Iowa
The 2012 federal and state elections will be held in newly drawn districts under the state redistricting plan. Maps, address look up, and Google maps of the new Iowa districts can be found on this Iowa State Government page: Iowa Redistricting.
The Iowa General Assembly convened on Monday, Jan. 9, 2012.
Missouri River Energy Services continuously monitors bills introduced in the Iowa General Assembly that could affect electric utilities in the State of Iowa. In addition, you can find information about legislative committees, publications, who represents your utility interests, and more on the Iowa General Assembly website.
Many legislators now offer their own electronic newsletters for constituents. To subscribe--for state Senators, click here and for state Representatives, click here.
Because Iowa follows a biennium system, bills introduced during 2011 are eligible for debate in 2012. Bills introduced in the 2011 Iowa Senate and in the 2011 Iowa House followed by MRES are on this website. Please click on the 2011 Senate and House Bill Introductions tab to view 2011 bills.
2012 Senate Bill Introductions
SF 430: A bill to create an open records and public meetings commission.
Status: Introduced as AF 246; referred to State Government and renumbered. Committee passed as SF 430 3/7/11. Passed Senate (49-0) 3/14/11; referred to House State Government. Subcommittee assigned 2/9/12 (Rogers, Cownie, Koester, Lensing and T. Taylor). Passed committee as amended 3/15/12. Referred to Appropriations. Amendment filed 3/20/12. Passed Subcommittee 3/20/12. Full House Ways and Means committee amends; recommends Do Pass 3/21/12. Sent to House floor. Fiscal note filed 3/21/12. Placed on unfinished business calendar 3/22/12. Passed House (92-7) 4/17/12. Senate concurs with House, re-passes bill (49-0) 4/23/12. Signed by Governor 5/3/12.
SF 516: A bill extending tax credits for the installation of customer-owned solar and wind energy.
Status: Passed Ways and Means 5/4/11. Amendment filed. Subcommittee assigned 1/12/12 (Sands, Helland, Jacoby). No further action before end of session.
SF 2005 (Bartz): A bill to streamline government and eliminate frivolous, obsolete or redundant mandates. It includes sections revising code section 380.8 and 380.10, allowing cities to publish proposed ordinances and other items electronically on the city web site.
Status: Introduced 1/9/12; referred to State Government. Subcommittee assigned (Horn, Feenstra, Fraise). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
SF 2029 (Hogg): To establish a state renewable energy goal of 10,000 MW of renewable energy installed by 2020; 20,000 MW by 2030.
Status: Introduced 1/19/12; referred to Commerce. Subcommittee assigned (Rielly, Courtney, Feenstra). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
SF 2039 (Schoenjahn): A bill requiring the IUB to adopt rules to establish standards regarding permanently identifying and marking the location of underground facilities installed on or after January 1, 2013.
Status: Introduced 1/19/12; referred to Commerce. Subcommittee assigned (Schoenjahn, Courtney, Zaun). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
SF 2046 (Hogg): A bill to establish a property tax exemption on certain energy efficient and sustainable development (LEED).
Status: Introduced 1/23/12; referred to Ways and Means. Subcommittee assigned (Hogg, Dotzler, Zaun). No further action before end of session.
SF 2058 (Danielson): A bill clarifying that utility records containing private customer information are not public records.
Status: Introduced 1/24/12; referred to State Government. Subcommittee assigned 1/25/12 (McCoy, Dearden, Smith). Committee reports Do Pass 2/20/12. Amendment filed 2/27/12. Passed Senate (50-0) 3/5/12. Passed House (96-0) 3/6/12. Signed by Governor 3/14/12.
SF 2104 (Jochum): This would exempt from IUB authority any entity that furnishes electricity to 5 or fewer customers by renewable energy, a 501(c)(3) entity, and persons serving a political subdivision with solar power.
Status: Introduced 2/1/12; referred to Commerce. Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
SF 2116 (Bartz): Companion to HF 2199, a bill to create a citizens’ committee to review administrative rules.
Status: Introduced 2/2/12; referred to State Government. Subcommittee assigned (Danielson, Dix, Jochum). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
SF 2124 (Bartz): A bill to streamline administrative statutes and to delete redundancy and obsolete statutes. Includes language regarding publishing certain notices on-line.
Status: Introduced 2/2/12; referred to State Government. Subcommittee assigned (Danielson, Jochum, Sorenson). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
SF 2130 (Hogg): Requiring the state economic development authority and the IUB to create a plan to achieve 100% of the state’s electric generation from natural gas and renewable energy sources by 2025.
Status: Introduced 2/6/12; referred to Economic Growth/Rebuild Iowa. Subcommittee assigned (Sodders, Greiner, Rielly). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
SF 2192 (Seng): A bill setting forth the adjudication of attorney fees for denial or delay of access to public records.
Status: Introduced 2/15/12; referred to State Government. Subcommittee assigned (Horn, Dearden, Smith). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
SF 2205 (Whitver): Providing for review and analysis for adoption of administrative rules.
Status: Introduced 2/15/12; referred to State Government. Subcommittee assigned (Danielson, Feenstra, Kibbie). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
SF 2215 (Mathis): A bill to requiring public bidding process for political subdivisions to offer opportunity to in-state bidders to match lowest out-of-state bidder.
Status: Introduced 2/16/12; referred to Economic Growth/Rebuild Iowa. Subcommittee assigned (Mathis, Dotzler, Whitver). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
SF 2239 (Seng): A bill establishing a wind energy incentive program for wind of 20MW or less, and requires the IUB to develop a standard offer contract form for interconnection with a utility.
Status: Introduced 2/21/12; referred to Agriculture. Subcommittee assigned (Seng, Black, Kapucian). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
SF 2266 (formerly SSB 3096): A bill adding natural gas to the definition of County Enterprise. See also HF 2205
Status: Introduced 1/26/12 as SSB 3096. Referred to Local Government. Committee report Do Pass 2/23/12. Failed to pass Second Funnel Deadline.
SF 2286 (Formerly SF 2072): Requiring IUB rulemaking on stray voltage investigation and procedures.
Status: Introduced as SF 2072 1/30/12; referred to Commerce. Passed committee. Renumbered as SF 2286. Fiscal note filed 3/14/12. Placed on Unfinished Business calendar 3/15/12. Fiscal noted filed 3/14/12. Amended on Senate floor and passed (35-14) 3/28/12. Referred to House. No further action before end of session.
SF 2287 (formerly SF 2222): Requiring American products to be used in public improvements.
Status: Introduced as SF 2222 2/16/12; referred to Economic Growth/Rebuild Iowa. Passed committee 2/27/12; renumbered. Passed Senate (37-13) 3/12/12. Referred to House Labor. Subcommittee (Horbach, Watts, Willems) assigned. Failed to pass Second Funnel Deadline.
SF 2326 (formerly SF 2050): A bill to increase the amount of generation eligible for certain state renewable energy credits.
Status: Introduced as SF 2050 1/23/12; referred to Ways and Means. Committee report Do Pass 3/29/12. Passed Senate as amended (41-9) 4/10/12. Referred to House Commerce. Fiscal note filed 4/18/12. Re-referred to Ways and Means 5/8/12. No further action before end of session.
SF 2342 (Bolkcom): A bill providing state tax credits for the installation of solar energy and geothermal heat pumps.
Status: Introduced 4/23/12 as SSB 3204; referred to Ways and Means. Passed committee 4/25/12; renumbered as SF 2342. Fiscal note filed 4/30/12. Passed House (82-12) 5/7/12; sent to Senate. No further action before end of session.
SSB 3018: A bill to expand the definition of governmental bodies subject to Open Meetings Laws to include task forces or committees formed to make public policy recommendations.
Status: Introduced 1/12/12; referred to State Government. Subcommittee assigned 1/12/12 (Jochum, Danielson, Chelgren). Failed to pass committee 2/13/12.
SSB 3100 (McCoy): Companion bill to HF 2144. A bill to allow ownership of out of state transmission assets by municipals/joint action agencies. See also HF 2144.
Status: Introduced 1/30/12. Referred to Commerce; subcommittee (Wilhelm, Feenstra, Seng). Set for hearing 2/6/12. Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline, but see HF 2144.
SSB 3203 (Bolkcom): A bill to establish a Distributed Generation Pilot project. It would require the IOUs, within 5 years, to purchase 5% of its retail demand from distributed generation: 60% of the purchases shall be from wind, 20% from solar, and 20% from biomass.
Status: Introduced 4/17/12; referred to Ways and Means. Subcommittee assigned: Hogg, Bolkcom, Feenstra. No further action before end of session.
2012 House Bill Introductions
HF 2030 (Lukan): A bill to require that any proposed agency rule that requires a Fiscal Impact Statement, cannot become effective unless approved by a Joint Resolution and signed by the Governor.
Status: Introduced 1/12/12; referred to Economic Growth/Rebuild Iowa. Subcommittee assigned 1/19/12 (Lukan, Schultz, Wittneben). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
HF 2042 (Formerly HSB 503): A bill to require a jobs impact statement before the adoption of administrative rules.
Status: Introduced 1/10/12 as HSB 503. Passed House Economic Growth/Rebuild Iowa Committee 1/12/12. Renumbered as HF 2042, referred to House. Passed House (92-0) 1/25/12; referred to Senate Economic Growth/Rebuild Iowa committee. Senate Subcommittee (Sodders, Bertrand, Wilhelm). Failed to pass Second Funnel Deadline.
HF 2043 (formerly HSB 504): A bill requiring that a state agency implementing a federal statute or rule shall NOT be more stringent than the federal law requires.
Status: Introduced as HSB 504 1/10/12; referred to Economic Growth/Rebuild Iowa. Committee approved 1/12/12; renumbered as HF 2043. Placed on House calendar 1/18/12. Fiscal Note filed 2/20/12. Failed to pass Second Funnel Deadline.
HF 2077 (Isenhart): Allowing a suit for fraud in state court for the sale of appliances or other products with the “energy star” certified label which only meet outdated certification specifications.
Status: Introduced 1/24/12; referred to Commerce. Subcommittee (Windschitl, Grassley, Swaim). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
HF 2144 (formerly HSB 532): A bill clarifying joint action agencies may own transmission facilities located out-of-state.
Status: Introduced 1/17/12 as HSB 532. Passed House Commerce 1/25/12. e-numbered as HF 2144; placed on House calendar 1/27/12. Passed House (97-0) 2/8/12. Referred to Senate Commerce. Subcommittee assigned (Wilhelm, Feenstra, Seng). Committee report Do Pass; referred to Senate floor. Passed Senate (50-0) 3/21/12. Enrolled and sent to Governor 4/3/12. Signed by Governor 4/5/12.
HF 2153 (Isenhart): A bill requiring landlords to provide energy costs upon request as it pertains to rental property.
Status: Introduced 1/31/12; referred to Commerce. Subcommittee assigned (Windschitl, Iverson, Muhlbauer). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
HF 2172 (Kelley): A bill prohibiting nuclear generation facilities from reprocessing fuel under certain circumstances.
Status: Introduced 2/1/12; referred to Commerce. Subcommittee assigned (Watts, Quirk, Wagner). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
HF 2188 (Muhlbauer): Allowing in-state bidders opportunity to match out-of-state bidders in political subdivision projects.
Status: Introduced 2/2/12. Referred to Commerce. Subcommittee assigned (Horbach, Grassley, T. Olson). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
HF 2199 (Pettengill): Creation of a citizens’ committee to review administrative rules.
Status: Introduced 2/2/12. Referred to State Government. Subcommittee assigned (Pettengill, Drake, Isenhart). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
HF 2200 (Watts): A bill providing for legislative and gubernatorial approval of administrative rules.
Status: Introduced 2/2/12. Referred to State Government. Subcommittee assigned (Vander Linden, Hunter, Jorgensen). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
HF 2205 (Byrnes): An act including natural gas facilities and electric generating facilities within the definition of a county enterprise. See also SSB 3096.
Status: Introduced 2/2/12; referred to Commerce. Subcommittee assigned (Watts, Quirk, Shaw). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
HF 2206 (Iverson): A bill requiring salvage dealers and recyclers to comply with certain identification and records requirements for the purchase of metals, including copper. Provides penalties for failure to comply.
Status: Introduced 2/2/12; referred to Commerce. Subcommittee assigned (Iverson, Brandenburg, Lykam). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
HF 2212 (T. Taylor): A bill requiring certain clearance overhead of railroad lines, includes electric distribution and transmission lines.
Status: Introduced 2/2/12; referred to Natural Resources. Subcommittee assigned (Rayhons, Kelley, J. Smith). Amended into HF 2348 and SSB 3049. Language did not make it into passed bill.
HF 2213 (Pettengill): A bill regarding the powers of the Administrative Rules Review Committee, giving it specific powers to challenge proposed rules.
Status: Introduced 2/2/12; referred to State Government. Subcommittee assigned (Pettengill, Isenhart, Jorgensen). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
HF 2249 (Isenhart): A bill requiring the IUB require that all energy efficiency plans and programs must be developed and provided by a third party entity appointed by the board.
Status: Introduced 2/8/12; referred to House Commerce. Subcommittee assigned (Wagner, T. Olson, Watts). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
HF 2254 (Kaufmann): A bill changing eminent domain, primarily as it pertains to surface water.
Status: Introduced 2/8/12; referred to Judiciary. Subcommittee assigned (Tjepkes, Heaton, R. Olson). Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.
HF 2274 (formerly HSB 519): A bill to reduce commercial and industrial property taxes.
Status: Introduced as HSB 519 1/11/12; referred to Ways and Means. Passed committee2/9/12; referred to House floor as HF 2274. Passed House as amended (59-40) 2/14/12. Referred to Senate. Passed House as amended (59-40) 2/14/12. Referred to Senate Ways and Means; subcommittee assigned (Bolkcom, Feenstra, Quirmbach). No further action before end of session.
HF 2301 (formerly HSB 574): A bill requiring advanced notice to utilities before customers install alternate energy production facilities.
Status: Introduced as HSB 574 1/30/12. Passed Commerce committee 2/13/12; renumbered as HF 2301. Passed House (98-0) 3/6/12. Referred to Senate Commerce. Committee report Do Pass 3/15/12; referred to Senate floor. Passed Senate (50-0) 3/21/12. Signed by Governor 3/29/12.
HF 2365 (Kajtazovic): A bill to establish a loan and grant program for solar projects.
Status: Introduced 2/23/12; referred to Commerce. Failed to pass Second Funnel Deadline.
HF 2375 (formerly HSB 558): Establishing procedures for the investigation and mitigation of stray voltage.
Status: Introduced as HSB 558; referred to Commerce. Committee recommends Do Pass 2/24/12. Renumbered. Pending on House floor. Placed on Unfinished Business calendar 3/15/12. No further action before end of session.
HF 2395 (formerly HSB 651): A bill regarding the treatment of private customer information.
Status: Introduced as HSB 651; referred to Local Government. Committee report Do Pass 2/24/12. Renumbered and referred to House floor. SF 2058 substituted for HF 2394; HF 2395 withdrawn 3/6/12. See SF 2058.
HF 2399 (formerly HSB 603): A bill requiring salvage dealers and recyclers to comply with certain records requirements for the purchase of copper and other metals. Provides penalties for failure to comply.
Status: Introduced 2/2/12 as HSB 603; referred to Public Safety. Committee report Do Pass. Renumbered and referred to House floor 2/28/12. Passed House (97-1) 3/12/12; referred to House Judiciary. Subcommittee assigned (Hancock, Boettger, Sodders). Committee report Do Pass 3/19/12. Referred to Senate floor. Placed on unfinished business calendar 3/22/12. Passed Senate as amended (45-0) 4/4/12. House concurs with Senate amendment (94-1) 4/5/12. Signed by Governor 4/19/12.
HF 2406 (formerly HSB 599): A bill to add certain cogeneration facilities to the definition of a renewable resource.
Status: Introduced as HSB 599, referred to House Commerce. Passed Committee 2/22/12. Renumbered and sent to House floor 2/29/12. Failed to pass Second Funnel Deadline.
HF 2452 (Isenhart): Establishing a property tax exemption for property meeting certain energy efficiency and environments standards, and meeting certain utility grid standards (Smart Grid).
Status: Introduced 3/22/12; referred to Ways and Means. No further action before end of session.
HR 127: A resolution supporting the extension of the federal production tax credit for wind energy.
Status: Introduced 3/13/12. Laid over. No further action before end of session.
HSB 500 (Sands): A bill to reduce commercial and industrial property taxes.
Status: Introduced 1/9/12; referred to Ways and Means. Hearing set 1/17/12. No further action before end of session.
HSB 643: A bill to revise the duties and operations of the Department of Administrative Services. Includes authority over energy loans.
Status: Introduced 2/15/12; referred to State Government. Subcommittee: Vander Linden, Hunter, Massie. Failed to pass First Funnel Deadline.