Budget & Taxes

introduced · Iowa · Legislature

1374XD: Judicial Officer Salaries (1374XD) - Judicial Branch

This bill establishes a formula for setting salaries of Iowa's judicial officers, linking them to the annual salary of a U.S. district judge. Starting July 1, 2025, state district judges will receive 71% of the federal salary, increasing to 75% by 2028, while other judges (like supreme court justices and court of appeals judges) have salaries calculated as specific percentages of the district judge's pay. The bill requires these salaries to be funded from judicial branch appropriations and allows the Supreme Court to reduce payments if funding falls short. It directly affects all Iowa judicial officers, including district judges, supreme court justices, court of appeals judges, and magistrates, with changes taking effect June 20, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates judicial branch appropriations to fund judge salary increases, directly allocating state budget resources to judicial compensation.90% confidence

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2025

SF 194: A bill for an act relating to the amount of compensation paid to school district employees, including by establishing an educator supplement for all fund to be administered by the department of education, and modifying the amount of compensation paid to teachers, certain employees with a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners, and teaching assistants, and making appropriations.

SF 194 establishes a state-administered "educator supplement for all fund" to increase compensation for school district staff. It requires school districts to pay licensed educators (excluding administrators) an additional $5,000 annually and teaching assistants 10% of their base salary each year, on top of existing pay. The fund, financed through state appropriations starting July 2025, ensures districts can meet these new requirements. This bill directly affects teachers, certified staff, and teaching assistants in Iowa public schools.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates state appropriations to fund educator salary increases, directly increasing public education spending within state budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates $5,000 annual supplement for licensed educators and 10% for teaching assistants via state-funded educator supplement fund, directly increasing teacher compensation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 11, 2025

SF 223: A bill for an act appropriating moneys to the department of health and human services for refugee resettlement assistance.

SF 223 appropriates $2.5 million from Iowa's general fund for the 2024-2025 fiscal year to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This funding will be distributed proportionally to nonprofit resettlement agencies that partner with the U.S. Department of State to provide assistance to refugees in Iowa. HHS must distribute the funds within seven days of the bill's enactment to cover resettlement expenses like housing and support services. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on funding allocation without altering refugee policies or eligibility.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $2.5M from general fund for refugee resettlement services, increasing public funding for essential programs under health and human services appropriations.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds resettlement agencies providing health-related services to refugees, advancing healthcare access for vulnerable populations.85% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationBill allocates $2.5M to HHS for refugee resettlement services (housing/support), directly funding immigrant integration services per topic description.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Refugees & Asylum

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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 12, 2025

HF 333: A bill for an act providing for access to feminine hygiene products in public school restrooms and making an appropriation.

HF 333 requires Iowa public school districts to provide free feminine hygiene products (such as tampons and sanitary pads) in at least half of the restrooms serving students in grades 6-12, with regular refilling. The bill applies directly to all Iowa public schools educating middle and high school students. It appropriates state funds from 2025-2028 to reimburse school districts for the full cost of compliance, with the Department of Education managing the reimbursement process. The funding ends June 30, 2028, after which schools would use other state aid for ongoing costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates state funds (2025-2028) to reimburse schools for feminine hygiene products, directly funding a public service.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides state-funded access to feminine hygiene products in school restrooms, enhancing student health and educational access for middle/high school students.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 13, 2025

HF 370: A bill for an act establishing a solar installation tax credit available against the individual and corporate income taxes, the moneys and credits tax, and the franchise tax, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.

HF 370 establishes a solar installation tax credit in Iowa for individuals and businesses that install solar energy systems on or after January 1, 2025. The credit equals 50% of two federal solar energy credits (capped at $5,000 for residential systems and $20,000 for commercial systems), applicable against income, franchise, and moneys and credits taxes. Unused credits can be carried forward for up to 10 years, and applicants must submit applications by May 1 each year. The bill limits annual credits to $5 million total, with at least $1 million reserved specifically for residential installations, and prevents double-dipping with other solar tax credits.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax credits reducing tax liability for solar installations, aligning with tax relief indicators under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyDirectly provides 50% tax credit for solar installations, promoting renewable energy adoption through financial incentives for individuals and businesses.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentProvides tax credit for solar installations, directly promoting clean energy adoption and reducing fossil fuel dependence per bill's explicit purpose.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Solar

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SSB 1083: A bill for an act relating to matters under the purview of the department of management, making appropriations, and including applicability provisions.

This bill creates a dedicated $17.5 million annual technology reinvestment fund for Iowa state IT projects, plus additional funding from infrastructure reserves for 2023-2025. It requires the Department of Management to prioritize projects based on strategic alignment, return on investment, rural access benefits, sustainability, and scalability. State agencies receiving funds must report annually on project progress, costs, and outcomes. The bill also adds background check requirements for IT staff and prohibits certain contract terms that could increase state liability.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates dedicated $17.5M annual IT fund with strategic spending criteria, directly increasing state budget allocation for technology projects and promoting fiscal responsibility through accountability measures.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyCreates $17.5M annual tech fund prioritizing rural access, sustainability, and strategic IT projects, directly funding state technology infrastructure development.85% confidence

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 18, 2025

SF 299: A bill for an act establishing the Iowa carbon dioxide disaster relief fund, creating an excise tax, and making appropriations.

This bill creates the Iowa Carbon Dioxide Disaster Relief Fund to provide immediate response and long-term recovery for communities affected by CO2 pipeline incidents, such as leaks or ruptures. It imposes a tax on CO2 pipeline operators and facilities to fund the relief efforts, requiring a minimum $10 billion balance in the fund before pipelines can operate in Iowa. The fund will cover emergency cleanup, victim compensation, rebuilding, and environmental restoration. Two oversight boards - the Oversight Board (managing fund integrity) and Victim Assistance Board (distributing aid) - will administer the fund and ensure resources reach affected individuals and communities.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates excise tax on CO2 pipelines to fund disaster relief, directly establishing new tax revenue and appropriations for essential services.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill creates fund for environmental restoration after CO2 pipeline incidents, requiring tax on operators to cover cleanup and victim compensation, directly addressing pollution and environmental protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Natural Disasters

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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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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 20, 2025

HSB 27: A bill for an act relating to the veterans trust fund.

This bill adjusts Iowa's veterans trust fund funding rules based on the fund's balance. It raises the threshold from $50 million to $75 million: when the fund balance falls below $75 million on July 1, interest earnings and the first $500,000 from lottery funds are directed to the veterans commission for benefits. If the fund balance reaches or exceeds $75 million, lottery funds stop being allocated to veterans' programs and instead revert to the trust fund. The bill directly affects how lottery revenues support veterans' services and county veteran affairs programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill ensures veterans benefits receive lottery funds when trust fund balance drops below $75M, directly funding essential programs through fiscal management.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill directs lottery funds to veterans' benefits when trust fund balance < $75M, ensuring continued funding for veteran programs per bill language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Benefits Veteran Education Veteran Housing

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