDALS has used funding from this area in the past to support urban soil conservation and water quality projects.
• City parks and open spaces – Cities compete for grants that they can use to develop public areas and amenities to promote outdoor recreation and natural habitat.
• DNR Land Management – DNR uses these funds to manage state conservation lands and facilities.
• Cultural Affairs – Grants for historical preservation and country schools.

• REAP is a stand-alone program that brings together a broad coalition of hunting, fishing, conservation, recreation and environmental organizations to push for projects that improve quality of life.

 

Major Language Changes/Budget Concerns: The bill does include some changes to Code language:

• Technical fixes to reflect the transfer of the Geological Survey from DNR to UI.
• Codifying past appropriations bill language providing that IDALS will administer biofuels auditing and administration programs to ensure motor fuel quality sold by retailers and renewable fuels producers.
• Sunset language regarding the mandated collection program for mercury-containing thermostats after June 30, 2022.
• Authorizing the use of REAP funds available to DNR under the Open Spaces account for repairing, restoring or rehabilitating flood-damaged property under the jurisdiction of DNR.
• The bill will prohibit the use of the Agricultural Drainage Well program funding for the closure of wells that weren’t registered with the DNR prior to January 1, 2019. Existing known wells are permitted through the DNR. The planned closure of all known wells is projected to be accomplished with the funding provided in this year’s budget and what was proposed in the Governor’s FY21 budget. Future wells or improved sinkholes would be eligible for financial assistance through other water quality programs. The final wells to be closed are being done in conjunction with other water quality improvement projects because the design for closure necessitates additional work.

Reduced funding has led to the elimination of successful programs and a large number of unfilled positions that should be providing services to Iowans. This budget pits agriculture and natural resources against each other.
[4/22: 33-16 (Yes: Republicans, Kinney, Quirmbach; Absent: Segebart)]

SF 615– Justice Budget – ITEM VETO

SF 615 is the Justice System appropriations bill. It appropriates $583,791,690 from the state’s General Fund for FY20. That is $12,980,505 over estimated FY19 ($570,811,185). Almost all departments and agencies get an increase over FY19, which is intended for salary adjustments.

Justice system departments and agencies include:

• Attorney General
• Civil Rights Commission
• Department of Corrections and Community Based Corrections
• The Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning of the Department of Human Rights
• Public Defender Office, which includes Indigent Defense
• Iowa Law Enforcement Academy
• Board of Parole
• Department of Public Defense (Iowa Guard)
• Department of Public Safety (this includes the Iowa State Patrol and multiple other divisions)
• Homeland Security and Emergency Management

FY19 Supplemental Appropriations in this bill:

• $2.5 million for indigent defense
• $295,982 for the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy for relocation expenses

Appropriations:

• Attorney General – General Office – increase of $77,768
  • Legal Services Poverty Grants (Legal Aid)– increase of $330,000
  • No increase for victim assistance grants.
• Department of Corrections – increase of $4,138,534
  • Central office: $2,742,850
  • Ft. Madison – Iowa State Penitentiary: No increase
  • Anamosa: No increase
  • Iowa Medical and Classification Center (known as Oakdale, but located Coralville): $504,000 for pharmaceuticals
  • Newton Correctional Facility: $65,938 for a “revocation correctional counselor”
  • Mt. Pleasant: No increase
  • Rockwell City: No increase
  • Clarinda: No increase
  • Mitchellville: No increase
  • Ft. Dodge: No increase
  • Community Based Corrections District 1 (Northeast Iowa): $125,090 to fund a community treatment coordinator FTE
  • CBC District 2 (North Central Iowa): $70,351 to fund a community treatment coordinator FTE
  • CBC District 3 (Northwest Iowa ): $70,351 for community treatment coordinator FTE
  • CBC District 4 (Southwest Iowa): $70,351 for community treatment coordinator FTE
  • CBC District 5 (Polk County, surrounding counties and south central counties): $140,702 for two community treatment coordinator FTEs
  • CBC District 6: No increase
  • CBC District 7 (Eastern Iowa, including Scott County): $70,351 for community treatment coordinator FTE
  • CBC District 8 (Southeast Iowa): $278,550 for community treatment coordinator FTE and two probation and parole officer FTE positions previously funded by a grant.

• Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning: increase of $16,989
  • Receives a new, separate line item of $140,000 for “a single grant to a program located in a city with a higher than average juvenile crime rate as determined by CJJP with a population greater than 80,000” (Davenport).
• Iowa Law Enforcement Academy: general increase of $9,426
  • Increase of $729,460 for relocation expenses while the Academy building is renovated or replaced. ILEA is renting apartments for cadets during the renovation, and they may use Upper Iowa University classroom space.
• Public Defender: $449,840 increase
• Indigent Defense: $3,116,000 increase, on top of the $2.5 million increase for FY19.
• Board of Parole: $13,313 increase.
• Department of Public Defense (Guard): $70,584 increase.
• Homeland Security: $1,267 increase.
• Department of Public Safety: increase of $3,847,834

• Division of Criminal Investigation: $350,000 increase and five FTEs
• Crime Lab: No increase
• Narcotics Enforcement: $200,000 increase
• Undercover Funds: No increase
• Iowa State Patrol: $1.7 million and 10 FTEs increase
• Firefighter training: No increase
• Office to Combat Human Trafficking: No increase
• Department-wide duties – New appropriation of $1,597,834. Intended for salary adjustment.

New language and language changes in the bill:

• Requires the Attorney General to report all money settlement awards and court money awards made to the state. The AG must report which funds are designated to receive the moneys and under what legal authority the designation is being made.
• Handcuffing the Attorney General: Prohibits the Attorney General from prosecuting actions and proceedings in a court, including filing amicus briefs outside of Iowa unless requested by the Governor, the Executive Council or the Legislature. The AG may defend in any court other than Iowa when in the AG’s judgment, the interest of the State requires, or when requested by the Governor, Executive Council or the Legislature. – ITEM VETO
• Indigent Defense Hourly Rate Increase: increases the hourly rate for court appointed attorneys in criminal cases by $3 for each case type.
• Public Safety Assessment: prohibits the use of Public Safety Assessments in pretrial hearings. They may not be used until specifically authorized by the Legislature.
• Sets up a fire service training revolving fund under the control of the Department of Public Safety. These monies come from fees paid for Fire Service Training classes. Iowa State University previously did the accounting, etc. relating to these fees.
• OSHA settle agreement: Authorizes the Department of Corrections to use any FY19 appropriations to resolve a settlement agreement with Iowa OSHA relating to inadequate communication devices for staff at the Iowa State Penitentiary. The radios are estimated to cost about $1.5 million. The DOC has $700,000 savings from FY19 county confinement and federal prisoner appropriations that they will use to purchase new radios. Perhaps the general office appropriation will supplement the purchase.
• Public Defender Pilot Project: Allows the Public Defender Indigent Defense Division to continue its pilot project allowing indigent defendants to choose an eligible attorney to represent them. The pilot project is limited to four counties.
• Public Safety Survivor Benefits Fund: Sets up a Public Safety Survivor Benefits Fund under the Department of Public Safety to provide help to survivors of peace officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty with the costs of accident or health care coverage. Each year, $100,000 of lottery revenues will be transferred to the Public Safety Survivor Benefits Fund prior to deposit in the General Fund.
  [4/24: 32-18, party-line]

SF 616 – Judicial Branch Budget

SF 616 says that “an office of the clerk of the district court shall be open regular courthouse hours.”

	Estimated FY19	SF 616	SF 616 v. FY19
Judicial Branch – general	$177,574,797	$181,126,293	$3,551,496
Jury Witness Fee Revolving fund	3,100,000	3,100,000	0
Total Judicial	$180,674,797	$184,226,293	$3,551,496

 

Percentage Increase: 1.96%

The total Judicial Branch request was $7,271,627, which includes a 4% salary increase for judges.

Salaries for Judicial Officers: 

• Establishes annual salary rates for all judicial officers. Salaries provided for in this section will be paid from funds allocated to the Judicial Branch from the salary adjustment fund. If that isn’t sufficient, then from funds appropriated in this bill.
  [4/24: 35-15 (Yes: Republicans, Bisignano, Kinney, Mathis)]

SF 632—Gambling Treatment Appropriation

SF 632 makes an appropriation of $300,000 (for FY20) to the Department of Public Health for a gambling treatment program established in Iowa Code 135.150. This appropriation is contingent upon the enactment of Iowa Code section 8.57, subsection 6 (relating to sports betting).
[4/23: 47-2 (No: Hogg, R. Taylor; Absent: Petersen)]

SF 638—Standings

SF 638 makes adjustments to various General Fund standing appropriations and results in a decrease of $31.7 million for FY20. Total standings appropriation for FY20 is $3.84 billion.

Division I–Standing appropriations and related matters

• Nonpublic school transportation: Limits the FY20 General Fund appropriation to the Department of Education for nonpublic school transportation to $8,197,091.
• Instructional Support Program: Suspends the standing appropriation of $14.8 million to the Department of Education. School districts may use local property taxes and income surtaxes to fund their portion of the Program. State funding for this program has not been provided since FY11.
• State School Aid and AEA funding: Reduces FY20 State School Aid to Area Education Agencies (AEAs) by an additional $15 million, for a total reduction of $22.5 million.
• Special Funds-Salary Adjustments: Salary adjustments may be funded (as determined by Department of Management) using unappropriated moneys remaining in special funds for which the Legislature has not made an operating budget appropriation.

Division II–Miscellaneous Appropriations: Volunteer Fire Fighters: $50,000 FY20 General Fund appropriation to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for volunteer fire fighter training and related equipment needs. DPS may reallocate funds as necessary to best fulfill the needs provided for in the appropriation. The Department must notify LSA and DOM of any reallocation and the rationale for reallocating moneys.

Division III–Miscellaneous Provisions

• Ombudsman Annual Report due date change: Changes the due date of the Ombudsman’s report to the Legislature from April 1 to December 31 of each year. The report is about the ombudsman’s functions during the preceding fiscal year instead of the preceding calendar year.
• Groundwater Hazard Statement: Prohibits county recorders from charging/collecting a fee for submitting or filing a groundwater statement. Historically, county recorders have not collected fees for groundwater hazard statements in real estate property transactions. In September 2018, the County Recorders Association determined that this was an error and that starting on July 1, 2019, county recorders would start collecting fees as prescribed by law.

Division IV—Corrective Provisions: Makes corrective changes identified by LSA to numerous bills passed and signed by the Governor this year. Corrective provisions for SF 570 (Immunity from civil liability for volunteers during disasters); HF 634 (merging various juvenile justice and human rights boards); HF 690 (Children’s Mental Health), SF 274 (campus “free speech”); SF 435 (towable recreational vehicles); HF 765 (RIIF); HF 679 (Substantive Code Editor’s Bill); SF 558 (Domestic Surplus Lines); SF 559 (electronic insurance notices); HF 610 (adult guardianships and conservatorships); and SF 333 (non-substantive Code Editor’s bill).

Division V—Flood Recovery: Creates a new Flood Recovery Fund under the control of the Flood Mitigation Board. A political subdivision of Iowa is eligible to receive moneys from the fund if the political subdivision is located in a Presidential Disaster Area from the severe storms and flooding from March 12, 2019, and is also located in a county where the federal emergency management agency’s individual assistance program has been activated. At time of passage, the applicable counties were Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Pottawattamie, Shelby and Woodbury. For a project to be eligible for funding, it must support flood response, flood recovery or flood mitigation. The bill appropriates $15 million from the General Fund from FY19 to the Flood Recovery Fund. The funds do not revert. The Department of Homeland Security and Emergency management may adopt emergency rules. These sections of the bill take effect upon enactment.

Division VI—State Budget Process

• Codifies provisions relating to the salary model administrator, which appeared annually in standings appropriation bills. In the past, the language required the five institutions under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Regents to provide salary data to the Department of Management (DOM) and Legislative Services Agency (LSA). The new language no longer references five institutions. It instead references 262.7: the University of Iowa, including the university of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics; Iowa State University, including the Agricultural Experiment Station; University of Northern Iowa; the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School; the State School for the Deaf; the Oakdale Campus; and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics’ Center for Disabilities and Development.
• Codifies provisions relating to the state budget process that appear biennially and apply annually in the standings appropriations bill; requires State agencies to submit budget information each year to the DOM and include all proposed expenditures, supporting data and explanations; requires state agencies to consult with LSA prior to submitting expenditure estimates to DOM; and requires expenditures to be prioritized by program or by expected results, including performance measures.

Division VII—Blackout Special Registration Plates: Allows the Iowa Department of Transportation to issue a $35 blackout special registration plate. The plate’s background must be black and the numbering white. The vehicle owner must not place a frame that blocks plate number, state or county name, or validation/registration sticker. Monies collected will be deposited into the Road Use Tax Fund. In addition to the initial $35 fee, there is a $10 annual fee for blackout license plates and a $5 fee, if applicable, for personalized plates.

Division VIII—Gambling Regulation

• Sports Wagering: Amends SF 617, Sports Wagering bill. The language prohibits a person from selling, granting, assigning or turning over to another person the operation of an individually branded Internet site to conduct advanced deposit wagering for the licensee.
• Annual Audit of licensee operations: Allows multi-county casinos to have just one audit of the parent company.

Division IX—Public Utilities: It modifies energy efficiency and demand response plan filing requirements for certain public utilities. This portion of the bill amends the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) approval process for energy efficiency program budgets to not allow IUB to approve a plan that has a budget exceeding the 2%/1.5% thresholds established in 2018’s SF 2311. Previous language said IUB couldn’t require a utility to have a budget exceeding the cap. Three gas utilities did have program budgets above the cap limit when the Energy Center/CGREER assessment was included in the program budget. The language does not mandate the Energy Center/CGREER assessment be included in program budgets or that noncompliant plans be resubmitted to the board for approval. Under the bill, IUB will not require or allow an electric utility to adopt an energy efficiency plan that results in projected cumulative average annual costs that exceed the 2%/1.5% thresholds.

Division X—Board of Regents Capital Projects

• Board of Regents Capital Projects Report: The Board of Regents must submit a report to the Legislature by December 13, 2019, on financing for capital projects at Regent institutions. The report will go back to capital projects initiated by the Regents since January 1, 2004, and will include recommendations to the Legislature on the type of projects that should be eligible for state funding; the share of state-funded capital projects that should be funded with non-state dollars; and how the fundraising plan will be developed for state-funded projects.
• Repeal Regents Match Requirement in RIIF budget: Repeals the section of the RIIF budget that required matching dollars for Regents construction projects.

Division XI—Watershed Management Authorities: Allows areas in the Geological Survey Hydrologic Unit Code 8 Watershed outside of Iowa to participate in any 28E Watershed Management Authority. This will allow Hamburg to be eligible for certain disaster funding.

Division XII—Elections: Changes an effective date for HF 692 (elections bill) from effective upon enactment to July 1.

 

Division XIII—Judicial Nominating Commission

The bill makes significant changes to Iowa’s judicial nominating commission process and undoes a system for choosing judges that was voted on and adopted by the people of Iowa in the 1960s. The changes include:

• The governor will appoint nine members to the state judicial nominating commission, rather than eight. They will still be subject to Senate confirmation.
• Commissioners are limited to one six-year term on the commission.
• If an appointed member misses a meeting where the commission conducts interviews or selects nominees, the commissioner is considered to have submitted a resignation.
• Members of the state judicial nominating commission will choose the chairperson of the commission.
• All judicial nominating commissioners are subject to removal by the executive council.
• Nominating petitions for commissioners will need only 10 signatures.
• The governor will be notified of judicial officer vacancies, rather than the chair of each commission receiving notification.
• The governor will call the meetings of the judicial nominating commissions when a judicial vacancy occurs.
• The commissioners can do individual interviews with nominees prior to commission meetings.
• The state judicial nominating commission will adopt uniform rules for all the judicial nominating commissions to use, for consistency.
• If any part of the law is found unconstitutional, the invalidity does not affect other provisions.
• If any provision is preliminarily enjoined, no judicial nominating commission will meet to nominate someone to serve as a judge or justice while the injunction is in effect or while any appeal of the preliminary injunction or a related permanent injunction is pending.
• The chief justice will be elected by a majority vote of the justices on the Supreme Court for a two-year term, with the term of the current chief justice expiring on January 15, 2021. The chief justice is eligible for re-selection.
• This division is effective upon enactment.
  [4/27: 32-16, party-line (Absent: Lykam, T. Taylor)]

HF 307 – Transportation and DCPP Equity Funding

HF 307 contains two funding provisions for school districts: transportation and District Cost Per Pupil. First, the bill establishes the Transportation Equity Fund created in 2018 as a permanent Categorical fund, subject to Categorical Supplemental State Aid (SSA) increases. It also appropriates $19 million into the fund for FY20. This is an increase of $7.8 million over FY19. One-hundred-ninety districts will receive transportation aid, up from 136 in FY19 (54 increase).

Second, the bill adds $5 to the State Cost Per Pupil (SCPP) for those districts that have a District Cost Per Pupil (DCPP) equal to the SCPP. This effectively narrows the gap between the highest and lowest DCPP districts from $170 to $165. This takes the SCPP from $6875 to $6880, a $2.9 million increase in the school funding formula. One-hundred-seventy-nine districts will receive some funding.
[2/13: 48-0 (Excused: Jochum, Nunn)]

HF 756 – Federal Block Grant

HF 756 appropriates funds made available from federal block grants and other non-state sources, totaling $360.9 million for FFY20 and $361.1 million for FFY21. The levels specified in the bill are based on projected spending authority yet to be authorized by Congress. Departments and agencies to receive funding include the Department of Public Health, Department of Human Services, Department of Justice, Governor’s Office of Drug Control, Division of Community Action Agencies in the Department of Human Rights, Iowa Economic Development Authority and Department of Transportation. The bill specifies procedures for prorating funds to various programs if the funding received is less or more than the amount appropriated.
[4/22: 49-0 (Absent: Segebart)]

HF 758 – Education Budget

HF 758 is the FY20 budgets of the Department of Blind, College Student Aid Commission, the Department of Education and the Board of Regents. It appropriates $952.7 million, which is $40 million more than last year.

FY20 Senate GOP Recommendation                        $ 952,733,479
FY19 Appropriation                                                         $ 912,675,487
Difference                                                                          $ 40 million
Percent Increase                                                              4.4 percent increase
Original House GOP Target                                          $960,883,480
Original Governor’s Target                                           $963,275,618

Department for the Blind: $80,000 over FY19. The department provides services to educate and train blind and visually impaired people. The increase will place a sixth Independent Living teacher in the field for more frequent visits.

College Student Aid Commission: $14.6 million over FY19. Key changes include:

• Iowa Tuition Grant (ITG): $1 million increase, for a total of $47.7million.
• ITG For-Profit: $50,000 increase.
• All Iowa Opportunity Scholarships: $159,000 increase/$3 million.
• Rural Primary Care Loan Repayment Program: Status quo funding.
• NEW – Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship: $13 million. This is similar to the GAP program and is tuition assistance for students to finish their targeted training. Credentials include postsecondary certificates, diplomas and associate degrees.

• NEW – Future Ready Iowa Grant Program: Funding in the Econ Dev Budget (SF 608): $1 million to establish a grant that would allow Iowans who left college with at least half the required credits for a bachelor’s degree in a high-demand field of study to enroll in a public or private four-year institution in Iowa to complete the degree. This program was established in the Future Ready Iowa Act (2018).

Department of Education: $11.8 million over FY19.

• NEW: Children’s Mental Health: $2.1 million for this bipartisan priority.
  • Train teachers to detect mental health issues in students and determine appropriate follow-up.
• NEW: Nonpublic School Concurrent Enrollment (HF 603): $1 million (caps max standing unlimited appropriation).
• Nonpublic Textbook Services: Status Quo.
• Student Achievement and Teacher Quality Program: Status Quo.
• Iowa Assessment: $300,000 increase, which is $3 million total. Increase of $300,000 is designated for nonpublic schools only.
• IJAG: $1 million increase, total of $2.7 million.
• NEW: Best Buddies = $25,000.
• Iowa Learning Online (ILO): $0.
• Career Technical Education (CTE) Secondary: $320,000 increase to $2.9 million.
• Early Childhood Iowa (ECI): $500,000 increase.

Vocational Rehabilitation Division: Status quo funding of $5.9 million.

 

Iowa Public Television (IPTV): $50,000 increase over FY19, for a total of $7.7 million in FY20.

Community Colleges: $4.7 million increase/$207 million.

• New: ESL Adult Basic Literacy = $500,000. This new appropriation will work with the adult basic literacy, which is part of the Skilled Worker and Job Creation. $1.1 million solves the ESL adult education waiting list statewide.
• The Skilled Workforce Training Fund includes most of the community college job training and tuition assistance. Funding comes from gaming dollars. The bill provides status quo funding for FY20 of $40.3 million.

 

Regent Institutions: $12 million increase/total $575.4 million. It is estimated the regents will raise tuition by almost 4%. That is a $300 annual increase for in-state students.

• Schools for the Blind and Deaf: 2.06% increase (SSA rate).
• STEM: $1 million increase (18% increase).

 

Policy and Statute Changes

• National Guard Educational Assistance: Name change to “scholarship” and allows an additional 10 semester hours of undergraduate study for those pursuing a degree in a STEM field.
• Future Ready: High Demand Jobs definition/criteria in Code.
• 260E New Jobs Training: One-year language to help Lennox workers in Marshalltown.
• 260I – GAP Program: Changes the criteria for determining financial need eligibility for assistance by reducing the time for which family income is considered and allows two certificate attainments in one career pathway.
• High-Need Schools: Appropriation is pushed back to FY21. The $10 million never has been funded.
  [4/23: 32-18, party-line]

HF 759 – Administration and Regulation Budget

HF 759 appropriates $56.54 million from the General Fund, which is an $8 million increase over estimated net FY19 budget.

FY19 Supplemental: DAS: $3,524,611 for utilities shortfall for FY19.

 

Notable recommended increase – FY20

• Ethics and Campaign Disclosure: $68,500 (additional staff attorney)
• Governor’s office: $200,000 (for salaries, adds two FTEs: tax policy analyst and health care policy assistant)
• Terrace Hill Quarters: $140,070.
• Department of Management: $125,000 (retirements and one new FTE).
• Department of Revenue: $1.07 million for processing system upgrade.
• Department of Administrative Services: $168,000 for future utility expenses.

 

NEW:

• OCIO: $1.3 million – Owe feds $ 1.3 million for receiving and spending too much grant money.

• OCIO: Broadband Grants: $5 million – Creating a consistent source of funding for the broadband grant program.
• DAS: $50,000 for new State Properties Information Project – Establishes a listing of real property owned/leased by the state.

Non-General Fund Info:

• Secretary of State Address Confidentially Program – Due to popularity, authorization granted to increase spending by $75,000 to $195,000.
• Racing and Gaming Commission – Contingent on adoption of sports betting, additional $275,000 and three FTEs (generated from sports betting income).
• Insurance Division: $220,000 for Insurance Fraud Investigation (down from $675,000) – The division must use two FTEs to hire two investigators within the Insurance Fraud Bureau.

 

New policy language:

• Department of Administrative Services
  • Requires DAS to submit a report on property owned/leased by the State. The Department must submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by December 31, 2019, and every year after.
  • Requires the OCIO to submit a quarterly report to the Legislature and to the chairs and ranking members of the Senate and House Appropriations committees, detailing the status of technology upgrades or enhancements for State agencies. The report must include a list of State agencies coordinating or working with the OCIO and a list of State agencies not coordinating or working with the OCIO.
• Hotel licensing fee – Fixes a drafting mistake by changing the cutoff for the hotel licensing fee increase from “more than one hundred one guest rooms” to “one hundred one guest rooms or more.”
  [4/26: 34-15 (Yes: Republicans, Bisignano, Boulton, Kinney; Absent: Feenstra)]

 

HF 765 – RIIF Budget

HF 765, the Infrastructure and Capitals Appropriations, fully funds $42 million to the Environment First Fund and $3 million to the State Housing Trust Fund. It also appropriates $94.7 million for FY20 and $9.6 million FY21 from the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund (RIIF) and the Technology Reinvestment Fund (TRF) as follows:

RIIF

Agriculture

• Water Quality: $5,200,000
• Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Fund: $3,000,000

 

Corrections – Community Based Corrections 6th District Fire Suppression System: $150,000

 

Cultural Affairs

• Great Places: $1,000,000
• Strengthening Communities Grants: $250,000

 

Iowa Economic Development Authority

• Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) Grants: $5,000,000
• Regional Sports Authorities: $500,000
• World Food Prize Borlaug/Ruan Scholars: $300,000
• Easter Seals of Iowa Independence Innovation Center: FY20 – $200,000; FY21 – $800,000
• Vacant State Buildings Demolition Fund: $1,000,000; $1,000,000 in FY21 and FY 22
• Vacant State Buildings Remediation Fund: $1,000,000; $1,000,000 in FY21 and FY 22

 

Human Services – Nursing Home Improvements: $500,000

 

Iowa Finance Authority – State Housing Trust Fund additional funding: $50,000

 

Judicial Branch – Justice Centers: Courthouse furniture, equipment (Johnson, Dallas and Floyd counties): $193,620

 

Natural Resources

• Lake Restoration and Water Quality: $9,600,000
• Water Trails and Low Head Dam Grants: $500,000
• State Park Infrastructure: $2,000,000

Public Defense

• Facility, Armory Maintenance: $1,000,000
• Readiness Centers modernization of operational and support facilities: $1,000,000
• Camp Dodge infrastructure improvements: $250,000

 

Public Safety

• Statewide Interoperable Communications System lease purchase payment: $3,719,355
• Lab Liquid Chromatograph toxicology analysis equipment: $325,000
• Explosives Trace Detector portable device: $29,000

 

Regents

• Tuition Replacement: $28,098,870
• Iowa School for the Deaf renovation of Long Hall: $3,000,000; FY21 – $1,325,000
• University of Northern Iowa Industrial Technology Center: FY21 – $1,000,000

 

State Fair Authority

• 4-H Building remodeling on the Iowa State Fairgrounds: $500,000; FY21 – $4,500,000
• Historical Building Task Force: $500,000

 

Transportation

• Recreational Trails: $1,500,000
• Public Transit Vertical Infrastructure: $1,500,000
• Railroad Revolving Loan Grant: $1,000,000
• Commercial Service Air Vertical Infrastructure: $1,900,000
• General Aviation Vertical Infrastructure Grants: $1,000,000

 

Treasurer – County Fairs infrastructure improvements (divided equally, $10,095 each): $1,060,000

Veterans Home – Iowa Veterans Home replacement of mechanical and electric systems: $6,134,840

TRF

Chief Information Officer – IT Consolidation: $1,000,000

 

Corrections – Technology projects: $629,000

 

Education

• Statewide Ed Data Warehouse: $600,000
• ICN Part III Maintenance/Leases: $2,727,000
• IPTV Equipment replacement, tower, facility maintenance: $500,000

 

Homeland Security – Alert Iowa messaging system: $400,000

 

Human Rights

• Criminal Justice Information System: $1,200,000
• Justice Data Warehouse: $157,980

 

Human Services – Family and Children Services System: $5,525,660

 

Iowa Law Enforcement Academy – Technical upgrades: $15,000

 

Management

• Transparency Project: $45,000
• Local Government Budget and Property Tax System: $120,000
• Electronic Grant Management System: $50,000

 

Public Defender – State Public Defender technical projects: $50,000

 

Public Health – AMANDA Licensing System: $796,800

 

Public Safety

• Virtual Archive Storage System: $290,000
• Iowa State Patrol Post 16 Technology Upgrade: $250,000
• Lab Management replacement of case management system: $300,000
• Lab Digital Evidence management and comparison system: $80,000

 

Veterans Home – Computer equipment: $5,000

HF 765 establishes the Historical Building Task Force to consider the feasibility, costs and possible options relative to construction of a new State Historical Museum on the State Fairgrounds, options for relocating the collections stored in the current building and creating increased access to the collections to Iowans. The task force must submit an interim report to the Legislature by December 20, 2019, and a final report with its findings and recommendations by January 1, 2021.

The task force includes:

• One member appointed by the Iowa State Fair Board;
• One member appointed by the Iowa State Fair Foundation;
• One member appointed by the Department of Administrative Services;
• One member designated as the facilities manager for facilities under control of the General Assembly;
• One member appointed by the Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs;
• One member appointed by the Governor.
• Four legislators serving as ex officio members, appointed from each caucus.

All State buildings (except Board of Regents, Department of Transportation, Department of Public Defense and Department of Natural Resources facilities) are eligible for moneys in the Routine Maintenance Fund. Currently, expenditures apply to facilities under the control of the Department of Administrative Services.

Establishes a Vacant State Buildings Demolition Fund for grants to demolish vacant buildings owned by the State but no longer used for State purposes, and a Vacant State Buildings Rehabilitation Fund for loans to rehabilitate and redevelop vacant buildings owned by the State but not used for State purposes. These programs are administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

The bill also creates an On-Stream Impoundment Restoration Fund (new Iowa Code section 456A.33 — Watershed Projects), sets the eligibility criteria and goals, and requires the Department of Natural Resources to use funding criteria that favor projects that include at least a dollar-for-dollar match.

NOTE: HF 765 includes a *new Code section (262.67) that sets matching fund requirements for RIIF appropriations to the Board of Regents: University of Iowa — for every $3 appropriated, $2 must be provided from various funding sources by the University; Iowa State University — for every $3 appropriated, $2 must be provided from various funding sources by the University; University of Northern Iowa — for every $4 appropriated, $1 must be provided from various funding sources by the University. *Language replaced/requires review — see SF 638 Standings.
[4/22: 36-13 (Yes: Republicans, Boulton, Celsi, Lykam, Mathis, Ragan; Absent: Segebart)]

HF 766– Health and Human Services Budget

HF 766 provides funding for the Department of Aging (IDA), including the Long Term Care Ombudsman’s Office; Department of Human Services (DHS), including Medicaid; Department of Public Health (IDPH); and Veteran’s Affairs (VA), including the Veteran’s Home.

 

General Fund	Actual     FY18	Net FY19  (includes Supp)	FY20 HF 766	Diff Net 19 vs. FY20
Aging	$12,092,745	$12,192,745	12,341,262	$148,517
IDPH	$50,714,559	$54,871,995	55,492,262	$620,267
VA	$11,216,581	$11,303,476	11,378,476	$75,000
DHS	$1,687,256,980	$1,893,701,159	1,857,974,761	-$35,726,398
TOTAL	$1,761,239,648	$1,972,069,375	1,937,186,761	-$34,882,614

 

The bill appropriates $1.937 billion, an increase of $115.4 million compared to FY19. The budget includes a $150.3 million supplemental increase in the FY19 appropriation to cover the Medicaid shortfall.

Significant Policy

• Requires the director of IDPH to hire and supervise the executive directors of the Board of Medicine, Board of Nursing, Dental Board and Pharmacy Board.
• Combines and eliminates boards and councils and eliminates reimbursement for public members, EXCEPT the final agreement leaves the Tobacco Commission status quo.
• Provides Medicaid coverage for legal permanent resident pregnant women.
• No state or local government unit or tax-supported district must provide sex reassignment surgery or any other cosmetic, reconstructive or plastic surgery related to transsexualism, hermaphroditism, gender identity disorder or body dysmorphic disorder. If services are not provided, it is not a violation of the Civil Rights Code.
• Adds two items for which DHS can collect liquidated damages from MCOs: if an MCO reports that system issues are fixed and the problem recurs within 60 days; and failure of an MCO to complete provider credentialing or to accurately load provider rosters as required in the contract.
• Terminates contract between IDPH and Iowa Hospital Association for data collection and issues an RFP.
• Allows the State Training School in Eldora to refuse to accept a child at the facility if the Superintendent notifies the court that it is unable to accept placement.
• Restricts funding for the following programs from a provider who promotes or provides abortions, EXCEPT Unity Point can still get the grants: Title 10; PREP; SRAE (Sex Ed Grants).
• Requests that DHS submit a CMS waiver to implement an intergovernmental transfer for nursing homes owned by non-state governmental entities. This would draw down additional federal dollars.
• Mandates that any pass-through funds appropriated by IDPH or DHS to other third-party organizations cannot be used for lobbying activities.
• The FY20 budget is $35 million less than the FY19 budget that includes the supplemental appropriation. The FY20 budget is $115 million more than was appropriated in 2018 for FY19 when you subtract the supplemental appropriation.
• The supplemental was needed for FY19 due to negotiated increases with the MCOs.
• The FY20 appropriation does NOT include any increases that might be negotiated with the MCOs for FY20, which means a supplemental will be necessary in 2020 as well.

Department on Aging

• $150,000 increase to IDA for the Pre-Medicaid Pilot Project that assists non-Medicaid patients who wish to return to their community after a nursing home stay. The total for the project is now $250,000.
• The Office of Long Term Care Ombudsman is status quo.

Department of Public Health

• NEW ITEM: Increase of $550,000 to IDPH for rural psychiatry residency and training; $400,000 for rural psychiatry residencies and $150,000 for psychiatric training for nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Appropriates money through IDPH to UI.
• $338,000 for Your Life Iowa hotline expansion to include children’s mental health.
• $58,000 increase to the Drug Donation Depository Program.
• $20,000 increase to Specialty Health Care.
• Tobacco Use and Prevention remains status quo at $4 million in both House and Senate.

Veteran’s Affairs

• $75,000 increase to Veteran’s Affairs general department operations.
• Veterans Home is status quo.
• Home Ownership Assistance program is status quo ($2 million).
• County VA grants remain status quo ($990,000).

Department of Human Services

• Overall increase to Field Operations of $6.3 million.
  • Increase of $1.5 million to DHS field operations for more staff positions to lower caseloads. DHS must hire 29 FTEs).
  • $4.4 million increase for Field Operations to maintain current staffing at 1,438 FTEs (salaries).
  • $409,223 to hire six FTEs to work on the ELIAS project.
• $1.2 million increase for Eldora State Training School.
• $4.1 million increase to Child and Family Services for core services and program growth.
• Child Care Assistance includes an increase of $3 million to annualize FY19 provider rate increases; an increase of $4 million to reflect the forecasted need; and an increase of $1.1 million to meet the federal quality set-aside requirements. This is status quo from the general fund but is funded with $8.1 million from the Child Care Development Fund received previously.
• $345,896 increase to Cherokee Mental Health Institute; $1.65 million increase to Independence Mental Health Institute; and Glenwood and Woodward receive net reductions ($1.3 million) due to FMAP changes that bring in more federal funds.
• $1.2 million to Civil Commitment Unit for Sex Offenders (CCUSO) replaces one-time funding and funds additional staff.
• $1.4 million increase for medical contracts (IME).
• Family Investment Program (FIP) status quo.
• $12.3 million increase to the State’s Children’s Health Insurance plan (Hawki) to account for the phase down of the 23% enhanced ACA FMAP rate to 11.5%.
• $150.3 million FY19 supplemental appropriation.
• $62.4 million general increase for Medicaid for FY20.
• $23.4 million for nursing facility rebasing.
• $1.5 million increase for Critical Access Hospitals (rural hospitals). A reimbursement rate adjustment will be developed by DHS to distribute the increased funding for Medicaid services provided by Critical Access Hospitals.
• $1.2 million increase to eliminate the waiting list for the Children’s Mental Health HCBS waiver. As of March 1, there were 1,051 children on the waiting list (Children’s Board recommendation).
• $1 million increase for the tiered rates to increase supported community living provider daily rate cells for all tiers, effective July 1, 2019.
• A decrease of $195,000 due to a veto of a durable medical equipment project.
• This is an overall net decrease of $56.8 million compared to the FY19 total that includes the supplemental.
• HF 690 (Children’s Mental Health) fiscal note indicated a need for $423,110 in additional state dollars for Medicaid in FY20. This is now built into the Medicaid balance sheet. No specific appropriation is included in the bill so it just adds to the underfunded amount.
• Medicaid is underfunded by $9.1 million.
• This FY20 HHS budget does NOT include funds for any negotiated increases for the MCOs in FY20 so the need for a supplemental during the 2020 session is expected.
• Provides an additional FTE for work on Your Life Iowa.
• Provides an additional FTE for the First Five Program to focus on local agency contract management.
• Specifies $861,000 to be spent on contract with Brain Injury Alliance.
• Adds the option of “grade level” to the program reporting metrics that Prevent Blindness must track.
• Requires DHS to review the costs associated with expanding the Medical Assistance Management Information System (MMIS) to integrate a single, statewide system to serve as a central portal to submit all prior-authorization requests. Study is due March 31, 2020.
• Requires DHS and IDPH to develop recommendations for the enhanced delivery of services for co-occurring conditions across provider types and payers. A five-year plan is to be developed.
• Allows Polk County to transfer funds from any other county fund to the County Mental Health and Disability Services Fund in FY20.
• Extends the repeal of the Hospital Health Care Access Assessment to the end of FY21.
• DHS is required to notify chairs and ranking members of the HHS budget subcommittee, LSA and caucus staff within 30 days of the execution or amendment of an MCO contract, and within 30 days of determining the incentive payment withhold amount.
• Requires DHS and IDA to continue to collaborate to develop a cost allocation plan requesting federal financial participation (matching federal funds) for the Aging and Disability Resource Centers.
• Uses general terms instead of “continue to contract with an existing independent statewide direct care worker organization for the purpose of health care and public health workforce initiatives.”
• Requires a dollar-for-dollar match for funds to Epilepsy Foundation over $50,000.
• Reorganizes MAAC by eliminating the executive committee and limits the voting membership of the Council to 10 members.
• Requires the Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning at the Dept. of Human Rights to convene a workgroup to review and develop a plan for transferring graduated sanctions and court-ordered services funding, and oversight of group foster care placements from DHS to the Office State Court Administrator. Report due December 15, 2019.
• Requires DHS to adopt rules to require that both managed care and fee-for-service use a uniform process for prior authorizations beginning October 1, 2019.
• Mandates that any pass-through funds appropriated by IDPH or DHS to other third-party organizations cannot be used for lobbying activities.
• Director of the Department of Public Health is to hire and supervise the executive directors of the Board of Medicine, Board of Pharmacy, Dental Board and Nursing Board.
• Combines and eliminates some health-related boards. Eliminates reimbursement costs for some boards. Tobacco Commission stays status quo.
• IDPH must work with stakeholders to develop a proposal for distributing funds in a manner closely aligned with IDPH priorities and goals. Report due December 15, 2019.
  [4/27: 31-17 (No: Democrats, Greene; Excused: Lykam, T. Taylor)]