Thompson Times

This past week was filled with so many subcommittees that every room and space was scheduled outside of standing committee meeting times.  The first deadline is approaching to get individual bills through committees for a chance to move forward for a full House vote.  I was pleased to see the Agriculture Committee passed the Grain Indemnity Program Update.  This program is now nearing 4-decades old and needed updating.  Since its creation in the 1980’s the production of grain has nearly doubled as have grain prices.  Additionally, the rise of special grain sales, such as for organic grain, has created unforeseen risks in the program. In part, this precipitated the reinstatement of indemnity fees in 2023 when the Indemnity fund was drawn down by the bankruptcy of several specialty grain purchasers. Additionally, new ways of selling grain have proliferated with some have significant risks. (HF 508)  

This week Farm Bureau representatives visited the Capitol along with the Community Colleges.  I look forward to a tour of NIACC in the near future.  This past Saturday I attended the Eggs and Issues forum in Fort Dodge with several other legislators.  

I believe District 56 could benefit from a bill brought forward by the House Economic Growth and Technology Committee (HF133 now HF517). The bill creates a vacant school building demolition grantprogram to be administered by IEDA for the demolition of vacant buildings owned or proposed to be owned by a local government. To qualify for the program, the building must have been used as a school or school administration building and must have been vacant before January 1, 2021.

Under the bill, IEDA is required to provide grants using a competitive scoring process. A grant shall only be approved if a building is in a city with a population less than 2,500 and within a county that is among the 88 lowest population (wholly or partly).

House File 133/ HF517 is contingent on an appropriation and will now be referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

A Step Toward Stopping Illegal Transportation of People and Human Trafficking

House Republicans are again trying to address the pressing issue of human smuggling with the introduction of House Study Bill 15. This legislation aims to combat the illegal transportation of people for profit, particularly when it involves evading law enforcement or facilitating unlawful entry into the United States. By clearly defining the actions that constitute smuggling and imposing strict penalties, this bill seeks to protect vulnerable individuals and enhance public safety across the state. (Passed 2/20/25)

House File 318 – Breast Imaging Cost Sharing

House File 318 builds on previous legislation by requiring the health insurance companies to provide the same cost-sharing requirements for supplemental breast examinations and diagnostic breast examinations as they do for mammograms.  This bill will help ensure that for more women, cost is not a barrier from getting them the care that they need.  (Passed 2/20/25)

House File 180 – Increasing Penalties for Grooming

 Last session, the Iowa House led the effort to define Grooming in Iowa code and made it a Class D felony.  This bill builds upon that legislation by requiring anyone convicted of grooming to be added to the Tier I sex offender list for 10 years.  This additional monitoring of individuals who have been convicted of this predatory behavior may help prevent additional abuse. (Passed 2/20/25)

House File 312 – Psychiatric Deterioration 

House File 312 aims to address mental health issues and get the treatment that’s needed before  reaching a point of serious mental impairment. HF 312 allows courts to order treatment for individuals experiencing psychiatric deterioration. Psychiatric deterioration is defined as a condition where a person cannot understand the need for treatment and is unlikely to seek it.  This will allow for earlier intervention to get Iowans access to the treatment they need before their condition worsens. This proactive approach can lead to better outcomes and hopefully reduce the need for more intensive care later on, as well as take a burden off law enforcement.  (Passed on 2/20/25)

The list of bills waiting to come to the floor continues to grow.  This coming week will be fast paced and busy.