2024 Session: Week 14

Session Extending Past April 16

Next Tuesday, April 16, marks the 100th day of session. April 16 is also the final day that that legislators receive their service per diem, making the date the final advanced scheduled day of session and the target to conclude session business for the year. While next Tuesday marks the last day that legislators will be paid, it will not be the last day of the 2024 session as budget work is still continuing and no where near a finish line to complete by April 16.

In the initial budget bills, the House proposed an increase of $409 million (4.7%) from last year’s budget. The Senate budget was far more conservative in their proposed spending increases – roughly $82 million below the House figures and $47 million lower than Governor Reynold’s proposal. This week marked negotiations between and across parties and chambers as legislators work to find common ground and spending consensus.

Within the Department of Education appropriations bill, the priority funding for the Iowa Rural Primary Care Loan Repayment Program maintains its line item appropriation of $2.5 million for FY2025. Of note, the appropriations bills are structured differently than familiar in previous years with the departmental reorganization. Expanded line items we’re used to seeing no longer show in the same manner, taking more time to affirm the budget specifics for some of those key programs, i.e. the rural healthcare workforce initiative that supports IMS’s statewide strategy work.

Appropriations leaders have stated publicly that while those line items may not be called out individually within the current bill formatting, unless they are recognized in the bill for increase or reduction, funding figures for those programs were included in the broader calculations at their FY2024 levels. As budget negotiations and discussions continue, the IMS advocacy team continues to delve deeper into the budget proposals to ensure funding for all priority work is maintained.

Key Appropriation Bills

Bill Number	Bill Title	NOBA	Status
SF 2435	An Act relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the Department for the Blind, Department of Education, and State Board of Regents, and including effective date provisions.	SF 2435 NOBA	Passed Senate Committee; eligible for full Senate consideration.
SF 2437 LSA 5004YA	An Act relating to and making appropriations for veterans and health and human services, including other related provisions and appropriations, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.	SF 2437 NOBA LSB 5004HB NOBA	Passed Senate Committee; eligible for full Senate consideration.
SF 2420 HF 2673	An Act relating to State behavioral health services and making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.	SF 2420 NOBA HF 2673 NOBA	Passed Senate Committee; eligible for full Senate consideration. Passed House Floor
SF 2395	An Act relating to the Opioid Settlement Fund, Allocations of Moneys Bill.	SF 2395 NOBA	Passed House Committee; eligible for full House consideration.

Two IMS Supported Bills Awaiting IGOV Signature

IMS is early awaiting the signature of two IMS-supported bills that passed both the House and Senate and are not on the governor’s desk. We anticipate that these bills will be signed into law in the coming weeks.

Iowa Supreme Court Heard "Fetal Heartbeat Bill" Oral Argument

On Thursday afternoon, the Iowa Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the “fetal heartbeat” legislation, HF 732, which prohibits abortion after detection of fetal cardiac activity except in limited cases of rape, incest, threat to physical life of the mother, or fetal abnormality considered inconsistent with life. (Abortion would remain legal in cases of miscarriage (spontaneous abortion) or medical emergency.)

A temporary injunction was granted by within a week of the bill’s passage and signature, barring the enforcement of the law. In November, the state filed an appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court to review the ruling of the lower District 5 (Polk County) court. The court agreed to hear the case and Thursday’s proceedings mark the next step towards the court determining their position, as they heard arguments and questioned both sides.

The temporary injunction remains in effect until the Iowa Supreme Court issues a decision. A decision is anticipated to come early summer, most likely in June. (The administrative rules that would govern implementation of the law should it be allowed to go into effect were additionally finalized this week by the Iowa Board of Medicine, after extended deliberations and considerations following robust public comment).

The IMS government relations team is actively monitoring developments and will communicate additional information and guidance as it becomes available.

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