The Sinclair Report

Week eleven had a steady pace of bills reach the floor of the Senate for debate. The bills passed in the Senate can be viewed at the Iowa legislature’s website at www.legis.iowa.gov.

Property taxes were widely discussed this week across Iowa and in the Capitol. Property owners have been receiving their annual property owners/taxpayers proposed taxation statements. County auditors prepared and sent the statements to provide transparency about proposed rate changes and to announce the dates and times of public hearings on those taxing proposals.

The Iowa Senate held a subcommittee meeting for public input on Wednesday for Senate Study Bill 1208, the property tax bill released earlier this month to overhaul Iowa’s property tax system. SSB 1208 eliminates the outdated assessment “rollback” and implements revenue limits. As a recent Tax Foundation study concluded: “After decades spent on rollbacks and other fixes that didn’t quite work, Iowa lawmakers are on the right track… Phasing out the rollback and replacing it with well-designed levy limits will address the inequities of the rollback (across geographies and classes of property) and constrain the growth of property tax burdens across all 99 counties. That’s reform worth doing.”

The value of work inspired the introduction of Senate File 615. The ultimate goals of SF 615 are to improve the lives of able-bodied Iowans and protect resources for Iowans who truly need assistance. The results of the benefit program changes in SF 615 will encourage self-reliance, responsibility, and lead to a higher quality of life for recipients. Many sectors of the Iowa economy are in serious need of workers and a department review found that 58 percent of Iowans receiving Medicaid coverage are identified as not working, but a number of those could be working, at least part time. SF 615 addresses this situation by requiring able-bodied individuals on taxpayer-funded health care to work a minimum of 80 hours a month to continue to receive benefits. It applies to individuals between the ages of 19 and 64 and makes exceptions for those who are medically exempt, disabled, or pregnant. Work inspires a sense of pride, accomplishment, and connection with society that makes us uniquely American.

As we all know, distracted driving has become an increasingly larger problem in Iowa and across the country, and often is the reason for accidents that cause damage, injuries, and unfortunate fatalities. Under current Iowa law, it is illegal to write or send a text message while driving. Senate File 22, called “the hands free” bill, bans the use of electronic devices while driving, unless used in a voice-activated or hands-free mode. There are some exceptions, like for health care professionals in emergency situations or for public safety officials in their professional capacity, but it is aimed at people who are texting and driving, or watching videos, or just not focusing on the road and other drivers around them. We have heard from Iowans on this issue, and we are confident this bill will help make our roads safer for all who are on them. SF 22 is waiting for the governor’s signature and will be effective on January 1, 2026.

Visitors to the Capitol

We were graced with a visit from the Pella Tulip Time Royal Court as an invitation to this year’s Pella’s Tulip Festival. The Court consisted of the Tulip Queen and her four attendants. They performed for the Senate and shared a special Dutch letter treat for each of us. Also at the Capitol this week were bankers, corn growers, honeybee enthusiasts, mechanical engineers, and a few energy cooperatives. I arrived early on Monday to visit with Iowa Republican Women and to lead the pledge of allegiance at the opening of their meeting.

STAYING IN TOUCH

I rely on your input because everything we do as a General Assembly affects you personally. You can email me at amy.sinclair@legis.iowa.gov or call me at 515-725-4122 to voice your support or concerns on upcoming legislation. Visit the legislative website for information about bills important to you or to follow the work of the legislature: www.Legis.Iowa.Gov. If you, or someone you know, would like to receive these weekly updates electronically, please visit https://iowasenaterepublicans.com/senators/amy-sinclair/ to sign up for my weekly newsletter.

Also, meet with me in your area to talk about issues important to you:

• The Dug Out Café, Orient, at 10:00am on Friday, April 4
• Pizza Ranch, Winterset, at 10:00am on Friday, April 18 for a coffee and conversation (NOTE: This event is a meet and greet with constituents, not a formal legislative forum)