Reichman's Remarks

April 28 is the scheduled end day of the 2023 legislative session. While we still have more work to do, the Senate took several large steps towards adjournment this week, passing several budget bills off the Senate floor. The House and Senate have come to an agreement on the overall budget for the next fiscal year. Our budget for next year is $8.516 billion. This amount represents 88.25 percent of ongoing revenue and continues our tradition of passing responsible, conservative, and sustainable budgets. By spending only 88.25 percent of ongoing revenue, we are controlling government spending and ensuring we can focus on implementing income tax relief for Iowans every year. This amount of spending also includes funding for K-12 education, including the increase of $107 million this year, and additional spending for health care and public safety. I am proud we continue passing conservative budgets that focus on important priorities for Iowans and continue to provide real tax relief measures for Iowans.

The State of Iowa insures tens of thousands of employees and the insurance portion of those prescriptions is operated by a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM), a contractor for a health insurance plan. This week the Senate passed SF 554, a bill to hold a reverse auction for the state’s PBM services. This bill directs the Department of Administrative Services to hold a reverse auction, similar to a bid process, to identify the most cost-effective provider for prescription services. Actual savings will not be determined until after the auction is completed but estimates range from $22 - $32 million.

Education bills pass Iowa Senate

The Senate passed several bills related to education and workforce this week. We passed House File 135 so prospective students at Iowa’s regent universities have the information they need to make smart choices regarding career paths and student debt. House File 135 requires the Board of Regents to post the following information on their webpage, sortable by graduating class, academic major, and institution, and update it annually:

•The percentage of students who have completed a graduate level degree program after completing the bachelor’s degree

•The median annual income of students one, five, and ten years after completing their bachelor’s degree

•The median student loan debt of students who complete a bachelor’s degree

•The ratio of the student loan debt of students who complete a bachelor’s degree to the annual gross income of such students

•An estimate of a student’s monthly student loan payment and the percentage of this payment relative to the student’s monthly gross income

These postings would also help students compare job and salary prospects while considering which major to choose.

The Senate also passed House File 614 this week. It makes it easier for teachers out-of-state or out-of-country to come teach in our state and helps amidst a teacher shortage in Iowa. Last session, HF 2081 passed unanimously and took away Iowa’s Praxis test requirement. Some other states still require this test for licensure, so this bill clarifies that out-of-state applicants are not expected to pass such tests in other states in order to receive an Iowa license.

Additionally, the Senate passed House File 256. Iowa has led the nation for years in the number of students taking advantage of concurrent enrollment. It has become so widely used some students graduate high school with an Associate’s degree. This bill creates the flexibility for them to ensure their age does not prevent them from being able to obtain a teaching, coaching, substitute, or other license from the Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE) as long as they have completed all required courses.

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