DES MOINES (AP) — The Iowa Senate on Tuesday passed a massive spending bill that includes a 4 percent increase in funding for school districts next year and $3 million for the Malcolm Price Laboratory School at the University of Northern Iowa, among other things.
The so-called standing appropriations bill, which is usually the last bill to move before the Legislature adjourns, was approved while budget, property tax, and school reform bills remained stuck in negotiations between Republican and Democratic leaders.
The bill, which passed 26-22, now goes to the House, where it is expected to be rejected and sent back to the Senate. It will then go to a conference committee where the rest of the state spending measures now sit.
The 4 percent school funding growth figure inserted by the Senate is bound to be an issue of contention in the House.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said the bill was the last piece of spending legislation to get through both chambers.
“We now have our budget reflected and they have their budget reflected,” he said. “All the budget bills will then be in conference and we can work to resolve our differences.”
In February the Republican-led House stuck to its plan to approve a 2 percent increase for next school year that’s already been approved and refused to look beyond the 2012-2013 school year. The Senate, controlled by Democrats, increase K-12 spending by $122 million for the school year beginning in fall 2013 in the 4 percent growth figure. GOP Gov. Terry Branstad sent signals that he backs the approach taken by the House Republicans.
Bargaining on the school funding issue is likely to be one of the biggest sticking points before ending this year’s session.
Among other spending added in the bill by the Senate is $3 million for the Price Laboratory school at UNI, which has been targeted for closure due to budget cuts. Money also is allocated for a study to determine whether the school should be closed.
Also included is $2.9 million to the Department of Natural Resources to repair damage caused by flooding of the Missouri River and $5.5 million for creation of a bioscience initiative at Iowa State University.
Several Republican amendments were defeated or rejected as inappropriate for the bill in the Democratic-led Senate.
Sen. Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock, opposed the bill, saying it uses one-time funds to pay for ongoing state priorities, a common Republican complaint in this year’s budgeting process.