(NIT photo)
The following is a legislative update from Republican State Rep. Shannon Latham, representing portions of Franklin, Hamilton, Story and Wright counties in Iowa House District 55:
The second week of the 91st Iowa General Assembly convened January 13, 2025.
Subcommittees Get Underway during Week 2 of Session
The second week of the 2025 legislative session was filled with constituent visits and subcommittee meetings. Before I summarize a few bills on which I’m working, I’ll begin with a quick overview of how an idea becomes a bill and possibly a law.
How an Idea Becomes Law
Legislation is proposed by many different groups: constituents, legislators, lobbyists, the governor and others. That proposal is sent to the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency (LSA) for bill drafting where it is put in proper legal language. It is then filed by the sponsoring legislator. The Speaker assigns the bill to one of 21 committees in the Iowa House.
The committee chairman assigns the bill to a three-person subcommittee for consideration. That subcommittee is comprised of two Republicans and one Democrat. The subcommittee meeting is open to the public for input and discussion. Two of the three subcommittee members must vote “yes” for this bill to move to the full House committee for consideration. If the bill gains a majority vote in its assigned committee, it will then move to consideration for floor debate. Iowa House Leadership decides if and when a bill might come before the Iowa House for debate and a vote.
If the House passes a bill, it is sent to the Senate where the process is repeated. If the bill passes through the Senate with the exact language, it goes to the Governor for her signature. If the Senate amends the language, this bill “bounces back” to the House for reconsideration. Both chambers (House and Senate) must pass a bill with the exact same language before it is sent to the Governor to become law. However, the Governor also has veto power.
Sub-Committees at Work
Approximately 100 subcommittee meetings were held this week in the Iowa House alone. This week I served on the following:
· House File (HF 38) – an act creating self-supporting entertainment areas.
· HF 59 – an act creating a rural grocer reinvestment program and a local produce processing plant program. As currently written, this bill creates a grocer reinvestment program that would be administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority. A grocery store must provide matching funds.
State Supplemental Aid (SSA) for Schools
During our Republican caucus meeting on January 23, we discussed State Supplemental Aid (SSA). The Governor has proposed a 2.0% increase. I believe we need to invest more, so schools in Iowa House District 55 can balance their budgets. Many of our schools have decreased enrollment, yet their fixed costs remain the same.
Constituents in the Capitol
Each week of the legislative session I welcome visits from constituents in Iowa’s beautiful Capitol building. This week I had the pleasure of meeting with Hamilton County Veterans Affairs Director Ryan Sawyer and Assistant County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO) Amanda Kalkwarf. I welcomed FFA members from West Fork, Tall Corn in Hampton and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows. I also spoke to Iowa Corn’s College Advisory Team of which Amanda Ostrem from Standhope is a member. In addition, I met with Leon Kuehner of Hampton during Iowa Alliance for Arts Education Advocacy Day.
