A bill that could help keep young professionals in Iowa was signed into law by Gov. Chet Culver this month. The Generation Iowa bill will form a commission of 15 members between the ages of 18 and 35 who will advise the governor on the needs of young professionals and what can be done to encourage them to stay in the state.

There is, however, a range of opinions as to whether the bill such as this could be successful.

Sarah Sunderman, senior in liberal studies and president of the ISU Democrats, said the commission will have three tasks. These include making recommendations to the Legislature, creating practices for employers to keep young talent, and marketing Iowa to recruit new businesses and industries.

It could work to provide a more direct line of communication between the state and the people the bill is aimed at affecting, said Dirk Deam, senior lecturer of political science.

“There’s a value in providing information directly to the governor instead of drawing inferences,” Deam said.

Commissions like this often serve to supplement what the legislative function usually is, but ultimately, policies still must come from the Legislature.

Previous administrations have had groups that tried to do the same thing. Most often they didn’t generate anything useful or were ignored, said Don McDowell, junior in political science and president of the ISU Republicans.

“I personally think it’s a commission that is going to be irrelevant,” McDowell said. “I think it’s another government entity that will dip into the government funds and not produce any real results for the taxpayer.”

McDowell said he thinks finding ways to grow businesses, making the tax systems more competitive, and keeping the community attractive and the economy moving is what needs to be done to keep people in the state.

Others think success will depend on the commission itself.

“For me, it’s just important that they choose a diverse, qualified group of people who are motivated toward the cause,” Sunderman said. “On paper, it looks great, and I think it could definitely make a difference.”