Legislative Successes of 2023 + Continued Opportunities in 2024

Each year, the Greater Des Moines Partnership works with the Government Policy Council (GPC), composed of Partnership Investor and Affiliate Chamber Member organizations, to draft a state policy agenda. In the months leading up to the Legislative Session, The Partnership collaborated with the GPC and incorporated feedback from Investors and Members to identify the top priorities of the Greater Des Moines (DSM) business community. The priorities identified through this inclusive, consensus-based process guided The Partnership’s advocacy and lobbying efforts throughout the first year of the 90th Iowa General Assembly.

This process would not be possible without GPC 2023 Chair Bob Haus, State Government Affairs Manager of Corteva Agriscience, Vice Chair Anne Roth, Director of Government Relations at Hy-Vee, Inc. and the plethora of leaders who devoted time to developing the state policy agenda. Along with The Partnership’s Policy Team, the team at Nyemaster Goode, P.C. supported the day-to-day work at the Capitol, facilitating conversations, meetings and decisions that elevated The Partnership’s legislative priorities. The work of all these individuals was central to the legislative successes of 2023 and the opportunities to continue the conversation in 2024.

Featured Priorities

Leading up to the 2023 Legislative Session, The Partnership revealed the 2023 State Policy Agenda and outlined the following featured priorities:

Workforce Readiness
The Partnership supports state-led programs and policies, including Future Ready Iowa, that build Iowa’s talent pipeline or provide work-based learning opportunities for students. In addition, The Partnership believes talent recruitment and retention initiatives are key to growing Iowa’s workforce, including policies that ensure Iowa continues to be a welcoming place that is open for business.

Regulatory Reform
The Partnership supports policies and efforts to reduce unnecessary regulatory hurdles that promote economic growth and job creation while minimizing the impacts of government actions on small businesses.

Child Care
The Partnership supports additional investment and policies that increase child care options for families and promote stabilization in the child care workforce.

Housing
The Partnership supports the increase of workforce housing options through funding and policies, such as an increase in the Workforce Housing Tax Credit, the State Housing Trust Fund and additional incentives for communities and employers to invest in new and existing housing for all Iowans.

Placemaking
The Partnership supports ongoing funding for large-scale, regional and transformational projects through programs such as Destination Iowa and Iowa’s Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund. Large investments in public-private partnership driven projects such as ICON Water Trails and the Pro Iowa Soccer Stadium and Global Plaza further the goal to attract and retain talent while transforming Iowa’s communities, main streets and local economies.

Des Moines International Airport Terminal Project
The Partnership supports the existing state investment in the project and any ongoing opportunities to further showcase the need to complete the terminal project in DSM.

How Did It Go?

Looking back at the 2023 Legislative Session, The Partnership can point to several key accomplishments. In addition to these legislative successes, a number of funding allocations awarded during the same timeframe supported the progress of our featured priorities, listed below.

Workforce Readiness
The Governor signed Senate File 318, which established an Iowa office of apprenticeships and Iowa apprenticeship council. The Public Policy Team will work with The Partnership’s Talent Development Team to grow and support the role of apprenticeships in DSM and throughout Iowa.

Regulatory Reform
The passage of Senate File 514, also known as the Government Realignment Bill, initiated the process to consolidate Iowa’s 37 state agencies into 16 agencies. The Partnership did not support or oppose this bill but will continue to monitor the implementation process to support opportunities that reduce unnecessary regulations on business.

Child Care
Eligibility for the Child Care Assistance Program was expanded to 160% of the federal poverty guidelines, as outlined in House File 707.

Housing
Senate File 575 expanded Housing Tax Credits to include greenfield sites.

Placemaking
Senate File 577 appropriated $6.5 million for the expansion and continuation of the placemaking-driven Destination Iowa program.

Des Moines International Airport Terminal Project
The Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund (RIIF) budget included a $10 million line item earmarked for vertical infrastructure, which may be allocated to support the ongoing terminal project.

Additional Legislation of Significance
Beyond the successes of The Partnerships legislative priorities, several other key pieces of legislation may impact the DSM business community moving forward, among others. House File 718, the Property Tax Bill, was the first step in the direction of decreasing property taxes for Iowans and Iowa businesses. The bill consolidated several individual levies into a single general levy and transitioned some existing homestead and military credits into exemptions.

Senate File 575 extended the Renewable Chemical Production Tax Credit until 2041 and eliminated the waitlist, which is a program The Partnership has supported in the past. The bill also eliminated the waitlist for the Innovation Fund and extended the sunset until 2028. The series of budget bills passed throughout the 2023 Legislative Session puts the state at an $8.516 billion budget for FY 24.

What’s Next?

Governor Reynolds has 30 days to sign or veto legislation passed in the final three days before adjournment on May 4, 2023. This is the first year of the 90th General Assembly, so the same slate of legislators will head back to the Capitol in 2024 to continue legislating on behalf of their constituents.

In the meantime, The Partnership Public Policy team continues to hold meetings and discussions with legislators, the Governor’s office and Partnership Investors and Members to shape the 2024 policy agenda.

To learn more about The Partnership's legislative priorities, check out The Partnership’s Public Policy blogs or listen to the DSM USA Policy HQ podcast. To stay up-to-date with local, state and federal public policy information and resources, subscribe to the weekly GPC e-newsletter.

Watch the full 2023 Legislative Recap Webinar below:

 

The Partnership's Public Policy team engages with local, state and federal officials to create public policy that generates economic growth, business prosperity and talent development in Greater Des Moines (DSM). The Partnership is a nonpartisan organization.