IowaBio Bill Tracker - March 29, 2019
The second funnel is rapidly approaching on Friday, April 5, so debate was fairly steady this week. Bills must be debated on the floor and out of a committee in the opposite chamber to survive, unless they are Ways and Means, Appropriations or Government Oversight bills, which are funnel proof. Budget bills are starting to be filed and moved forward in both chambers.
SSB1249, an omnibus tax bill was filed this week. The 51-page bill contains provisions expanding businesses eligible for the research activities tax credit to include “agriscience” and “agricultural animal production”; However, agriscience is already included in the rule implementing the existing law, so adding “agriscience” merely clarifies and codifies existing practice. We anticipate a fiscal note will be filed on this bill, and will likely show an increased cost for these credits, because of the expansion by adding animal production. The bill includes many divisions, but the language regarding research activities credits can be found starting on page 31 line 8. Please, email Jessica at jessica@iowabio.org with any feedback you have on any part of this legislation.
IowaBio supports SSB1250 filed this week (now SF 608), which contains economic development appropriations to implement the Governor’s Future Ready Iowa apprenticeship and internship programs, including STEM internships, and Empower Rural Iowa initiatives. It also includes funding for Iowa State ($750,000) and the University of Iowa ($250,000) to support bioscience discoveries and commercialization through the Biosciences Innovation Ecosystem. This falls short of the $2Million appropriation target in the Governor’s budget. The bill moved out of the appropriations committee Thursday, as some appropriations bills begin to move between the chambers. The House Education Appropriations bill, HSB248, also contains over $14 million in funding for the Future Ready Iowa Last Dollar Scholarship Program.
A fiscal note was filed for PBM transparency and rebate bill, HF489, IowaBio supports, and it presumes the state employee benefit plan will see a $6 to $10 million increase in costs should the legislation pass and be signed into law. In addition, it factors in additional personnel and enforcement costs the department says it would incur. This will make meeting the second funnel more difficult for this legislation, as budget bills are already starting to coagulate to meet targets.
Senator Eric Giddens (D-Cedar Falls) was sworn in this week. He won the March 19 special election in very purple Senate District 30, formerly held by Senator Jeff Danielson. Danielson resigned to take a job in the wind energy industry. The overall makeup of the Senate holds firm with 32 Republicans and 18 Democrats.
This is the last day to get the early bird rate for our Partnering for Growth Conference April 30th & May 1st. Sign up now if you haven’t yet!
Next week, IowaBio will take a delegation to Washington D.C., for the BIO Fly-In. Stay tuned for reports on our congressional meetings. Jessica Hyland, IowaBio Executive Director, will be tweeting about the trip from @JessicaIowaBio.
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