Good and bad bills we're tracking
CCI Action organizers and leaders are your eyes and ears at the Statehouse. We're tracking bills- both good and bad - and will let you know when your call or email can have the biggest impact. Click here to sign up for our email action updates.
Below is a list of the bills we're tracking so far this legislative session.
Use this list to lobby your legislators through phone calls, emails, legislative meetings in your area, and up at the Capitol. Be aware, things move fast so bill #s may change. As always, feel free to contact us with any questions.
The Good:
Environmental JusticeN/A Worker JusticeN/A Racial JusticeN /A Voter JusticeN/A
The Bad:
Environmental JusticeHF 468/SF 447 – Deterring Factory Farm Nuisance Lawsuits – A piece of this bill, introduced by Sen. Chelgren (R-Ottumwa), would put the burden of court costs and lawyer fees on any citizen or group that files a lawsuit against a factory farm if the court finds the lawsuit “frivolous”. Over the past couple years Iowans across the state have taken to the courts to hold factory farms accountable for destroying the rural quality of life. This Senate bill is a direct attack on our right to sue factory farms and is part of the Republicans larger tort reform package. The House version of this bill only addresses factory farm nuisance lawsuits specifically, and carves out protections that no other industry has. ***Survived legislative funnel***HF 484/SF 456 - Dismantling the DMWW - This bill, introduced by Rep. Jarad Klein (R), would dismantle the Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) board and distribute the utility’s assets to surrounding cities – which would kill the DMWW’s Clean Water lawsuit. ***Survived legislative funnel***SF 482/HF 538 - Governor’s Pollution Trading Bill - This bill moves $229 million from the state’s existing infrastructure fund over 13 years, and transfers a metered water fee to voluntary water quality efforts. This bill doesn’t stop pollution, doesn’t make corporate ag pay, “robs Peter to pay Paul”; and further passes the cost of cleaning up Iowa’s water crisis onto the public. To make things even worse, the House version of this bill adds in "Nutrient Trading" provisions - a new scheme by corporate ag also known as "pay to pollute" plans. ***Survived legislative funnel***SSB 1065/HSb182 – Money for Methane Digesters – This bill would subsidize the addition of methane digesters for factory farms. Methane digesters are false energy solutions that prop up this unsustainable industry. ***Survived legislative funnel*** Worker JusticeHF 295 – Pre-empting Local Control of Wages and Civil Rights – This bill would lower the wages of over 100K Iowans by over-riding the ability of counties and cities to raise wages for workers. It bans local control and home rule for communities to set higher bars for wages and civil rights. ***Survived legislative funnel***SF 172 E-Verify – This bill, introduced by Julian Garrett (R) and 18 Republicans, creates unnecessary barriers to work, and requires employers to implement the costly and flawed federal E-Verify program. ***Survived legislative funnel***PASSED and signed into law - SF 213/HF 291 Gutting Collective Bargaining – This bill effectively ends the right of public sector unions to collectively bargain contracts over their employment. These are the same tactics that were used in Wisconsin and other states to erode the power of workers. Racial JusticeHF517 (formerly HSB 133) – This bill is an omnibus gun bill that drastically changes Iowa's gun laws. A significant piece of this bill addresses "reasonable force" and effectively makes Iowa a "Stand Your Ground" state. "Stand Your Ground" laws are often racially motivated, and have been deemed “Shoot First, Ask Questions Later” proposals. Specific "Stand Your Ground" bills (SF25/SF262) did not survive the first funnel. ***Survived legislative funnel***HF 265 “You’re Not Welcome Here” - This bill aims to prohibit the state and our communities from being welcoming spaces for immigrants and refugees. It prohibits preventing officials from gathering information regarding the citizenship status, enforcing federal immigration law, etc. ***Survived legislative funnel*** Voter JusticeSSB1163/HF516 Voter ID –Sec. of State Paul Pate introduced a Voter ID bill much like former Sec. of State Matt Schultz attempted previously. Voter ID is voter suppression. Thousands of Iowans could be disenfranchised from voting. We don’t have a voting problem in Iowa – in fact we have a model voting system. We have a $ in politics problem in Iowa – that’s what legislators should focus on. ***Survived legislative funnel*** BudgetPASSED and signed into law SF 130/HF 118 - GOVERNOR’S DE-APPROPRIATIONS – Governor Branstad, Lt. Gov Kim Reynolds, and legislative leaders are cutting up to $117 million from our current year’s budget due to shortfalls. This means $26 million less to spend on education, $38 million less to spend on health and human services, and $1.3 million in cuts to the Iowa DNR. We need to claw back the millions in corporate property tax cuts Branstad & Reynolds have given out and fully fund our state government, not cut it down to the bone. OtherSF 111 now SF 426 – Silencing Free Speech – this bill, introduced by Senator Chapman and 8 Republicans, would make it a felony to for a person to block a highway as part of a protest. We have seen these attempts to silence protestors and our constitutional rights popping up across the country. ***Survived legislative funnel***
Click here for a list of the bills that did not survive the legislative funnel.Learn more:
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