HF 271 creates a scholarship program providing up to $5,000 annually for Iowa residents with intellectual, developmental, or learning disabilities who are enrolled in approved comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs (college programs designed for students with disabilities). The College Student Aid Commission, working with vocational rehabilitation services, will administer the program, requiring annual applications and prioritizing Iowa residents. Funds for the program will be held in a dedicated state treasury account that carries over each year instead of reverting to the general fund. This bill establishes the program structure and funding mechanism but requires separate annual appropriations from the legislature to operate.
This bill creates a dedicated funding stream for Iowa's disaster recovery programs, including hazard mitigation loans, housing assistance after disasters, and support for insurance professionals like adjusters. It establishes a separate revolving loan fund (not part of the state's general budget) that can issue tax-exempt bonds to finance disaster repairs and meet federal matching requirements. The fund will be repaid through income from approved projects and loan repayments, ensuring these resources stay available for future disasters. It directly affects Iowans impacted by natural disasters by improving access to recovery funding and streamlining how insurance claims are handled after events like floods or storms.
HF 152 directs Iowa to apply for and participate in the federal Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) for Children program, which provides food assistance to children during summer months when school meals are unavailable. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (with Education) to submit an application to the USDA by February 2025 and appropriates state funds to cover administrative costs for the summer 2025 program. It directly affects approximately 240,000 Iowa children eligible for the program, which is funded by an estimated $29 million in federal resources. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment but applies retroactively to July 1, 2024, ensuring state funding covers costs from that date.
HF 756 makes changes relating to state financial management, technology infrastructure funding, and contract provisions under the Department of Management. It establishes criteria for prioritizing state information technology projects and appropriates specific sums to the Technology Reinvestment Fund. The bill also shortens the frequency of national criminal history checks for certain state IT staff and prohibits specific contract terms deemed contrary to public policy. Additionally, it designates budget transmittals to the Department of Management as confidential until the governor transmits the state budget.
HF 97 establishes a scholarship program to help Iowa residents with intellectual, developmental, or learning disabilities cover costs for approved college programs. The program, administered by the College Student Aid Commission with input from vocational rehabilitation services, provides up to $5,000 annually per student toward tuition and fees at state-approved comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs. Applicants must be 18+ and reapply yearly; Iowa residents receive priority. Funds are held in a dedicated state treasury account that carries over unused money to future years, ensuring consistent support without annual reappropriation.
SF 72 establishes a program to reimburse Iowa teachers up to 75% of tuition costs for obtaining a specialized dyslexia certification (an "advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement"). Teachers must work in Iowa schools or area education agencies while pursuing this certification and submit annual applications with proof of employment. The program provides two payments: 50% after the first year of teaching and the remaining 50% after the second year, with a maximum of two years of reimbursement per teacher. It is funded by a $335,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2025-2026, with unused funds carrying over to future years.
SF 309 creates a tuition grant program for dependents of Iowa veterans with a 100% service-connected disability. It provides up to $10,000 annually for full-time students (max 8 semesters) or proportionally less for part-time students (max 12 semesters) to cover tuition and mandatory fees at eligible Iowa colleges. To qualify, students must be Iowa residents under 27, claimed as dependents on the veteran’s prior tax return, and enrolled full- or part-time at a state-regulated institution. The program requires annual reapplication, pays grants directly to institutions, and is funded by a $500,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2025-26.
This bill requires Iowa's Department of Corrections to provide mental health support for state corrections officers. It mandates hiring mental health liaisons for each correctional facility (or covering multiple facilities), implementing an annual 5-10 question mental health screening survey to identify severe conditions like schizophrenia or depression, and establishing outreach teams to refer officers needing care to local providers. The bill also requires the department to provide one annual, confidential, employer-funded counseling session per officer and appropriates $400,000 for fiscal year 2025-2026 to cover liaison salaries, screening technology, and outreach team costs. These changes aim to improve officer mental health, reduce turnover, and support workplace well-being.
SF 440 requires individuals or entities controlling hazardous substances to pay a 10% fine on top of existing costs for hazardous conditions they cause. This fine applies when someone is already liable for cleanup or damages under current law. Money collected from the fine goes into the natural resources account, which funds state parks, wildlife habitats, forest management, water trail improvements, and conservation education programs. The bill directly affects businesses or individuals managing hazardous materials that create unsafe conditions. It creates a new financial penalty while directing revenue toward environmental conservation projects.
This bill modifies how criminal case fines collected within a county are distributed, reducing the percentages allocated to the state court administrator and county treasurer. It establishes a new "victim restitution fund" in the state treasury, which will receive 7% of these collected fines. The fund is dedicated to providing restitution for crime victims, covering "pecuniary damages" and restitution for the death of a victim, as defined by existing law. Monies in this fund will remain available for expenditure year-to-year and will not revert at the close of a fiscal year.
