Reynolds’ government reorganization proposal advances

DES MOINES — A roughly 1,600-page government reorganization bill filed by Gov. Kim Reynolds could be headed to her desk for her signature by the end of the week — without significant amendment.

The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday passed House File 662, a companion to Senate File 514, on a largely party-line vote with Rep. Brian Lohse, R-Bondurant, joining Democrats in opposition. The full House could debate the bill as soon as Wednesday.

The bill, among other provisions, would shrink the number of Cabinet-level state agencies from 37 to 16 and create more agency leaders who are appointed by the governor and subject to Iowa Senate confirmation, rather than being elected by state boards or commissions.

The proposal also would give the governor more leeway to pay directors higher salaries, which Reynolds has said is needed to recruit and retain top talent and streamline salaries by eliminating the need for bonuses. The bill also would explicitly state that the state attorney general has the authority to prosecute cases without first consulting with the county attorney; and would give the state attorney general’s office exclusive jurisdiction over elections-related cases.

Democrats have proposed eliminating the attorney general jurisdiction language, preventing the dissolution of the state board of health, keeping community-based corrections programs more independent of the state, and keeping where they are the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, the state consumer advocate’s office, and the Department of the Blind.

Democrats called the bill a “power grab” by the governor, arguing the bill will reduce government oversight and hurt the quality of government services for some Iowans.

Reynolds has said she's not trying to accumulate power, and that the move is intended to reduce the size and cost of government and increase efficiency. The governor’s office estimates it would save $215 million over the next four years.

Reynolds and Republican lawmakers have said the mergers will happen without laying off any state employees, and that savings will come from eliminating more than 500 unfilled positions.

An analysis from the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency estimates that the reorganization would result in the elimination of 214 full-time equivalent positions and result in $12.4 million less in spending per year. Of that, $6.4 million would be from the state's general fund, while $5.8 million of the reduction would come from federal funds and $196,000 from other funds, according to the analysis.