100 SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2009
Prepared by State Senator Rob Hogg
DISASTER RECOVERY
1-3. Provide $56 million for Rebuild Iowa programs (HF64)
- $24 million to expand Jump Start Housing program
- $22 million for community disaster grants ($10.1 million for Cedar Rapids)
- $10 million for individual unmet needs assistance – to apply, call 261-0987
4. Expedited vote for local option sales tax which passed March 3 (SF44)
5-11. Provide $45 million for targeted disaster recovery capital projects (SF376)
- $5 million for steam replacement assistance
- $10 million for new human service building to house displaced nonprofits
- $10 million for revitalization of National Czech & Slovak Museum
- $5 million to replace Options of Linn County
- $5 million toward replacement of Cedar Rapids Public Library
- $5 million for recovery and renovation of Paramount Theater
- $5 million for recovery or replacement of Cedar Rapids Public Works
12. Provide $118 million for competitive grants for disaster recovery/prevention (SF376)
13. Provide $100 million in bonding authority for University of Iowa to match FEMA assistance (SF474)
14. Authorize disaster revitalization zones to encourage disaster-proof redevelopment (SF457)
15. Provide tax credits for qualifying multi-family housing development (SF457)
16. Provide tax credits for renovation of disaster-affected historic buildings (SF481)
17. Authorize cities and counties to bond for disaster recovery over 30 years (SF457)
18. Authorize cities expedited authority to take title to abandoned properties (SF415)
19. Allow waivers for disaster-affected cities applying for state CAT grants (SF336)
20. Provide $1 million toward railroad bridge replacement in Waterloo (HF822)
21. Provide $500,000 each for fire stations in Palo, Elkader, and Charles City (SF376)
22. Provide $11.5 million to repair damaged soil conservation practices (SF376)
23. Provide $5 million for supplemental disaster housing grant program (SF376)
24. Reduce forgiveness period for Jump Start housing loans from 10 to 5 years (SF289)
25. Establish flood center at University of Iowa for research and modeling of floods (HF822)
26. Provide $400,000 for stream gages for tracking and predicting floods (HF822)
27. Provide $1.6 million in funding for DNR floodplain management program (HF822)
28. Direct water resources council to assess flood mitigation policies (HF756)
29. Require cities to participate in National Flood Insurance Program (HF759)
30. Develop standards for community safe rooms and storm shelters (HF705)
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOB ASSISTANCE
31. Continue funding Iowa Values Fund at $45 million (HF822)
32. Streamline economic development programs to be more user-friendly to businesses (SF344)
33. Provide $55 million in matching funds for sewer/wastewater improvements (SF376)
34. Expand historic tax credits, including credits for job-creating projects (SF481)
35. Expand and improve targeting of film production tax incentives (SF480)
36. Provide additional tax incentives for small and medium data centers (SF478)
37. Provide $25 million in matching funds for broadband technology grants (SF376)
38. Renew funding for community attraction tourism and RECAT program (SF376)
39. Provide $14.75 million to help local governments with roads and streets (HF822)
40. Provide $50 million to replace unsafe bridges (SF376)
41. Provide $5.5 million over 3 years for railroad loan program for industries (HF822)
42. Expand accelerated career education program through community colleges (SF376)
43. Reform unemployment to expand training benefits and draw down federal funds (SF197)
44. Prohibit wage discrimination on the basis of gender and other classifications (SF137)
45. Enhanced enforcement and penalties for child labor violations (HF618)
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
46. Maintain Iowa Power Fund at $24 million for alternative energy research (SF478)
47. Authorize Office of Energy Independence to pursue federal energy stimulus funds (SF471)
48. Establish community energy efficiency grant program to spur conservation efforts (SF452)
49. Establish small wind innovation zones with model ordinances and interconnect agreements (HF810)
50. Expand Iowa’s wind energy production tax credits (SF456)
51. Establish 10-year property tax exemption for methane digesters (SF478)
52. Provide additional $5 million to alternative energy revolving loan program (SF376)
53. Make up to $2 million available for renewable component R&D tax credits (HF810/SF471)
54. Request assessment of climate change vulnerabilities from Iowa State (SF471)
55. Maintain funding for REAP (Resource Enhancement And Protection) ($18 million) (SF467)
56. Provide $3.5 million for trails including $500,000 for recreational bridge at Pinicon Ridge (HF822)
57. Extend watershed projects/fund watershed improvement grants ($5 million) (SF268/HF822)
58. Provide $3 million to draw down federal funds for expansion of passenger rail (HF822)
EDUCATION
59. Using federal recovery act funds, fully fund 4% allowable growth for public schools (HF820)
60. Provide 2% allowable growth for the 2010-11 school year (SF217/SF218)
61. Maintain commitment to raise teacher pay to 25th in nation (SF470/SF478)
62. Provide funding for third year of coluntary four-year-old preschool initiative (SF470)
63. Maintain incentives for school tuition organizations and tuition & textbook tax credit (SF478)
64. Increase community college funding by $2.5 million (SF470)
65. Using federal recovery act funds, maintain state university funding (SF470/HF820)
66. Maintain Iowa Tuition Grant Program with $52 million in funding (SF270/SF478)
67. Provide $2.5 million for All Iowa Opportunity scholarships (SF470)
68. Encourage service learning through Summer Youth Corps and Green Corps (SF482)
69. Provide $3.9 million for National Guard Education Assistance (SF470)
70. Provide $438,000 for teacher shortage loan forgiveness program (SF470)
71. Continue math and science initiative through UNI and Grant Wood AEA (SF470)
HEALTH CARE
72. Provide children’s health insurance for all families under 300% of poverty (SF389)
73. Require recommendations by January 1, 2010 for expanding adult coverage (SF389)
74. Stopped proposal to weaken Iowa’s smoke-free workplace law (S-3336 to SF478)
75. Rebase hospital costs to draw down additional federal Medicaid funding (HF811)
76. Provided funds to avoid across-the-board FY09 cuts to county mental health (SF414)
77. Provided $10 million for county mental health based on demonstrated need (SF478)
78. Expanded and funded registered nurse loan forgiveness program (SF389/SF470)
PUBLIC SAFETY
79. Expand protection of children from sexual exploitation and trafficking (SF27)
80. Provide additional protection for dependent adults from exploitation (SF438)
81. Authorize additional state supervision of boarding homes (SF484)
82. Impose exclusion zones for sex offenders and require more reports to sheriff (SF340)
VETERANS
83. Provide $22.5 million in matching funds for new Veterans Home (SF376)
84. Provide $1.6 million for veterans homeownership program (HF822)
85. Cover unemployment claims for workers displaced by returning military personnel (SF197)
86. Provide active duty personnel with additional time to file state taxes (SF253)
87. Expand residency for veterans and children of active duty personnel for tuition purposes (SF451)
CONSUMERS AND SENIORS
88. Continue phase out of state tax on Social Security income (SF2408 in 2006)
89. Provide $250,000 for statewide coverage of 211 call service (HF822)
90. Reform mortgage foreclosure procedures to encourage voluntary workouts (SF364)
91. Establish private cause of action for violation of Iowa’s consumer fraud law (HF712)
92. Protect private financial information on internet-based land record system (SF465)
93. Regulate mortgage loan originators and debt settlement services (SF311/SF355)
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND GOVERNMENT REFORM
94. Authorize supervisors to reduce salary without affecting other county officials (SF478)
95. Enact span of control legislation to reduce middle level supervisors (SF478)
96. Establish Iowa Accountability and Transparency Board to track funds (HF820)
97. Establish legislative State Government Reorganization Commission
98. Reduce overall general fund budget by $193 million; cut administration budget by $29.7 million
99. Provided $159.8 million for property tax credits, including $101 million from general fund
100. Projected balance of $441 million in Cash Reserve and Economic Emergency Funds
You can review all bills in the “bill book” at www.legis.state.ia.us
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