Rep. Timi Brown-Powers

Maddy summaryHF 444 creates a new "recreational property" classification for golf courses operated as commercial businesses. Starting with the 2026 assessment year, these properties would be assessed at 75% of their actual value for tax purposes, rather than the standard rate applied to other property types. This would reduce property taxes for qualifying golf courses. The bill specifically defines "recreational property" as commercial golf courses subject to taxation.

Maddy summaryHF 368 updates Iowa's water quality laws to regulate large livestock operations. It specifically requires medium and large concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) - like major dairy or hog farms - to obtain federal-style NPDES permits for managing manure and wastewater. The bill establishes state rules for manure storage, treatment, and facility inspections, aligning with federal Clean Water Act standards. These permits aim to prevent pollution from runoff into rivers and streams, directly affecting agricultural operations that meet the CAFO size definitions.

Maddy summaryHF 412 modifies Iowa's child care assistance program to better support unhoused parents. It defines "unhoused" as lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (including living in motels, shelters, cars, or transitional housing) and requires the Department of Health and Human Services to extend the 30-day employment-based eligibility limit for parents of children under six years old who are unhoused. The bill also exempts unhoused children from program waiting lists and mandates an expedited process for approving assistance and extensions for unhoused applicants. These changes directly affect low-income parents experiencing housing instability who are seeking work.

Maddy summaryHF 411 exempts families determined by Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to be "unhoused" from making copayments for the state child care assistance program (CCA). The bill defines "unhoused" as lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including living in motels, shelters, cars, or temporary settings. Unhoused families are not required to pay copayments as a condition of CCA program participation, and this exemption lasts for six months after HHS determines the family is no longer unhoused. This change directly affects low-income families experiencing housing instability who rely on state child care assistance.

Maddy summaryHF 410 would require Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services to set reimbursement rates for child care providers caring for unhoused children equal to the rate for children needing special-needs care. The bill defines "unhoused" as lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including living in motels, shelters, cars, or transitional housing. This change directly affects child care providers serving unhoused children and the state's child care assistance program budget. The bill was introduced on February 13, 2025, and remains in committee.

Maddy summaryHF 338 removes a prohibition in Iowa law that previously prevented the dental board from creating rules allowing registered dental assistants to administer local anesthesia. The bill directly affects dental assistants who complete required training and the Iowa dental board, which would now have the authority to establish rules for this expanded practice. Key provisions eliminate the specific language blocking the board from delegating local anesthesia administration, though it does not automatically grant this authority - it requires the board to adopt new rules first. The bill is currently pending in the Health and Human Services committee after introduction on February 12, 2025.

Maddy summaryHF 344 changes Iowa's child care assistance program to require the state to reimburse child care providers at the rate they typically charge private-pay families, rather than the current system that capped reimbursement at the lower of the provider's rate or a state-set rate. This directly affects child care providers serving families enrolled in the state child care assistance program. The bill eliminates the practice where providers could not collect the full difference between their private rate and the state reimbursement. Providers will now receive full payment based on their standard private rates for eligible children.

Maddy summaryHF 345 would raise Iowa's income eligibility limits for state child care assistance. It increases the monthly income cap for families needing basic care from 145% to 185% of the federal poverty level (FPL), and for special-needs care from 200% to 240% of the FPL. This change directly affects low-income families with children who require child care, allowing more households to qualify for assistance. The bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to update its administrative rules to implement these new thresholds. The change would expand access to child care support for families currently earning above the current income limits.

Maddy summaryHF 342 expands Iowa's state child care assistance program to include children of child care workers. It creates new eligibility for children whose parent, guardian, or custodian works at least 32 hours weekly in direct child care at a registered or HHS-agreed unregistered facility, meets staffing ratios, and does not provide care for their own child at home. The bill requires eligible families to make income-based copayments and prohibits HHS from applying waiting lists to these new applicants. It also specifies that directors or administrative staff qualify if regularly counted in staffing ratios. The Department of Health and Human Services must adopt rules to implement these changes.

Maddy summaryHF 341 changes how Iowa's child care assistance program pays providers. It allows providers to choose biweekly or monthly billing and shifts payment from "child care provided" to "hours scheduled" for enrolled children. The bill requires the Department of Human Services to pay providers within 10 business days of receiving a bill, and to notify providers of errors within 5 days if corrections are needed. This directly affects child care providers enrolled in the state program and the Department of Human Services. The change aims to streamline payments and reduce administrative delays.