(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:
House Passes Supplemental State Aid (SSA) for Schools
The Iowa House on Feb. 13 passed a bill related to public school funding for the budget year beginning July 1, 2025.
The following provisions in the House bill total a 3.93% increase in state funding to public schools:
– Increase of 2.25% in supplemental state aid (SSA) funding. This increase, plus the second phase of the teacher salary increase, passed last session results in $114.5 million more for public schools.
– One-time increase of 0.6% SSA payment, which equates to $22.6 million more for schools.
$10 increase in per pupil equity, which equates to a $5.8 million.
– Increase in the Operational Sharing Budget from 21 to 25, providing an additional $1 million to schools.
– Increasing the School Transportation to cap the cost of transportation for each school district at the statewide average of $430, resulting in $5.8 million in additional funds.
Because the Iowa Senate passed their version of the bill with a 2.0% SSA, Senate File 167 now returns to the Senate. Stay tuned…
Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Reform
On Feb. 11, Rep. Brett Barker managed House Study Bill (HSB) 99 to reform pharmacy benefit middlemen. This bipartisan bill passed unanimously out of the Commerce Committee and becomes eligible for floor debate. As an advocate for rural communities and small businesses, I look forward to voting for this bill on the floor.
Independent pharmacies are closing in urban and rural areas alike due to unfair pricing practices by Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM). In many cases, a PBM requires the local pharmacy to charge substantially less than their cost to fill a prescription. Businesses can’t stay in business when they’re losing money! It’s no wonder 29 Iowa pharmacies closed in 2024. More than 150 pharmacies have closed during the past decade.
Ag Education
Summer funding has really limited many ag education programs because it often cost teachers in time and money to be helping their students. Again this legislative session, I co-sponsoring a bill with Rep. Chad Ingels to increase support for agriculture education in Iowa schools. This week the House Education Committee passed House File (HF) 33, so it’s eligible for floor debate. The timing of this bill’s passage is particularly timely because National FFA Week is Feb. 15-22.
House File (HF) 33 would create a grant program for schools to support funding for ag education teachers during the summer months when they are working with students on their many projects during the growing season and at the county and state fair. Schools with agriculture education programs less than 10 years old could request up to 100% of the cost, while other programs could request 50% of the cost. Summer funding has really limited many ag education programs because of the time and money it often takes agricultural educators to help their students every month of the year.
World Food Prize
Members of the House Economic Development Budget Subcommittee this week toured the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. What a historic treasurer! (Learn more about the building renovation at http://www.halloflaureates.org) After our tour concluded, four high school students shared how they benefitted from attending The World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute.
One of The Youth Institute delegates who spoke was Isaac Vosburg, a senior at Hampton-Dumont High School. He is involved in numerous school and community activities. He is a member of the Franklin County 4-H Council, class president, student body vice president, and sentinel of the Tall Corn FFA chapter. He has participated in the U.S. Department of State’s Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Abroad program, spending his last school year in Malaysia as a foreign exchange student and cultural ambassador. He has received numerous awards, including being named a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist and being recognized as a World Food Prize Borlaug Scholar.
Any student who completes a research paper and attends the Iowa Youth Institute receives a $1,000 scholarship to Iowa State University. If selected to attend the Global Youth Institute, students also receive a $2,000 scholarship. Registration and research papers are due March 31, 2025.
Constituents in the Capitol
It was my honor to welcome the South Hamilton FFA officer team and their advisor, Mr. Carlton Ness, and their student teacher, Blake Peterson, to the Iowa House of Representatives. These FFA members shared with legislators the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs.
