The following is a legislative update from State Representative Jane Bloomingdale (R–Northwood), representing District 60 – the western half of Cerro Gordo county, all of Worth and Mitchell counties, and a portion of Floyd county – in the Iowa Legislature:
After the first funnel week, committee work slowed and floor debate picked up. This week, we were on the House floor every day, moving more than 40 bills—most with unanimous or strong bipartisan support. Floor debate will continue over the next few weeks as we move legislation from committee to the Senate. A few of the bills considered this week include:
HF2514 makes childcare employees who provide direct care to children eligible for Child Care Assistance if they work at least 32 hours per week and have children enrolled in childcare. The Department of Health and Human Services has operated this as a pilot program since July 2023, serving 2,105 families with an average household income of 302% of the Federal Poverty Level.
HF2226 requires the Iowa Board of Regents to adopt a policy ensuring that at least 70% of students accepted into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at the University of Iowa are Iowa residents. This builds on last year’s law requiring the University of Iowa to interview and accept more Iowans into medical profession programs, expanding those workforce priorities to include nursing and strengthening Iowa’s healthcare pipeline.
HF2242 prohibits the Regent universities from increasing their tuition or mandatory fees to resident undergraduates for 5 years. This provides surety in what the undergraduate student needs to budget for their college expenses.
HF2463 adds young five -year-olds as being eligible for Statewide Voluntary Preschool Payment instead of only four-year-olds, allowing parents to choose when to send their child to preschool. It does not allow a child to qualify twice.
HF2488 provides that a private institution may not establish, sustain, support, or staff a DEI office. Institutions that do so would become ineligible to receive Iowa Tuition Grant funds. This continues the work begun with the Regents institutions to ensure hiring and admissions decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and performance—not race, gender, or other specified traits—extending those standards to private colleges that receive public support through the Iowa Tuition Grant program.
The week also included visits from a wide range of groups at the Capitol, including community bankers, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Orchard Place, pharmacy students, and city planners—including Steven VanSteenhuyse (MC Development Director) and Myrtle Nelson (NIACOG) —as well as several groups from north Iowa with Lutheran Services in Iowa. I visited with Sharon Enabnit and colleagues from the Rockford area, along with Martha Darrow and Joleen Norby from Osage, to discuss LSI priorities and the important work they are doing in our communities. It is always a pleasure to meet with the many groups who visit the Capitol.
If you are planning a visit, please reach out, I would love to meet with you.
(TOP PHOTO: With Martha Darrow and Jolene Norby from Osage, along with Sharon Enabit and colleagues from the Rockford area to discuss Lutheran Services of Iowa priorities and the work they are doing in their communities.)
