DES MOINES ñ On Monday, March 21, State Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City helped the Iowa Senate add to a growing list of new tools to help create jobs in Iowa.
|DES MOINES ñ On Monday, March 21, State Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City helped the Iowa Senate add to a growing list of new tools to help create jobs in Iowa.
“We’ve got to do all we can to improve Iowa’s economy. By making it easier for small businesses to afford health insurance and by reducing red tape,” Ragan said.
Senate File 506 will benefit the 60,000 Iowa businesses with 10 or fewer employees by providing a tax credit to defray the cost of employee health insurance. Small businesses pay 18 percent more than large businesses for the same coverage. Further, health insurance premiums have gone up three times faster than wages in the last 10 years.
Senate File 471 is a formal review to identify state regulations and requirements which create a greater burden on small businesses and workers than the benefits are worth.
As of March 21st, the Iowa Iowa Senate has approved six dedicated jobs bills. In addition to Senate Files 506 and 471, the Senate has approved:
· SF 301, which expands the “Save Our Small Business” loan fund
· SF 328 which helps unemployed or underemployed Iowans earn industry-approved certificates and provides businesses with skilled workers
· SF 260 which removes penalties on certain businesses seeking incorporate in Iowa
· SF 209 which provides $148 million tax break to working Iowans
Legislation continues to be worked on in the Senate to enhance Iowa’s local renewable energy economy and to help communities revitalize local business districts.
