Bills left in the legislature after the funnel - Koch Bros. wet dream

[b]*** $1 Billion & Another Corporate Tax Giveaway ***

Republicans are fast-tracking a new $1 billion tax cut plan this week with little information about what it means for Iowans. The biggest question on everyone’s mind: Why are legislative Republicans being so fiscally irresponsible with this tax cut when they can’t even solve their budget mess?

Iowa is already facing a huge budget crisis because hundreds of millions in corporate tax giveaways passed a few years back have driven up state debt and turned the state's surplus into a deficit. The on-going budget mess means Iowa families are paying higher property taxes, public schools are being shortchanged, fewer services are available for victims of domestic violence, and students are paying higher tuition.

It’s important to approach any big plan like this with extreme caution because we’ve seen the devastating results of similar large-scale tax cut plans passed in other states like Kansas that bankrupted the state, slashed basic services, and then had to raise taxes again because it didn’t work. You can read more about the Kansas disaster here.

While it’s been blocked by Republicans for years, our first step should be to reform and rein in the state’s corporate tax giveaways. Democrats are going to keep working to restore fiscal discipline and balance the state budget, but we know we can’t afford another tax plan that will make the state’s budget crisis even worse for Iowans.

You can watch Assistant Democratic Leader Sen. Bill Dotzler on Iowa Press talking with Republicans about the tax plan on Iowa Press here.

Bill # Bill Description Current Status Take Action

SF 2383 Senate GOP $1 Billion/year corporate tax giveaway & tax break plan Senate Calendar Contact: Sen. Jack Whitver at jack.whitver@legis.iowa.gov (R); Republican Leader bill.dix@legis.iowa.gov (515-281-3560)

SF 2117 GOP deappropriations includes cuts to higher education, human services, skilled worker training fund House Floor Email or Call your Representative

SF 2091 Voucher program to divert $200 million from public schools to homeschools/ private schools Senate Ways and Means Committee

SF 2281 Bans abortion at 6 weeks; even in cases of rape or incest (fetal heartbeat) Senate Calendar Contact: Sen. Brad Zaun at brad.zaun@legis.iowa.gov (R); Republican Leader bill.dix@legis.iowa.gov (515-281-3560)

HF 2230 GOP school funding at 1% (State Supplemental Aid or SSA) Passed House, Senate Floor Email or Call your Senator & Representative

HSB 671 Governor's $1.7 billion tax cut plan House Ways & Means Committee Contact Subcommittee Members (515-281-3221): peter.cownie@legis.iowa.gov (R); matt.windschitl@legis.iowa.gov (R); dawn.pettengill@legis.iowa.gov (R); todd.prichard@legis.iowa.gov (D); john.forbes@legis.iowa.gov (D)

HF 2364 Allows Farm Bureau to sell unregulated health insurance and deny people based on pre-existing conditions House Calendar/Senate Calendar Email or Call your Senator & Representative

HF 2234 Shortens foreclosure timeline; makes it more difficult for people to stay in their homes House Calendar

SF 2311 Deregulates electricity companies; discriminates against Iowans using solar energy or other renewable energy options Senate Calendar Contact: gary.carlson@legis.iowa.gov (R) and Commerce Chair peter.cownie@legis.iowa.gov (R) (515-281-3221)

HF 2310 Allows guns in county courthouses House Calendar

SF 2081 Ends state property tax backfill for local governments, reduces police/fire services & shifts tax burden to property taxes Senate Appropriations Committee Contact Subcommittee Members (515-281-3371): charles.schneider@legis.iowa.gov (R); mark.chelgren@legis.iowa.gov (R); joe.bolkcom@legis.iowa.gov (D)

SF 475 Directs more state money to out-of-state, for-profit online k-12 schools Approved by Senate; House Floor

SF 2043 Eliminate inheritance tax Senate Ways and Means Committee

HJR 2009 Expand 2nd Amendment gun protections in Iowa Constitution; could eliminate all gun laws House Calendar

SF 481 Ban Sanctuary Cities House Public Safety Committee Contact Subcommittee Members (515-281-3221) or steven.holt@legis.iowa.gov (R); greg.heartsill@legis.iowa.gov (R); wes.breckenridge@legis.iowa.gov (D)

SF 2338 Religious exemptions, license to discriminate (similar to North Carolina) Senate Calendar

SSB 3078 Eliminate energy efficiency programs at Iowa utilities Senate Ways and Means Committee

SF 2370 New requirements & drug testing for recipients of Medicaid, SNAP, and FIP + limits on SNAP eligible food items
Senate Calendar