SF 216 appropriates $750,000 from Iowa's general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to improve dementia care coordination. The funds will hire a statewide dementia care coordinator within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and provide grants to each of Iowa's area agencies on aging to employ a dementia care specialist at each location. This establishes a dedicated state-level role and local support staff to better coordinate care for Iowans living with dementia. The bill directly affects dementia patients, their families, and local aging services providers through enhanced coordination resources.
This bill expands Iowa's Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa (Hawki) program to cover applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for autism spectrum disorder treatment. It prohibits new applications for the autism support program after June 30, 2025, and repeals the program entirely on July 1, 2027. The bill appropriates $750,000 from the autism support fund to maintain Hawki's coverage of ABA services and supplemental dental care for fiscal year 2025-2026. It directly affects Iowa children enrolled in Hawki who require ABA therapy for autism treatment.
This bill establishes the Iowa Major Events and Tourism Program and Fund to provide financial assistance to Iowa nonprofit organizations. These organizations support large tourism-oriented events, such as athletic contests, conventions, music, and art festivals, that generate significant economic impact. The program offers grants to help cover costs associated with bidding for, planning, and conducting these events. To qualify, organizations must demonstrate the event's economic impact and provide matching funds, with an initial appropriation of $15 million from the sports wagering receipts fund.
SF 165 authorizes local municipalities to establish length of service award programs for volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical care providers, and reserve peace officers. These programs are designed to provide tax-deferred benefits to these volunteers. The bill creates a state grant fund, managed by the Department of Revenue, to help municipalities fund these programs. This fund will receive an initial $1.5 million appropriation from sports wagering receipts, with annual replenishments, and will provide matching grants up to $300 per recipient per year to participating municipalities.
SF 547 requires each of Iowa's area agencies on aging to hire a dementia service specialist to support people living with dementia, their families, and caregivers. The bill also creates a dementia services coordinator position within the Department of Health and Human Services to oversee statewide dementia initiatives. Key duties for specialists include providing referrals, conducting cognitive screenings, building dementia-friendly community programs, and training first responders. The bill appropriates $750,000 for fiscal year 2025-2026 to fund these positions across all area agencies and the coordinator role.
House File 707 establishes a standing annual appropriation of $20,000 to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), beginning in fiscal year 2025-2026. This funding is dedicated to making free radon test kits available to homeowners and renters throughout the state. HHS will distribute these kits through existing contracts with the Iowa radon awareness recipient, certified radon laboratories, or other approved vendors. All test kits must be obtained from and analyzed by a certified radon laboratory, and distributors are required to provide resulting data to HHS upon request. The department will also provide an online link on its website for ordering these kits.
This bill increases the monthly personal needs allowance for Medicaid residents in specific facilities from $50 to $85. It directly affects residents of nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities for intellectual disabilities or mental illness, and children's psychiatric medical institutions. The bill requires the state to supplement residents with income below $85 per month to reach the full $85 allowance, using annual appropriations from the general fund to the Department of Health and Human Services. This change provides a concrete policy adjustment to support residents' personal expenses within the Medicaid program.
HSB 333 creates a new "new prison construction account" within the existing Iowa prison infrastructure fund. Beginning in fiscal year 2025, if bonds for the Iowa State Penitentiary are paid off, an equivalent amount will be deposited into this account for the construction of new prisons or replacement of infrastructure at existing ones, subject to legislative appropriation. The bill also requires the Department of Corrections to submit annual reports on infrastructure projects and establishes an interim study committee to explore future prison capacity needs and options.
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.
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.
