Capitol Notebook: Gov. Reynolds signs bill making it easier to open new birth centers in Iowa

DES MOINES — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds this week signed a slate of bills into law. Among them is legislation designed to make it easier for health care providers to open new birthing centers in the state.

Since 2000, at least 41 Iowa hospitals, primarily in rural areas, have closed their labor and delivery units, leading to a shortage of birthing services and impacting access to care for pregnant women.

House File 887 will exempt freestanding birth centers from needing to obtain a certificate of need from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing. The regulatory process requires health care providers to demonstrate community need before establishing or expanding certain health care facilities or services. The process is intended to control health care costs, prevent unnecessary duplication of services, and ensure equitable access to health care resources.

Removing birth centers from the meaning of facility would allow health care providers to create, relocate, expand or offer new services in birth centers without the need to obtain the state certificate.

Supporters of the legislation said Iowa’s certificate of need law presents a potential barrier to maternity care providers who want to open birth centers in a state where roughly one-third of counties are classified as maternal health deserts.

The bill unanimously passed both the Iowa House and Senate.

Reynolds also signed into law:

HF 919: The bill establishes a children’s specialty hospital designation for ChildServe based in Johnson. The pediatric specialty health care provider serves children with developmental delays, disabilities, injuries and other special health care needs. It provides specialized clinical, home and community-based programs and services.

Bill supporters said the change allows ChildServe to be federally certified and participate in federal reimbursement programs, allowing them to provide care to more Iowa kids with special health care needs.

SF 592: The bill requires cities and counties to allow at least one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on lots with single-family homes. ADUs, also known as “granny flats,” are secondary housing units on the same lot as a primary residence. They can be detached structures, additions to the main house, or conversions of existing spaces within the house or a garage. The bill aims to address Iowa's housing shortage and provide more affordable housing options. While some cities have ADU regulations, this bill sets minimum standards and prevents overly restrictive local rules.

“The Iowa Finance Authority predicts that we have a shortage of 24,000 homes in our state, and this bill allows for one accessory dwelling unit on the same lot as a single family residence,” Rep. Megan Jones, R-Sioux Rapids, said during floor debate. “This is a great step forward for child care, for growing families, for workforce, for elder care, for property rights and for addressing our housing shortages.”

HF 117: A bill for an act establishing the National Guard Service Professional Qualification Scholarship Program.

HF 118: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to the National Guard Service Scholarship Program.

SF 275: A bill for an act requiring the director of the Department of Education to develop and administer a purple star school initiative that recognizes schools that have “demonstrated a commitment to supporting military-connected students and the families of such students with the goal of increasing the amount of support that schools in this state make available to military-connected students and the families of such students.”

Reynolds orders flags lowered for fallen firefighters

Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday ordered all flags in Iowa lowered to  half-staff in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service on Sunday.

Firefighters who have died in the line of duty during the previous year are honored at the national memorial service in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

Reynolds’ order was issued in conjunction with President Donald Trump’s proclamation to lower U.S. flags for the same amount of time.

“We honor the unwavering commitment of firefighters and their families who are always ready and willing to protect us and our communities,” Reynolds said in a statement. “As we lower flags, we remember the sacrifice of those who have given their lives. We thank those who have served and those who are currently serving. Our state is eternally grateful.”

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau