February 9, 2024

You Need to Know

• The first funnel is a week away. This time of year, many subjects move quickly and unpredictably. 

• Significant policies, both to the benefit and detriment of cities, are being considered this session such as stormwater regulations, records requests, and more. Read more below.

• The most effective advocates for and defenders of cities are city officials who have relationships and open lines of communication with their legislators.

Key Legislation

SF 455 | Regulation of Storm Water in New Construction

• Preempts a local government from regulating the preservation, compaction, placement, or depth of topsoil at a construction site. Does allow cities to regulate stormwater runoff to match flow rates prior to construction. 

• The House Local Government Committee recommended amendment and passage. An amendment was filed, H-8004, which defines construction site, topsoil, and allows cities and counties to provide more restrictive storm water regulations at construction sites if they meet all of the four criteria outlined in the amendment which generally requires cities to pay for the study and engineering as well as cover the costs of added regulation.

League Registered in Opposition

• The League is registered in opposition because this bill would socialize the cost of new construction onto an entire community rather than placing these costs onto the builder.

HF 2299 | Format of Records Requested

• Allows a local government to provide open records in a reasonable and comparable format to what is requested. Allows for publicly available information on the internet to suffice as fulfilling an open records request. 

• Passed out of subcommittee and will be eligible for consideration in the House State Government Committee.

League Registered in Support

• The League is registered in favor of this legislation because it provides modernization and flexibility to a rigid mandate on local governments.

HF 2221 | Local Rent Control Legislation

• Deletes the section of code that preempts cities and counties from providing rent control programs. 

• Passed out of subcommittee and will be eligible for consideration by the House Local Government Committee.

League Registered in Support

• The League is registered in support because this bi-partisan bill strikes a preemption and gives local governments another tool in the affordable housing toolbox.

HSB 678 | Council Oversight of Library Dollars and Director

• Gives City Councils authority over the hiring of the Library Director and money collected by the Library. 

• Passed out of subcommittee and will be eligible for consideration by the House Local Government Committee.

SSB 3158 | Submission of Collective Bargaining Lists

• Opens Code of Iowa Section 20.15 to require public employers to submit a collective bargaining unit employee list which triggers a certification election of the bargaining unit. Changes the consequence of not submitting that list from automatically certifying to automatically decertifying a collective bargaining unit and allows a court to be petitioned and force the certification election.

• Passed out of subcommittee and will be eligible for consideration by the Senate Workforce Committee.

HF 518 | Penalties for Violating of Weapons Preemption

• Creates a penalty for government employees who participate in violating local government preemption laws surrounding firearms and firearm attachments. 

• Passed out of subcommittee and will be eligible for consideration in the House Public Safety committee.

SF 2134 | Theft of Public Funds Penalties

• Removes a judge's discretion over whether or not someone convicted of theft of public funds of more than $7,500 would receive jail time by requiring them to serve. 

• Passed out of subcommittee and will be eligible for consideration by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

HF 2183 | Municipal Fire & Police Retirement System of Iowa Cancer Presumption

• Strikes the list of cancers which are presumed to be work related and replaces it with a definition of cancer, to make all cancers presumed and compensable workers compensation covered.

• Passed out of the House State Government Committee and will be eligible for consideration by the full House.

League Registered Undecided

• The League is registered undecided on this legislation and will be working with the 49 cities who are subject to MFPRSI law to make contacts to their house members. If you would like help in understanding the legislation or how to contact your legislative representative, please contact DanielStalder@IowaLeague.org.

HSB 633 | Partisan Elections for Cities

• Requires that city elections utilize partisan elections to nominate candidates for office pursuant to Code of Iowa  Chapter 43.

• Passed out of subcommittee and will be eligible for consideration in the House Education Committee. 

• The League is working to narrow this legislation so that it does not affect city governments.

SF 2212 | Local Civil Rights Commissions

• Requires local government Civil Rights Commissions, which are required in cities above a certain population, to be under the office of the city executive. Requires complaints against a taxing authority to be filed with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. Allows for complaints filed with the local Civil Rights Commission to be elevated to the state Commission if no progress is made in a certain window.

• Passed out of subcommittee and will be eligible for consideration in the Senate Local Government Committee.

League Registered in Support

• The League is registered in support because this provides clarity to a state mandated office.

HSB 670 and SF 2096 |  Gender Balance Requirement for Appointed Boards

• Strikes the requirement that governmental bodies make a good faith effort to maintain gender balance on appointed boards. A Federal Judge recently ruled the requirement to be unconstitutional. 

• The House version has passed out of subcommittee and the Senate has passed out of full Committee.

SF 2237 | Volunteer Fire as Councilor and Public Safety Funds

• Allows a chief of a volunteer fire department to serve on council. Creates the ability for a city to establish a savings account, and if that account is created, there are special restrictions on the money from insurance payments, awards or judgements for damage to public safety vehicles into the fund and out of the fund. 

• Passed out of Local Government Committee and will be eligible for consideration on the Senate Floor.

SF 2231 |  Limitations on Residential Facade Requirements

• Prevents a local government from restricting the exterior facade of residential buildings with limited exceptions for historic districts or Homeowners Association requirements. 

• Passed out of Local Government Committee and will be eligible for consideration on the Senate Floor.

• This bill is similar to SF 2154, and will possibly be considered as part of that bill rather than as a stand-alone bill.

Upcoming Legislative Forums

Cedar Rapids Legislative Forum

When: Feb. 9, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Where: La Cantina Bar & Grill, 5400 Edgewood Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids

Confirmed Participants: Rep. Elinor Levin

Creston Legislative Coffee

When: Feb. 10, 8 - 9 a.m.

Where: Creston City Hall – Restored Depot, 116 W. Adams St., Creston

Emmetsburg Legislative Forum

When: Feb. 10, 8:30 – 10 a.m.

Where: Emmetsburg Chamber of Commerce, 1121 Broadway St., Emmetsburg

Confirmed Participants: Rep. John Wills

Oskaloosa Coffee & Conversation

When: Feb. 10, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

Where: Smokey Row Coffee, 109 S. Market St., Oskaloosa

Confirmed Participants: Sen. Ken Rozenboom, Sen. Adrian Dickey, Rep. Helena Hayes, and Rep. Barb Kniff-McCulla

Parkersburg Town Hall

When: Feb. 10, 9 – 10 a.m.

Where: Parkersburg Public Library, 309 3^rd St., Parkersburg

Confirmed Participants: Sen. Sandy Salmon

Arlington Town Meeting

When: Feb. 10, 9 – 10 a.m.

Where: Arlington Community Center, 853 Main St., Arlington

Adair Legislative Forum

When: Feb. 10, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Where: Adair Community Center, 308 Stuart St., Adair

Confirmed Participants: Sen. Amy Sinclair

Belmond Legislative Forum

When: Feb. 10, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Where: Belmond City Hall, 112 2^nd Ave. NE, Belmond

Confirmed Participants: Sen. Dennis Guth

Le Grand Community Conversation

When: Feb. 10, 10 – 11 a.m.

Where: Sunrise Café, 908 W. Main St., Le Grand

Confirmed Participants: Rep. Sue Cahill

Storm Lake Legislative Forum

When: Feb. 10, 10 – 11 a.m.

Where: King’s Pointe Resort, 1520 E. Lakeshore Dr., Storm Lake

Confirmed Participants: Rep. Megan Jones

Cedar Falls Community Conversation

When: Feb. 10, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Where: Central Rivers AEA, 1521 Technology Pkwy., Cedar Falls

Confirmed Participants: Rep. Bob Kressig, Rep. Jerome Amos Jr., Rep. Timi Brown-Powers, Sen. Bill Dotzler, and Sen. Eric Giddens

Allison Town Hall

When: Feb. 10, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Where: Allison Public Library, 412 3^rd St., Allison

Confirmed Participants: Sen. Sandy Salmon

Winterset Legislative Forum

When: Feb. 10, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Where: Farm Bureau Financial Services, 115 W. Court, Winterset

Confirmed Participants: Sen. Amy Sinclair

Humboldt Legislative Forum

When: Feb. 10, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Where: Humboldt City Hall, 29 5^th St. S., Humboldt

Confirmed Participants: Sen. Dennis Guth

Denver Town Hall

When: Feb. 10, 1 – 2 p.m.

Where: Denver Public Library – Community Room, 100 Washington St., Denver

Confirmed Participants: Sen. Sandy Salmon

Marion Coffee & Conversations

When: Feb. 11, 8:30 – 10 a.m.

Where: Uptown Coffee Company, 760 11^th St. Suite A, Marion

Confirmed Participants: Sen. Donahue and Rep. Wilson

Des Moines Office Hours with Rep. Baeth

When: Feb. 12, 8 – 9 p.m.

Where: Lua Brewing, 1525 High St., Des Moines

Confirmed Participants: Rep. Austin Baeth

Des Moines Town Hall

When: Feb 15, 6 – 7:30 p.m.

Where: Northwest Community Center, 5110 Franklin Ave., Des Moines

Confirmed Participants: Sen. Janet Petersen, Rep. Austin Baeth, and Rep. Sean Bagniewski

Marshalltown Community Conversation

When: Feb. 16, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Where: Iowa Veterans Home - Malloy Hall Leisure Recreation Center, 1301 Summit St., Marshalltown Confirmed Participants: Rep. Sue Cahill

Peosta Legislative Forum

When: Feb. 16, 10 – 11 a.m.

Where: Farm Bureau Financial Services, 8479 Commercial Ct., Peosta

Confirmed Participants: Rep. Craig Johnson

Coralville Legislative Forum

When: Feb. 16, 2 – 3:15 p.m.

Where: BioVentures Center, 2500 Crosspark Rd., Coralville

You can view all editions of Legislative Link at iowaleague.org/resource/legislative-link.

Like our membership, the Iowa League of Cities is a non-partisan, service-oriented organization that does not participate in elections, make campaign contributions, or have a political action committee (PAC).