Capitol Notebook: Gov. Kim Reynolds rejects tweaks to AEA law

Gov. Kim Reynolds rebuffed calls Tuesday for changes to the law she signed last month overhauling the state’s special education providers, as some House lawmakers want to change what they saw as an oversight in the bill they passed.

The new law changes the funding structures and oversight of the state’s area education agencies, which provide special education support, media services and other services to school districts. Making changes to the AEAs was Reynolds’ top legislative priority, though the final law differed significantly from her proposal.

Once fully implemented, the law will require school districts to spend 90 percent of their special education funding with an AEA, while they will have discretion over the other 10 percent.

But for the other AEA functions — for media and other education services — by the second year, school districts will receive the full amount currently going to the AEAs, about $68 million. Districts will have broad flexibility over the spending: they can contract with the AEAs for those services, seek them from another vendor or put the money in their general fund to spend in other areas.

Now, some House Republicans are saying that was an oversight and are looking to change the law to require the money be spent on the intended services, the Des Moines Register first reported.

Speaking with reporters, Reynolds said she does not support any change to the legislation. She said schools should be allowed to spend media and education service dollars how they see fit.

“I’m absolutely not,” Reynolds said when asked if she was open to changes. “That was the deal. First of all, it’s about local control … They know best, what’s important for the kids in their district, and so they’re going to decide how to use that money, and that’s how it should always be.”

Rep. Brent Siegrist, R-Council Bluffs, who previously led the Iowa Association of Area Education Agencies, said he and some other lawmakers want spending from those sources to be restricted only to the services they’re currently intended for — while still allowing school districts to seek those services outside an AEA.

That change could be made by inserting the language into budget bills. It’s unclear whether House leadership will make that move, and Siegrist said he is not sure the Senate would pass it anyway.

Bill regulating nuisance strip clubs advances

The Iowa Senate passed a bill that would allow cities to limit the hours of strip clubs they determine to be a danger to public safety. Large cities in Iowa, led by Davenport, have pushed for the bill in the wake of recent shootings.

The bill, House File 2531, would allow a county attorney or city attorney to sue a strip club and request a court order to limit the hours from noon to 10 p.m. if they determine the club is a public safety nuisance. The court could also prohibit alcohol there.

An establishment could be considered a public safety nuisance if someone on or near the establishment fires a gun, assaults another person with a dangerous weapon or engages in a riot on three or more times within a year. A court could impose additional sanctions after trial if it determines a public safety nuisance exists.

Similar action covering bars was signed into law in 2022, but officials say it exempts establishments that don’t serve alcohol.

The bill was amended to replace "adult cabaret" with an existing definition of “adult establishments” in code that have nude or topless dancing. It also replaces references to gunfire, assaults and riots occurring within 500 feet of the premises with language used for public nuisance bars, which includes the parking lot and spaces adjacent to the establishment.

The bill now heads back to the Iowa House for final passage.

Sheriffs' retirement changes

Senate lawmakers advanced a House bill Tuesday that would make changes to the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System for sheriffs and deputies, including increasing the applicable percentage for retirement benefit payments.

It also would provide that a person charged with the murder or felony assault of a law enforcement or corrections officer is not eligible for bail. And it would create a tax credit of up to $2,000 for public safety officers moving into Iowa.

House File 2661 increases the maximum IPERS retirement benefit from 72 to 80 percent and establishes an annual 1.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment to the monthly allowance for sheriff and deputy sheriff members of IPERS for retirements on or after July 1.

Representatives for the Iowa State Association of Counties and Iowa State Sheriffs' & Deputies' Association spoke in favor of the legislation, saying it will help recruitment and retention efforts.

“We have seen as an increase in loss of deputies to the large city police departments and the state patrol,” said Tony Phillips, representing the Iowa State Sheriffs' & Deputies' Association. “We can address pay … that make the office a friendlier environment for deputies to work in. The one thing we can’t address in the sheriff's office is the pension system.”

Phillips said bill provides a “modest” pension increase that’s split evenly between the county and retirees.

“For every dollar increase in this pension system is shared 50/50 between the county and the deputies,” he said.

Kellie Paschke, representing the Iowa Peace Officers Association, raised concerns the bill excludes local law enforcement who are not part of the pension system out of the benefit increase. Paschke encouraged lawmakers to include other law enforcement groups like county conservation officers, university and small town police officers in future pension legislation.

The bill passed House last month with a vote of 93-0. It now moves to the Senate Ways and Means Committee for consideration.