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With the end of week 12 came the end of the second funnel and the last chance for many policy bills to continue being considered this session. A good reference for whether a bill is still eligible for consideration is to check the Ways and Means, Appropriations, and Unfinished Business Calendars; if a bill is not on one of those calendars it has most likely been re-referred to the last committee that recommended passage and will be eligible for consideration next year.
Significant Budget Progress During the Second Funnel
What made this second funnel week so unique is that, except for the Standing Appropriations bill, which is usually the last bill through the chambers, all the budget bills have been introduced and many of them have been acted upon in committee or on the floor (see table below). Typically, the budget process does not get started in earnest until the policy process (the second funnel) has been completed. The result of this is that the legislature will be heading into week 13 well ahead of where it usually finds itself in the budgeting process. This does not necessarily mean that there will be an early adjournment, it just means that once the final decisions are made on the budget, both chambers will be able to act very quickly to adjourn for the year. The target adjournment date is May 3rd, the 110th day of session.
Budget Bills
| Budget | House | Senate | Status |
| Education | HF758 | Passed House (58-38) 4/4; to Senate. | |
| Transportation | SF600 | Passed Senate (46-0) 4/2; to House. | |
| Admin & Reg | HF759 | Passed House Full Approps 4/1; to House floor. | |
| Ag & Natural Resources | SF609 | Passed Senate Full Approps 3/28; to Senate floor. | |
| Economic Development | SF608 | Passed Senate Full Approps 3/28; to Senate floor. | |
| Infrastructure | HSB251 | Passed House Full Approps 4/4; to House floor. | |
| Health and Human Services | HSB253 | Passed House Full Approps 4/4; to House floor. | |
| Justice System | SSB1255 | Passed Senate Full Approps 4/3; to Senate floor. | |
| Judicial Branch | SSB1254 | Passed Senate Full Approps 4/3; to Senate floor. |
United Health Care No Longer an MCO In Iowa
Last Friday, in a very surprising development, the Governor’s office announced that United Health Care would no longer be under contract with the state of Iowa. United Health Care is one of the three managed care organizations (MCOs) serving Iowa’s Medicaid patients. The practical effect of this decision is that over 400,000 Iowans who were covered by United Health Care will need to find coverage by June 1. The long-term impacts of this are unclear, but it is likely to impact discussions of the Health and Human Services budget, as well as related policy matters still pending in the legislature.
Bills Sent to Governor
| Bills to Governor | Signed | Effective |
| HF306 State School Aid (SSA) | 2/19/2019 | 2/19/2019 |
| HF307 Transportation/Per Pupil Equity | 2/19/2019 | 2/19/2019 |
| SF519 Ag Facility Trespass | 3/14/2019 | 3/14/2019 |
| SF 220 Section 179 Expensing | 3/15/2019 | 3/15/2019 |
| HF482 DOT Officer Powers | 3/21/2019 | 3/21/2019 |
| HF668 Wine/Beer/Liquor License | 3/21/2019 | 7/1/2019 |
| SF113 OWI Habitual Offenders | 3/21/2019 | 3/21/2019 |
| SF367 Eliminating Councils | 3/21/2019 | 3/21/2019 |
| HF288 Military + Veteran Benefits | 3/22/2019 | 7/1/2019 |
| HF487 Single Point-of-Contact Towers | 3/25/2019 | 3/25/2019 |
| SF 274 Free Speech on Campus | 3/27/2019 | 3/27/2019 |
| SF556 Life + Health Insurance Guaranty Association | 3/29/2019 | 3/29/2019 |
| HF264 Domestic Stock Insurers | ||
| HF266 Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators | ||
| HF327 Franchisor-Franchisee Relationship | ||
| HF698 Management of pioneer cemeteries | ||
| SF140 Special minor’s driver’s licenses | ||
| SF159 Assessment scores for initial teacher licensure | ||
| SF208 Allowable length for stinger-steered automobiles | ||
| SF210 Designation of lay caregiver | ||
| SF245 Skilled workforce shortage tuition grant program | ||
| SF246 All Iowa opportunity scholarship program | ||
| SF304 License Sanctions for Delinquent Student Loan Debt | ||
| SF534 Use of gasification and pyrolysis for conversion of waste materials | ||
| SF555 Weight Limits for Husbandry | ||
| SF558 Requirement for domestic surplus lines insurers | ||
| SF559 E-Insurance Notices for Portable Electronics | ||
| SJR17 Sale of Merchandise at ABATE | ||
| Bills to Secretary of State | ||
| SJR18 2nd Amendment Const Amendment + Strict Scrutiny Review | NA | NA |
