Stakeholders resist proposed cuts to Iowa boards

DES MOINES — Representatives of dozens of Iowa boards and commissions made their case for why the groups should stay active in a public hearing Wednesday as a state panel looks to cut the number of Iowa’s administrative boards.

In a two-hour public hearing, advocates for boards dealing with athletic training, midwife licensing, court reporters, volunteering and community colleges said their work — among the 100 boards a state panel has recommended to cut or consolidate — is necessary to strengthen their profession, keep federal funding or maintain public safety.

The Board and Commissions Review Committee held the hearing on its recommendations to overhaul Iowa’s board and commission structure, leaving only about a third of the state’s administrative boards unchanged. The panel’s recommendations would winnow the number of boards from 256 to 140.

The committee was convened as part of a wide-ranging government reorganization bill passed by Republican lawmakers and signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds earlier this year.

Members of boards that deal with licensing or setting standards for different professions — from electricians and plumbers to midwives and court reporters — said their expertise was needed to manage that profession rather than those decisions being managed by a larger board without as much expertise.

Brian Patton, a member of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 33 union, said he's concerned about the proposal to merge the board that licenses plumbers under another board.

"Since there is no detail describing what the merged board will look like, Local 33 is concerned that the merged board will be diluted and there won't be adequate representation," Patton said.

Gender balance

Several speakers advocated against the proposal to eliminate the requirement that all state boards and commissions be gender balanced, while one speaker spoke in favor of the change.

Since 1987, Iowa law has required that state boards and commissions have an equal number of men and women serving on the board. The requirement can be waived after a period of time if a qualified candidate of a specific gender cannot be found.

Carol Maher of Sioux City called the recommendation to ax the law “paternalistic” and said the rule should remain in place.

“This recommendation puts in writing what those sexist men say in the locker room. ‘Why do we have to have those little ladies on the board? What could they possibly know?’ ” she said.

Laura D’Agostino, a lawyer for Pacific Legal Foundation, said the gender balance requirement is unfair and unconstitutional. The firm is involved in a lawsuit, on behalf of two Iowa residents, arguing that point.

The lawsuit focuses specifically on the gender balance requirement for the state’s Judicial Nominating Commission, which includes eight commissioners that are elected by lawyers.

“These laws prevent qualified Iowans from serving their local communities just because they’re the wrong gender for the seat that’s up for election,” D’Agostino said. “… Gender quotas not only prevent qualified people from serving and further impose logistical problems in filling seats, but they are unconstitutional and violate the 14th Amendment.

Cultural boards

The committee recommended many groups dealing with certain minority groups, like African Americans, Asian and Pacific Islanders and the deaf community be merged into the Council on Human Rights.

Some speakers on Wednesday said eliminating those boards would make it harder for the state to serve the specific needs of those communities. Caleb Knutson, a member of the Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs, said the board serves many of Iowa’s communities with a high Latino population and helps keep Latino residents in the state.

“If you want the state to grow, you’re going to want Latinos to stay in the state. ... My 12-year-old talks about moving to Toronto. That’s a place that’s more welcoming to him,” Knutson said. “So we need to ensure as parents and as caregivers through the state, that we’re doing everything we can to keep our youth in the state.”

Amber Tucker said, through an American Sign Language interpreter, that the Iowa Commission of Deaf Services has provided vital services to Iowa’s deaf residents, like interpreters for public events and access to court proceedings.

“It has been the one place where our voices might possibly be heard in our own state government,” Tucker said.

Next steps

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Iowa Department of Management Director Kraig Paulsen, the committee’s chair, said the input from Iowans was valuable, and he appreciated the feedback.

“This is a great conversation,” he said. “In my time in state government I've never been a part of a conversation like this. Do I think that where we’re at today is exactly what the General Assembly might send to the governor to sign? That would be shocking.”

The committee will present a report with its final recommendations during its meeting on Sept. 25, Paulsen said.

The decision about what to cut and what to keep will be made by the Republican-controlled state Legislature before it goes to Reynolds for consideration.

Comments: cmccullough@qctimes.com