2013 End of Session Report

*Note:  All information is current as of May 22, 2013

• House File 215 – Education Reform
• House File 489 – Insurance Division
  
• House File 620 – IEDA Tax Credit Cap
• House File 648 – Debt Reducion, Pension Obligations, and One-Time Appropriations
• Senate File 295 – Property Tax
• Senate File 446 – Health & Human Services Budget (Conference Committee Report)

To see the full House Debate Calendar, click here.

• House File 512 – Confinement Feeding
• House File 616 – Targeted Jobs Program
• House File 644 – E911
• House File 645 – Wastewater Treatment Sales Tax Exemption
• Senate File 247 – Bengal and Savannah Cats
• Senate File 338 – Background Checks for School Employees
  
• Senate File 339 – School Vehicle Inspections
• Senate File 432 – Department of Revenue Efficiency Bill
• Senate File 436 – Historic Tax Credits

To see the full House Debate Calendar, click here.

• House File 395 Franchise Agreements
• House File 457 DNR Farmland Lease Beginning Farmer Preference
• House File 500 Early Childhood Iowa Area Board
• House File 518 Manufactured Housing Progam
• House File 522 Aquatic Invasive Species
• House File 524 Commerical Rental Property Unpaid Water Bill Lien Prevention
• House File 530 ODCP Advisory
• House File 535 Confidential Permits
• House File 541 Dam Reconstruction Standards
• House File 547 Child Labor in Laundry Operations
• House File 549 Vaccine Administration
• House File 556 Substantive Code Editors Bill
• House File 565 Mechanics Lien Clean Up
• House File 574 Health Care Question on Income Tax
• House File 586 Rulemaking Authority
• House File 589 411 System Technical Bill
• House File 591 Probate and Trust Code Changes

With the first funnel over the House has narrowed down the bills that are still alive for consideration this session.

To see a list of the “Funnel Survivors” view the list below, organized by committee, of all bills that survived the first funnel in the House.

2013 First Funnel Survivors

The 2013 State Business Tax Climate Index is based on each state’s individual income tax, sales tax, corporate income tax, property tax, and unemployment insurance tax.  Iowa was ranked in the bottom half of every category other than sales tax, and currently has the 2nd highest corporate income tax rate in the nation.

Iowa’s FY 2013 ranks are:

• Corporate Tax – 49th
• Property Tax – 37th
• Unemployment Insurance Tax – 34th
• Individual Income Tax – 33rd
• Sales Tax – 24th

This report shows further evidence that Legislature needs enact tax relief and reform.  House Republicans are up to the task to reform and lower Iowa’s taxes and make it a place where new businesses want to grow and thrive.

2012 End of Session Wrap Up

The drop in the statewide unemployment rate pulls Iowa even with New Hampshire for the 5th lowest unemployment rate in the nation. The national average fell a tenth of a percent from February and is now at 8.2%. The four states with better unemployment rates than Iowa are: New Hampshire (5.2%), Vermont (4.8%), South Dakota (4.3%), Nebraska (4.0%), and North Dakota (3.0%).

Nonfarm employment saw a drop of 1,600 jobs from February to March as the numbers fell from 1,492,100 to 1,490,500. The sectors reflecting the largest losses were ‘trade, transportation and utilities’ (-2,500) ‘leisure and hospitality’ (-1,300), and ‘government’ (-1,300). On a positive note both ‘construction’ (+1,300) and ‘manufacturing’ (+2,400) saw jumps in employment. These two sectors are often key indicators as to the overall direction of the economy, and both reflect the warmer/dryer than average winter and spring.

From February to March, 73 counties saw their unemployment rates drop, while 17 stayed the same, and only 9 counties had an unemployment rate that was higher. Lyon County continues to be the county with the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 3.2%. The next few are all similarly situated: Sioux (3.9%), Johnson (4.0 %), Carroll (4.0%), Story (4.1%), Shelby (4.1%), and Taylor (4.1%). The counties that are statistically hurting the most are Allamakee (8.8%), Hamilton (8.6%), Jasper (8.5%), and Lee (8.3%).

When the employment numbers are compared to a year ago at this time, Iowa has gained over 13,000 jobs. In March of 2011, the nonfarm employment was 1,477,200. The largest addition of jobs has come in the ‘manufacturing’ sectors as the state has added over 12,000 of those jobs in the last year.

Iowa continues to retain the 6th lowest unemployment rate in the nation. The national average stayed the same as it was the previous month: 8.3% for the month of February. The five states with better unemployment rates than Iowa are: New Hampshire (5.2%,), Vermont (4.9%), South Dakota (4.3%), Nebraska (4.0%), and North Dakota (3.1%).

Non-farm employment saw a net gain of 8,700 jobs from January to February as the numbers rose from 1,484,800 to 1,493,500. The sectors reflecting the biggest gains were ‘education and health services’ (+3,600), ‘leisure and hospitality’ (+2,100), and ‘construction (+1,300), while ‘other services’ was the only sector that saw a drop in numbers for the month (-500).

As has been the case for the past year, Lyon County remains the statistically best situated county in Iowa with an unemployment rate at a 3.0%. After it lies Johnson county (3.9 % unemployment), while Carroll and Story are right behind (4.0% unemployment rate). The counties that are statistically hurting the most are Allamakee (9.3% unemployment rate), Hamilton (9.0% unemployment rate), Jasper (8.9% unemployment rate), followed by both Lee and Clayton (8.7% unemployment rate).