HF590, a major piece of Gov. Terry Branstad’s economic agenda passed in the Iowa House on Monday. HF590 has moved to the Senate for debate. This bill acts on the organization of the Executive Branch agencies responsible for administering economic development programs. HF590 creates three separate entities, the Partnership for Economic Progress, the Economic Development Authority and the Economic Development Corporation. The Partnership for Economic Progress will serve as an advisory body. The Economic Development Authority will be the public agency facilitating programs. The Economic Development Authority will establish the Economic Development Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation, will distribute funds to advance development within Iowa.

Here is a list of selected bills that have “survived ” and “died” during the 12th week of legislation:

Survived

Administrative Review: SF471, which relates to the review of administrative rules and application processes, was passed by the Senate. The bill requires agencies to establish a five-year regulatory review of all rules and sets up a committee to oversee the process. 

Property Taxation and Local Government: HF9 relates to property taxation and local government and school financing. This bill establishes local government financing requirements for essential services and develops a method for determining property assessment limitations.

Tax Coupling: SF209 would couple Iowa’s tax code with the federal internal revenue code.

Commerical Property Taxation: couple HSB129 is the governor’s proposal to phase in 60 percent evaluation on commercial property taxes.

Small Employer Tax Credit: SF506 establishes a small employer health insurance tax credit as a percentage of the federal credit. This bill was passed by the Senate and is now being debated in the House.

Senate Property Tax Credit: SSB1205 relates to the establishment of a property tax credit for certain commercial, industrial and railway property.

Died

Workers Compensation Credit: HF523 establishes relates to employer credits for overpayments of weekly workers compensation benefits. HF523 passed through the House on Tuesday. 

Collective Bargaining: HF525 relates to public employee collective bargaining agreements. This bill passed in the House on March 9 2011.

Hiring Transparency: HF563 requires more transparency when hiring private outside lawyers. This bill has passed the House and now resides in the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

Right to Work: HF149 was a bill relating to the posting of “Right to Work” on all economic development/marketing materials.

Federal Regulations: HF324 was a bill relating to the implementation of federal statute, regulation or policy by state administrative agencies.

Unemployment Compensation: HF610 was a bill relating to a one-week waiting period for unemployment compensation benefits.

-Information courtesy Ames Chamber of Commerce