Gov. Branstad issued a disaster proclamation for Appanoose, Muscatine, Scott and Wayne counties due to the severe weather last week. This means state resources can be used to help these counties recover from the storms. This declaration also triggers the Iowa Individual Assistance Program, which provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level or a maximum annual income of $40,320, for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and for the expense of temporary housing. The grant application, instructions, and more information are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation (March 8) to submit a claim. If you need assistance with that process, please email me.
This was the ninth week of the legislative session. Last week was our first funnel week, meaning this week was full of debate on the Senate floor as we come up on more deadlines for bills. The second funnel week is at the end of March, when Senate bills need to be through House committees in order to be considered this session.
Division II — Transportation Cost Per Pupil Equity: Creates supplementary weighting to offset the cost of transportation costs per pupil to help equalize the amount of per pupil funding each district is able to spend in the classroom versus just getting kids to school. The supplementary weighting will be phased in equally over 10 years beginning in FY18 and will be calculated using the following factors:
• The three year average of costs incurred for the transportation of students as required under Chapter 285, excluding those paid from PPEL and SAVE, at a 90 percent factoring.
• The district’s budget enrollment at a 5 percent factoring.
• The district’s route miles at a 5 percent factoring.
Some other bills passed include:
• SF 197 authorizes public buildings to display the POW/MIA flag on POW/MIA Day, Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day,and Veterans Day. The bill also states that the POW/MIA flag, when displayed, shall be no larger than the U.S. flag and flown second in the order of precedence immediately below or adjacent to the U.S. flag in accordance with federal guidelines.
• HF 312 permits a person to leave a vehicle unattended while the engine is running. Under current law, a person is prohibited from letting vehicle stand unattended without first stopping the engine.
• SF 238 expands the current definition of a “school employee” in cases of sexual exploitation of a student from just professionals licensed by the Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE) to include all licensed employees, non-licensed public school employees, public school volunteers with direct supervisory authority over the student and public school contractors with direct supervisory authority over the student, though it specifically exempts students enrolled in the school district.
• SF 401 creates a sexual abuse civil protective order, available from a court for sexual abuse. Under current law a victim may apply for a criminal no-contact order after the defendant has been arrested for sexual abuse or upon the convicted defendant’s release from jail or prison. A sexual abuse civil protective order would be available through the court on an emergency, temporary or permanent basis. The protections are the same as those afforded by a domestic abuse protective order.
The computer science education bill, Senate File 274, also passed through the Senate unanimously on Tuesday. This bill, a priority for Gov. Branstad, establishes a requirement for computer science education standards. This goal is accomplished by requiring the Board of Educational Examiners to establish endorsements and authorizations for computer science instruction, and the bill establishes the Computer Science Professional Development Incentive Fund. The goal is for each high school to offer at least one computer science course, each middle school to offer instruction in exploratory computer science, and each elementary school to offer instruction on the basics of computer science, all by Fiscal Year 2020.
Contact Sen. Amy Sinclair
at 641-870-0199
or amy.sinclair@legis.iowa.gov