Yesterday while driving home, I saw a gentleman on my street in a short sleeved t-shirt, shorts and sandals. My thermometer said 46 degrees. I love Iowa in the spring.

This week the Iowa Legislature hit the first legislative deadline, known as the “funnel”, which helps narrow down the number of bills eligible for debate as we approach adjournment in April.

At the start of the session, House Democrats released a plan to work together to get the pandemic under control. The Build Back Iowa plan provides relief to Iowa families, small businesses, students, and our dedicated health care workers.

Unfortunately, the Majority Party’s agenda so far this session has been too focused on divisive bills that will make Iowa’s recovery even more difficult.

While the Legislature should be spending more time on COVID recovery and relief, some progress has been made this session on bi-partisan bills, including:

• Amending the Iowa Constitution to restore felon voting rights (HJR 11 / SSB 1134)

• Creating more affordable housing options (HF 582/ SF 295)

• Expanding protections to prevent sexual abuse (SF 253)

• Doubling tax credit for volunteer EMS/fire fighters (HF 563)

• Tax credits and grants for business to build on-site child care (HF 606 / SF 176)

• Prohibiting the “Gay Panic” defense to make Iowa safer for LGBTQ individuals (HF 310)

• More price transparency from drug companies (HF 526)

• Capping cost of insulin to $100 for month supply (HF 263)

• Encouraging more OB/GYN doctors to locate in rural Iowa (SF 129)

• Exempting COVID payments & relief from state taxes (SF 364)

• Pharmacists can dispense birth control without a prescription (HF 434 / SSB 1157)

Next week, the Legislature will spend more time debating bills and sending them over to the Senate as the next deadline looms in just a few weeks.

Iowa House lawmakers agreed to give tax relief to Iowans still struggling from the pandemic. Senate File 364 provides $128 million in tax relief to Iowans and small businesses that have received COVID assistance.

The original bill would have assured Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans used by Iowa businesses to stay open are not taxed by the state. After Democratic lawmakers introduced a proposal last month to exempt pandemic unemployment from taxes to help Iowans, lawmakers added that proposal to the bill as well.

With the change, almost 90 percent of the relief in the bill will directly impact Iowans who lost their job due to the pandemic.

The bill now goes back to the Senate.

——

Sue Cahill is the state representative for District 71. Contact her at Sue.Cahill@legis.iowa.gov.