Budget & Taxes (State Budget)

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 18, 2025

SF 326: A bill for an act relating to the federal summer electronic benefits transfer for children program

SF 326 directs Iowa to apply for participation in the federal SUN Bucks program, which provides summer food benefits to children. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to submit an application to the USDA by the bill's effective date and develop an administration plan by April 1, 2025. It appropriates state funds from the general fund to cover administration costs for the summer 2025 program. This would directly affect approximately 240,000 Iowa children eligible for the program, which is funded federally with an estimated $29 million to address summer food insecurity. The bill takes effect immediately and applies retroactively to July 1, 2024.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates state funds from general fund to administer summer food benefits for children, directly funding a public service program under budget appropriations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 26, 2025

HF 846: A bill for an act relating to the disposition of real property on the capitol complex, and including effective date provisions.

HF 846 authorizes Iowa's director of administrative services to sell the Henry A. Wallace state office building (502 E. 9th St., Des Moines) and its adjacent parking structure (628 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines), along with associated property. The director may set the sale terms, conditions, and price. Proceeds from the sale must be deposited into the state's general fund. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesSells state property, deposits proceeds into general fund, increasing available budget resources without tax changes.85% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HSB 72: A bill for an act relating to matters under the purview of the department of management, making appropriations, and including applicability provisions.

This bill establishes a Technology Reinvestment Fund to support state information technology projects. It allocates $17.5 million annually starting July 2025 (plus prior-year funds from the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund) for projects that enhance technology infrastructure, improve government services, and promote economic development. The Department of Management must prioritize projects based on criteria like alignment with state strategic goals, feasibility, return on investment, scalability, and rural service access. Agencies receiving funding must report annually on project status, costs, and outcomes to the legislature and department.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $17.5M annually for IT infrastructure projects, enhancing government services and fiscal management through new appropriations.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill creates a $17.5M Technology Reinvestment Fund to enhance IT infrastructure, improve government services, and promote economic development through state IT projects.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 17, 2025

SF 488: A bill for an act relating to vehicle registration plates, including registration plate frames and Gadsden flag special registration plates, providing fees, and making appropriations.

This bill creates Gadsden flag special vehicle registration plates in Iowa, featuring a specific design with a yellow-to-white background, black text, a rattlesnake image, and the phrase "Don’t Tread on Me." Owners paying a $50 annual special fee (plus $5 for personalized plates) can obtain these plates, with fees deposited into the road use tax fund. Monthly, funds from these fees (minus $1 per plate) are transferred to the state general fund to provide grants for firearm safety education and training, prioritizing NRA-affiliated groups. The bill directly affects vehicle owners seeking specialty plates and modifies plate design rules and fee structures.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates $50 annual special fee generating revenue deposited into road use fund, with transfers to general fund for firearm safety education grants, advancing public safety funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax State Budget

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in committee · Iowa · House May 9, 2025

HSB 338: A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations involving state government entities associated with agriculture, food regulation, natural resources, and environmental protection, and providing penalties.

HSB 338 is an appropriations bill that allocates state funds for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, to various state government entities. It primarily provides over $20 million from the general fund to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) for its general operations, administration, and regulatory programs. The bill also directs specific appropriations from other funds for initiatives such as motor fuel inspection and the butchery innovation and revitalization program. Additionally, it allocates general fund moneys for dairy regulation, local food and farm programs, agricultural education, foreign animal disease preparedness, and support for farmers with disabilities, transferring some funds to Iowa State University and a national nonprofit organization. The bill affects IDALS, Iowa State University, and various agricultural and environmental programs and industries across the state.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $20M from general fund to IDALS for operations, aligning with funding essential state programs under fiscal management.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 6, 2025

HF 264: A bill for an act providing for temporary abrogation of authority of the state board of regents over regents institutions based on the amount of appropriations to the institutions from the general fund of the state.

HF 264 requires Iowa's State Board of Regents to annually review whether general fund appropriations to the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa meet or exceed 52% of their combined projected operating costs by August 1 each year. If appropriations fall below this threshold, the Board temporarily loses all authority over these institutions for the rest of that fiscal year, and each university gains direct control over management, budgets, programs, and operations as if the Board had no authority. The Board regains full authority on July 1 of the following year. This bill directly affects the three public universities and shifts operational control based solely on funding levels relative to projected costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates 52% general fund appropriations threshold to prevent underfunding of universities, ensuring fiscal responsibility for public higher education budgets.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates 52% general fund appropriation threshold to prevent regents' governance loss, ensuring stable funding for universities and protecting institutional autonomy from underfunding.92% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Higher Education

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 6, 2025

HF 226: A bill for an act appropriating moneys for oncology research at the university of Iowa hospitals and clinics.

HF 226 appropriates $15 million from Iowa's general fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to support oncology research at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The funds, administered by the state board of regents, are designated exclusively for cancer research initiatives at these facilities. This bill directly provides dedicated state funding to advance cancer research at the University of Iowa's medical institutions during the specified fiscal period.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $15M from general fund for cancer research at public university hospital, directly funding a public health initiative.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill appropriates $15M for cancer research at University of Iowa Hospitals, directly funding healthcare research initiatives to advance cancer treatment capabilities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 6, 2025

SSB 1012: A bill for an act relating to the double up food bucks program, and making an appropriation.

This bill appropriates $1 million from Iowa's general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to support the Double Up Food Bucks program. It directly helps Iowa residents who receive federal SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits by making fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible at participating farmers markets and grocery stores. The funds will be provided as a grant to the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative to administer the program. This is a funding measure, not a policy change, specifically targeting increased access to healthy food for low-income SNAP households.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $1M from general fund to fund SNAP food assistance program, increasing state budget allocation for public health service.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds Double Up Food Bucks program under Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, improving access to healthy food for SNAP recipients via health-focused nutrition assistance.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 11, 2025

SF 232: A bill for an act relating to the double up food bucks program, and making an appropriation.

SF 232 appropriates $1 million from Iowa's general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to support the Double Up Food Bucks program. This funding will be granted to the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative to expand access to fresh produce for eligible residents. The program directly helps Iowa households receiving federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by providing matching funds to buy fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and grocery stores. The bill enables continued operation of this specific nutrition assistance mechanism without altering SNAP eligibility or benefits.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $1M from general fund for Double Up Food Bucks program, directly funding SNAP food assistance expansion under health/human services appropriations.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds Double Up Food Bucks program under Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, expanding access to fresh produce for SNAP recipients via health-focused nutrition assistance, directly advancing public health outcomes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 19, 2025

HF 476: A bill for an act establishing the school resource officer grant program within the department of education, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

HF 476 creates a state grant program within Iowa's Department of Education to help school districts cover the costs of hiring or keeping one school resource officer (SRO) at each high school. The program, funded starting July 2025, provides grants from the state general fund to offset SRO expenses without replacing existing local or state funding for similar purposes. It establishes a dedicated fund that rolls over annually, ensuring continuous support for approved applications submitted by school districts. The state board of education will set eligibility rules and approve applications, but the bill itself focuses solely on creating this funding mechanism.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates state general fund for SRO grants to schools, increasing public service funding through dedicated annual appropriations.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds school resource officers (law enforcement in schools) via state grants, directly supporting law enforcement presence within criminal justice system per bill's law enforcement subject and funding mechanism.90% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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