Legislators cover much ground during coffee at Orient

The second and final legislative coffee of the season began with a focus on agricultural issues but then went elsewhere later in the discussion, Friday, April 4 at The Dugout Cafe in Orient.

Rep. Ray “Bubba” Sorensen and Senator Amy Sinclair — Republicans from Greenfield and Allerton, respectively — spoke with constituents in a one-hour conversation moderated by Adair County Farm Bureau board member Randy Caviness.

ACFB sponsored this coffee, held on the date of the second funnel for legislators, when bills have to be out of floor debate in one chamber and gained committee approval in the other chamber to remain alive.

Questions and answers

• A constituent asked about House File 943, which would ban the use of imminent domain for carbon capture pipelines. They wondered what the senate’s stance is. Sinclair said the bill had come to the commerce committee but was unsure of the latest amendment made to the bill. Sinclair said she could see the bill transitioning into more of a general property rights bill because there are issues separate from carbon pipelines legislators are aware of.

• A constituent asked about a bill asked for by the organization ABATE, a motorcycle rights organization, that would ban profiling of bikers. The bill, as considered by the senate and house, was not passed through committee in either chamber. They will be eligible for debate next session.

• Someone asked about grain indemnity fund for farmers, which Sinclair described as an insurance policy that goes to repaying farmers if a grain elevator files for bankruptcy. There were bills considered in both chambers however details are still being worked out. The house believes deferred payments shouldn’t be covered and the senate kept them. Sorensen said he thinks something will get finalized on the matter and it will not include deferred payments.

• A constituent asked about a bill that would allow schools to utilize chaplains, if desired, and another that allows private school children to take part in public school activities. Sinclair said the education committee covered the chaplain bill Thursday but wasn’t sure of its updated status. Sorensen stated that schools are not mandated to utilized chaplains but can if they choose, and the biggest concerns he has detected from critics is that requirements for chaplains in these roles are too loose, though school boards can choose to use tougher standards. Sorensen said the private vs. public activities bill came about as a fix for northwest Iowa private schools that were experiencing low participation levels in some activities. A third bill referenced makes sure students who open enroll to another school are participating in sports there.

• Someone asked what the consequences will be for 35 illegal immigrants who were ineligible to vote in Iowa but did anyway in the 2024 General Election. Sinclair said that voter fraud is usually seen as fraud. Attorney General Brenna Bird is investigating the cases and next steps will determine the outcome and prosecution of the matter.

• A voter asked about the effect property tax reform will have on rural agriculture. Sorensen said the main bills are HSB 313 and SSB 1208, which implements a revenue restriction to ensure property tax relief for all Iowans. It provides a $25,000 homestead benefit, additional tax relief to veterans and seniors, lowers the uniform levy and phases out the rollback system over five years. Sinclair said the rollback phase out will probably be the change that is most felt because of the inequities it creates when rural local governments try to create their budgets. The revenue limiter will continue to protect property owners, she said. Answering another question, Sinclair said new ag structures would be taxed at fair market value.

• An Orient-Macksburg student asked about the widespread teacher shortage and what legislators are doing to help correct it. Sinclair spoke about lawmakers working to improve the reciprocacy of licensing between states, the invention of an apprenticeship program for teachers, the importance of high needs designations that kick in financial assistance for those wanting to teach in high needs areas, the invention of therapeutic classrooms and changing the tax code to make Iowa a more attractive state to live and work in.

• A constituent asked about SF 445, which is a bill that modifies provisions relating to the statewide preschool program and other aspects relating to the education and care of young children. They said that because some districts that provide preschool followed state law, they now seem to be at risk of losing funding. Sinclair said senators heard from local leaders on this issue who said “what we have works” and stated there were several challenges the current proposal might bring about. Ultimately, it didn’t advance in either chamber due to the opposition to it.

• Someone asked about pharmacy benefits managers, who they thought play a part in high prices consumers pay at pharmacies as middle men who negotiate prices. Sinclair said there’s no transparency in their process. The senate passed a reverse auction for PBMs to bid on the state’s pharmaceuticals. Other local governments will be able to play a part in that process in the future. This would make PBMs prove that they’re doing a good job, Sinclair said. Sinclair stated that this should be a federal issue but states are left to fill in the gaps.

• A constituent asked about changes proposed to SNAP benefits. Sorensen said there are new work/job search requirements relating to it and a waiver to the federal government so the program would not pay for unhealthy food items such as soda. There is also more money available for Double Up Food Bucks, a program that allows SNAP customers to match purchases of qualifying fruits and vegetables made with their EBT card (up to $15 per day) with Double Up Food Bucks, which can be spent on additional qualifying fruits and vegetables.