Earlier this week Governor Branstad formally filed his objection to a 2008 rule that requires farmers to have an inspection done on most electrical work. In his letter to Department of Public Safety Commissioner Larry Noble the governor stated that the rule was a “power-grab” by the Electrical Examining Board (board) and that it was “unreasonable, arbitrary, and capricious.” Read more »
Representative Rogers, a freshman this year, put together a great video series showing a behind the scenes look of the Statehouse. Here is the first video of the series. Click the link below for the rest.
Earlier this month the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission filed the report required by last session’s Senate File 526 regarding online poker in Iowa. The report outlines how the legislature could regulate the playing of online poker in Iowa.
Recently, the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Commission denied an appeal by the makers of “Adult Chocolate Milk” to sell the product in Iowa. Manufacturers had appealed to the commission after the Alcoholic Beverages Division staff previously denied the manufacturer’s request to list Adult Chocolate Milk.
The 40-proof ready-to-drink product comes in a bottle reminiscent of an old glass milk bottle. It does not need to be refrigerated and it meant to be kept with other liquors.
Posted below is the analysis of the omnibus budget bill proposed by House Republicans. The current schedule for the bill is to have it go through committee on Monday June 6 and then be debated on the floor on Tuesday June 7.
Senate File 526 codifies an agreement between the various horse groups regarding horse racing and the purse structure. The bill also repeals the gambling referendum currently required by Iowa Code. Finally, the bill directs that a study on internet poker be conducted and submitted to the General Assembly this year. Senate File 526 passed the Senate by a vote of 38 to 12 last week and passed through the House State Government committee this week by a vote of 20-3.
All 17 casinos currently operating in Iowa were once again approved by voters in the last election. Nearly 10,000 people are employed by Iowa’s casinos. Iowa law requires that every eight years casinos seek approval from the voters in the county in which the casino is located. Ratification takes a simple majority. Although no casinos currently exist in Jackson, Wapello, and Webster counties, the question was on the ballot so that, if approved, a gambling license could possibly be obtained in the future. Read more »
Speaker-Elect Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) today announced a second round of committee chairs for the 84th General Assembly. This group of committees will be tasked with putting the nearly 114,000 Iowans who are out of a job back to work.
The current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the state employee unions will expire at the end of FY 2011 (June 30, 2011). The CBA sets the terms of salary, benefits, work hours, overtime pay and several other items for state employees that belong to one of the state employee unions.
The state is currently in the process of negotiations with unions representing state employees for salaries and benefits for FY 2012 and FY 2013. Chapter 20, Code of Iowa, establishes the framework and timeline for the bargaining process. The basic deadlines are:
GOP legislators propose 1 percent hike in state spending; Democrats 3 percent increase: “We have to send a signal to employers that we have our act together. We think this budget does that,” Paulsen says. “They are not going to have to be concerned about a looming tax increase or, worse still, what’s happened in Illinois.”
State Government | JillJ | January 27, 2012 | 
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All 17 casinos currently operating in Iowa were once again approved by voters in the last election. Nearly 10,000 people are employed by Iowa’s casinos. Iowa law requires that every eight years casinos seek approval from the voters in the county in which the casino is located. Ratification takes a simple majority. Although no casinos currently exist in Jackson, Wapello, and Webster counties, the question was on the ballot so that, if approved, a gambling license could possibly be obtained in the future. 
The current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the state employee unions will expire at the end of FY 2011 (June 30, 2011). The CBA sets the terms of salary, benefits, work hours, overtime pay and several other items for state employees that belong to one of the state employee unions.
