Capitol Notebook: AEA proposal will be subject of public hearing

DES MOINES — Iowa House lawmakers will hold a public hearing Wednesday on a proposal to change the funding and oversight structure of Iowa’s area education agencies.

The bill, which House Republicans proposed after they blocked a proposal from Gov. Kim Reynolds to more dramatically change the agencies, advanced last week out of a House committee.

Under House File 2612, schools would retain their state special education funding, but they still would be required to spend that money with an AEA for special education support services. Schools also would receive state funds dedicated to education and media services, but would be allowed to spend that with an AEA or with another party.

The measure also would move some of the oversight and budget decisions of the local agencies under the Iowa Department of Education.

The public hearing will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday in Room 103 at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines. People interested in speaking must sign up on the Iowa Legislature website and must speak in person. Members of the public can also leave written comments on the Legislature website.

House Republicans last week heard input on the bill, and suggested it may see changes moving forward.

Senate Republicans last week advanced a different amended version of Reynolds’ proposal out of a committee. The bill, Senate File 2386, would allow schools to retain most of their special education funding and they could choose to use that money with an AEA or with another party, like a private company.

Senate passes auditing bill, others

A proposal to allow state government agencies to hire a private accountant, rather than being scrutinized by the Iowa State Auditor, passed the Iowa Senate.

It was one of nine bills debated in and approved by the Iowa Senate.

Sen. Michael Bousselot, R-Ankeny, the author of Senate File 2311, said it is designed to bolster government accountability and transparency, and give state agencies more flexibility and the same options currently afforded to local governments.

Democrats have argued that the proposal creates a way for state agencies that are led by Republicans to circumvent an audit from the Iowa State Auditor, who at the moment is Rob Sand, the lone Democrat to hold statewide office.

Only Republicans voted to approve the bill, which now is eligible for consideration by the Iowa House.

Lawmakers and Supreme Court cases

Leaders in the Iowa Legislature would be given more access to Iowa Supreme Court consideration of newly passed state laws under a pair of bills approved with bipartisan support by the Iowa Senate.

Under Senate File 2171, legislative leaders would be allowed to make legal filings known as amicus curiae briefs in appeals court without first requesting permission from the court when a state law’s constitutionality is being challenged.

That bill passed the Senate unanimously and is now eligible for consideration in the House.

Under Senate File 2275, notice would be required to be filed with the Iowa Legislature whenever a state law’s constitutionality is being challenged in the courts.

Four Democrats joined all Republicans in voting to advance the bill, which is now eligible for consideration in the House.

Foreign land ownership requirements

More information would be required — but kept confidential — under legislation governing agricultural land that was given unanimous approval by the Iowa Senate.

Under Senate File 2204, which was proposed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, any foreign entities that own farmland in Iowa would be required to report the owner’s nationality, legal name and address plus the legal name and address of any parent corporation. The foreign landowner also would be required to report their purpose for owning land in Iowa, plus other land holdings of 250 acres or more.

The bill also would require the Iowa Secretary of State to publish an annual report of foreign land ownership in the state. Under the bill, that report would be confidential, and available only to the governor, attorney general, Iowa Legislature, and Iowa Secretary of State.

With its unanimous passage out of the Senate, the proposal is eligible for consideration in the Iowa House.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau