CAPITOL NOTEBOOK:

DES MOINES — Republicans in both chambers of the Iowa Legislature passed Gov. Kim Reynolds' private school assistance proposal out of committees on Wednesday, moving the bill one step closer to floor votes.

"This is just the first step in giving educational freedom to Iowa’s students and parents," Reynolds said in a statement. “I look forward to this bill reaching the floor in both chambers. Iowans deserve to see where their elected leaders stand.”

The bill passed 11-5 in the Senate Education Committee, with all Republicans in support and all Democrats opposed. The bill was then referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee, which will meet to consider the bill on 10 a.m. Thursday.

Democrats raised similar concerns as they have over the last week as the bill quickly made its way through the lawmaking process. They said the bill deprives already underfunded public schools of funding and siphons money to wealthy families, and they raised concerns about private school accountability.

“I don’t know where we’re going to get another $341 million to put into this program, except by shortchanging the public schools again,” Democratic Sen. Herman Quirmbach, the ranking member of the Senate Education Committee, said.

Republican Senate President Amy Sinclair of Allerton, who managed the bill in subcommittee, said in response to concerns about private school accountability that they go through the same accreditation process as public schools, and teachers require the same licenses.

"Don't tell me they're not accountable," she said. "They are accredited by the same agencies that our Department of Education utilizes. The same processes."

The proposal passed out of the House Education Reform committee Wednesday on 3-2 party-line vote, with Democrats opposed, making it eligible for floor debate next week.

It's a stark contrast to last year, when debate over a much narrower proposal failed in the House, with Republican holdouts joining Democrats in opposition, and delayed the end of the session by weeks.

This year, top Republican lawmakers have advanced changes to eliminate potential obstacles and fast-track Gov. Kim Reynolds’ top legislative priority, pushing it through the committee process before the end of the session's second week, despite Democratic opposition and a packed public hearing on Tuesday.

House Democrats accused Republicans of rushing the legislation through without adequate vetting.

House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, said the only information Republicans have provided about the bill's cost come from their own estimates and those of the governor — not the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency.

"This is not ready for prime time in any way, shape or form," Konfrst, who sits on the House Education Reform Committee, told reporters. "We have a lot of questions. We don’t have any information from a nonpartisan source that tells us what the bill will cost."

Rep. John Wills, R-Spirit Lake, who also sits on the committee, said parents should have the freedom to make a decision about where and what values their child is taught.

“We have an educational monopoly in this state,” Will said. “We forget about the child and why we fund education in Iowa. It’s not to fund schools. … What I care about is the kids and how we teach those kids. Parents want to be in charge of the child’s education and their child’s future.”

Ransomware penalties

Launching a ransomware attack would become a crime in Iowa under a bill that passed out of a House subcommittee Wednesday.

Ransomware is any software that blocks access to a computer system until the owner of the system pays money. It has become a rising concern in Iowa and nationally as several school systems, including the Cedar Rapids, Linn-Mar, Des Moines and Davenport public school districts, have suffered attacks.

Launching a ransomware attack is not currently a crime in Iowa, and House File 2461would make it up to a Class C felony to do so, depending on the amount of money the affected entity loses. If the losses are less than $10,000, the person would be charged with a simple misdemeanor; between $10,000 and $50,000 would be a Class D felony; and any losses over $50,000 would be a Class C felony.

The bill applies to ransomware launched against the state, public and private utilities, hospitals and public schools, colleges and area education agencies.

The bill received bipartisan support in the subcommittee, with two Republicans and one Democrat recommending passage. The bill will need to pass through the House Economic Growth and Technology Committee before coming to a vote in the House.

Repeal of gender balance mandate

State and local boards and commissions would no longer be required to have gender balance under legislation that moved in the Senate.

Republican Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, cast doubt on whether the gender balance requirement for government boards and commissions was ever needed, and suggested even if it was, it has since outgrown its purpose.

Schultz said he hears from leaders who say they have a difficult time filling open board positions, in part because of the gender balance requirement.

Opponents of the bill questioned the veracity of Schultz’s assertion and said the requirement has produced positive results in government representation in Iowa and is still needed.

Iowa’s gender balance requirement for state boards and commissions — the first of its kind in the nation — has been in place since 1987. The law was extended to local government bodies in 2009.

Schultz and fellow Republican Sen. Cherielynn Westrich, R-Ottumwa, signed off on Senate Study Bill 1037, making it eligible for consideration by the full Senate committee on state government. Sen. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, declined to sign off on the bill.

Iowa National Guard adjutant general to retire

Maj. Gen. Ben Corell, the adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard, will retire March 1 after more than 30 years in the Guard and three years at its helm.

Corell, 61, mentioned his upcoming retirement in a ceremony for veterans at the Iowa State Capitol on Wednesday. He said he wants to spend more time with his family and more time on his hobbies in his retirement.

“The Iowa Guard is in great hands,” he said. “The leaders that are below me, I have imprinted my fingerprints on them through their career. It’s time for me to rotate out and somebody else to take this role.”

Corell said he has given his recommendation for his successor to Gov. Kim Reynolds, who will appoint the Guard’s next leader.

Corell first enlisted in the Guard in 1986 and became a commissioned officer in 1989. He assumed the role of adjutant general in 2019. Corell said he’s proud of keeping the readiness of the Iowa National Guard intact and building future leaders in the organization.

Chief appellate judge re-elected

Thomas Bower, of Cedar Falls, has been re-elected as chief judge of the Iowa Court of Appeals.

Bower has served on the appeals court since 2012, and was first elected chief judge in 2019, according to an Iowa Judicial Branch news release.

Appeals court justices elect the chief judge, who serves a two-year term.