Capitol Digest 3-11-2010

A roundup of legislative and Statehouse items of interest for Thursday, March 11:

MARCH TO ADJOURNMENT Democratic legislative leaders continue to insist they will wrap up their work before the end of the month. “We continue to believe we are on target to finish two weeks from (March 12),” Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said Thursday. The House and Senate will take up appropriations bills next week and Democrats plan to roll out a long-promised jobs creation bill using I-JOBS bonds. House Minority Leader Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, said he had talked with Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy about the “end game” and said a March 26 adjournment is possible as long as Democrats

stay disciplined” and don't try to load budget bills with policy measures the majority party hasn't been able to pass.

CHARTER APPROVED: The State Board of Education approved the renewal of  Storm Lake school district's charter school on Thursday. Several students from the school made the trip to attend their meeting and share their positive experiences at the school, which allows high school students to earn college credit. The charter school partners with Iowa Central Community College and Buena Vista University. The school is open to all students, but aggressively recruits non-Caucasian students and targets English-language learners. About 50 to 60 percent of  students are the first generation from their family to graduate high school, officials said. Student Evelyn Castro, who is graduating this semester, said she is the first in her family to go to college. Going to the charter school meant her parents, who both work in a factory, wouldn't have to struggle to pay some college costs, she said. “Charter school was a great opportunity for me,” she said.

DISASTER MEASURES: Cities and counties in disaster-struck areas would get some assistance in their efforts to recover under provisions of two measures discussed Thursday by two House Ways and Means subcommittees. One bill would allow local governments to use post-disaster property value assessments in paying off bonds for tax-increment financing (TIF) districts without impacting property owners' tax bills. Backers were considering establishing some damage threshold to avoid a wide open process in 88 counties covered by a presidential disaster declaration in 2008 that might adversely the state's school aid formula. A separate measure would give cities and counties flexibility in setting special elections for disaster-related bond issues beyond the four election dates currently specified in state law.

STUDENTS RALLY: Hundreds of elementary and secondary school students – mostly from the Des Moines area – held a noisy rally in the Capitol rotunda Thursday in support of state funding for education. The students – many concerned that funding cuts could lead to layoffs for art, music and P.E. teachers – chanted “no art, no culture” and waved homemade placards to get lawmakers' attention. Their message was aided by a string orchestra, band and choir students who performed on two floors of the Capitol building. “Don't let this be the day the music dies” said one boy's sign; “SOS Save Our Soles, Save the Arts” proclaimed another. One girl beat her drum so loudly a state trooper had to curb her enthusiasm with a gentle tap on the shoulder.

BILLS BECOME LAW: Gov. Chet Culver signed seven bills into law Thursday, including one that assures local authorities, through their home rule power, can continue to regulate taxicab and limousine businesses in the same manner as they have done for many years. Senate File 2246 addresses a recent district court decision which concluded that the term “motor carrier” did include vehicles such as taxicabs. The court ruled that the DOT authority is exclusive. Several cities currently regulate taxicab and limousine businesses. The practical effect of the district court decision is to eliminate the ability of local governments to regulate taxicabs. Culver also signed House File 2318, which changes the length of term for a city development board member from six to four years and eliminates the term limit.

MASTER BUILDERS: The Iowa Department of Education has received a $100,000 “Construction Program of Study Funding Award” from the Master Builders of Iowa to help establish standards and model programs of study that will guide Iowa students seeking a career in the construction industry. Judy Jeffrey, director of the Iowa Department of Education, called the project a model industry-education partnership and will allow participants to keep pace with advancements in technology and industry practices. The state agency and the 2,100 Master Builders members statewide are partnering with local schools and community colleges to help students begin their education in construction technology while still in high school and then continue to a community college or post-secondary program. The funds will be used to help education and construction industry representatives develop statewide standards for commercial construction education and provide information to students on how they can advance their career in construction.

IASB TRANSPARENCY: The Senate Appropriations Committee voted Thursday to require more public disclosure of taxpayer-funded programs and financial information by the Iowa Association of School Boards. Sen. Bob Dvorsky, D-Coralville, the committee's chairman, said more transparency is needed in light of allegations of inflated salaries, conflicts of interest and other potential problems. The amendment that won unanimous support would require each school board to annual report their annual dues or fees paid to the organization and other financial information both locally and to the state Department of Education. The proposal was attached to an $844 million education appropriation measure that would fund DOE, community college and regent universities operations during fiscal 2011.

LEAD LEADERS: Iowa has become the second state in the nation to be federally authorized to administer and enforce the federal Lead-based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting program. That is according to the Environmental Protection Agency's regional office in Kansas City. Wisconsin was the first state to be certified. The program mandates training and certification in lead-safe work practices for construction contractors, property managers and others that work in homes and child-occupied facilities built before 1978. Gov. Chet Culver has certified Iowa's program to be administered by the state Department of Public Health. Effective April 22, anyone performing renovations or repairs for compensation must be trained and certified, and follow lead safe work practices.  Because lead-based paint in the home is a major cause of childhood lead poisoning, the program places new requirements on property management companies, landlords, contractors, renovators and painters for lead safe work practices to reduce the lead exposure of children. Lead-based paint was used in more than 38 million homes until it was banned for residential use in 1978.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We're just beginning to dig ourselves out of the hole and, in this case, it's a big, big hole.” Holly Lyons, a Legislative Services Agency official and member of the state Revenue Estimating Conference in assessing Iowa's economic outlook.