Iowa lawmakers send budget bills to governor Monday, today

DES MOINES (AP) ­? The Iowa Legislature?s logjam on spending measures broke loose Monday when the Senate passed three budget bills in 16 minutes.

It was a sign that lawmakers, now three weeks past the scheduled April 17 adjournment, are finally ready to go home.

The votes came after committees reached deals on most of the major budget bills Monday. Senators quickly passed education, administration and infrastructure budget bills without debate. And four bills were sent to Gov. Terry Branstad?s desk: education, administration and regulation, the court system and economic development.

The House, in evening debate, passed a justice system bill and sent it to the Senate. The bill includes the departments of public safety and corrections.

The bill calls for spending $522.9 million, an increase of $9.4 million compared with the current year. It also spends $13.5 million from other funds.

The union representing the Iowa State Patrol said the budget would result in the layoff of 31 sworn officers including 18 State Troopers.

Rep. Todd Taylor, D-Cedar Rapids, criticized the bill, saying it underfunds prisons and the public safety and called the measure short-sighted.

?This is an opportunity to do the right thing, and we?re not doing it here,? he said.

Rep. Gary Worthan, R-Storm Lake, said if sound budget practices are used it should not result in layoffs.

The budget keeps the state on track toward paying for all expenses up front rather than borrowing money to operate.

The House also passed an agriculture and natural resources bill and sent it to the Senate.

It calls for spending $35.4 million from the General Fund, an increase of $3.1 million, and appropriates $80.5 million from other funds, an increase of $3 million from the current year.

The House also passed the Senate-approved infrastructure budget bill and sent it to the governor.

Lawmakers haven?t yet reached a deal on the $1.6 billion health and human services budget, which funds programs for public health, the elderly and mental health. It remains in committee. Another outstanding bill includes several unrelated budget items, including a Senate-added increase for schools.

The overall state budget is estimated at $6.2 billion.

The education budget sent to the governor calls for spending $858 million, an increase of about 5.8 percent, or $47 million, more than the current year. It?s about $32 million less than Democrats initially wanted and $83 million more than Republicans proposed.

Sen. Brian Schoenjahn, D-Arlington, said the additional state funding would help students and middle-class families with the debt they accumulate from tuition.

The three state-run universities would receive $23 million in additional funding over the current year: the University of Iowa would get $6.6 million more and Iowa State University would get $5.2 million more, or 3.1 percent for each. The University of Northern Iowa would get $6.3 million more, an 8.5 percent increase. Community colleges would see an extra $23.5 million.

Rep. Cindy Winckler, D-Davenport said she supports the bill but pointed out that it basically restores funding for the state-run universities that was cut last year. She said the state will need to do more to encourage workers to pursue college.

?We will need to step up to the plate and give the opportunity for individuals and for families to be able to afford post-secondary education and make sure those where the workforce needs exists, those programs are available to our students,? Winckler said.

Also en route to the governor is the administration and regulation bill, which budgets $11.4 million for several state offices. That figure is $50,000 more than the current year?s budget, close to Branstad?s recommendation, slightly above the Senate?s proposal and more than the House?s proposed $7.8 million.

Rep. Dan Kelley, D-Newton, opposed the measure?s provision that moves the Office of Drug Control Policy into the Department of Public Safety. He said the change, which eliminates about $50,000, concerns law enforcement officials in his area.

?I want a budget that will work for and protect all Iowans,? he said.

The economic development budget sent to Branstad allocates $37.7 million from the general fund, an increase of $1.5 million from the current year. It also calls for spending $24.5 million in other state money from other funds, a $14.9 million increase. Under the measure, Iowa Workforce Development satellite offices in Decorah, Fort Madison, Iowa City, and Webster City will receive $1.1 million, but the bill does not provide money to reopen any of the 36 offices that Branstad closed last year.

And the court system budget totals $162 million, an increase of $5.6 million from the current year.

The infrastructure bill, which includes money for a variety of projects such as recreational trails, airport improvements, and community tourism projects, calls for spending $215 million and includes $5 million over two years for the Lake Delhi Dam reconstruction project. The northeast Iowa dam collapsed during flooding in 2010. Private donations and local government bond issues will cover most of the $12 million cost.

?If there?s a bill that has something for everyone, this is it,? said Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines.

Senate sends 2 more budget bills to governor today

Two more pieces of the state budget are on their way to Branstad after the Senate approved measures the House passed Monday night.

The agriculture and natural resources bill approved today calls for spending $35.4 million from the general fund, an increase of $3.1 million. It appropriates $80.5 million from other funds.

The Senate also sent Branstad a justice system bill. It includes the departments of public safety and corrections. It calls for spending nearly $523 million, an increase of $9.4 million compared with the current year. It also spends $13.5 million from other funds.

The Legislature has less than 10 bills left to consider, and negotiators have reached deals on most. House Speaker Kraig Paulsen says lawmakers could adjourn today.