HOUSE TO HOUSE

By Polly Granzow

State Representative

 

Mandates

 

Each year, legislature passes bills that mandate a variety of laws:  things you “shall” or “shall not” do.  Some requests come from the public; others come from special interest groups that are considered improvements to current law.  Some mandates are unfunded and cost citizens and government more money, and others are funded to cover the cost of the new law.

 

Some of the mandates that passed during the 2007 session include $1.00 increase in the cigarette tax and a $3.00 increase in the wildlife habitat fee, costs to the consumer.  Minimum wage will increase $2.10 per hour by January, 2008; a benefit to the low paid employee, but a challenge to the employer. 

 

Mandates that affect public health include lead testing and dental exams of all children enrolling in elementary school.  Lead poisoning can mentally impair a child for life and needs early detection.  Oral disease can affect the future health of an individual and can account for 60% of all illnesses in adults.  Funding was budgeted for them, but not for the follow-up if a problem is found.  Pneumococcal immunizations are also mandated for toddlers.  This is also a serious disease and is life threatening and costly if contracted.

 

Mandates that affect public safety include safety cigarettes.  Beginning January 2009, Iowa will join five other states that mandate the sale of cigarettes which will extinguish if left alone for a period of time.  There is no extra cost for the product but will require one additional state employee for enforcement.  The Wild and Dangerous Animals bill specifies when a person can or cannot own a wild animal.  They must register, pay a fee, and have a microchip implanted.  The cost is $155,000 with two new state employees to implement the program.  HF650 mandates ID tags placed on all kegs sold throughout the state.  Information will be kept by the business for 90 days.  This bill overrides ordinances passed by counties or cities.

 

Several mandates involving schools include adopting a bullying policy by September 1, 2007 with specific characteristics identified, and to offer “age appropriate and research-based” human growth and development instruction.  Costs will include supplies, time to adopt policies, and additional employees for reporting.  Both of these have social and ethical concerns by many of my constituents.   Effective September 1, 2007, schools must also hire a qualified guidance counselor, school nurse and a licensed librarian.  Several schools may have additional costs to fulfill this unfunded mandate.

 

Other mandates include a paper trail on voting machines which will cost a few counties to comply (by November 2008), since this requirement is not part of the federal law; mandate a city over the population of 15,000 to apply and enforce a state building code (effective July 1, 2008), mandate a statewide system of licensure for electricians (effective January 2008), and mandate the DNR to implement a method of collecting data from producers of greenhouse gases by January 2008 at a cost of $100,000 and one full time employee.  None of these are funded.

 

In general, I oppose unfunded mandates imposed by the state that pass the cost on to consumers, businesses, and local governments, which amounts to increased taxes and increased costs to consumers.  I also oppose mandates that over regulate entities that are unnecessary.  I would like to remove such mandates from the Code.  Some mandates are necessary, such as a statewide speed limit, or the number of days of attendance required by school students.  What mandates do you agree or disagree with?

 

Governor Culver had until the end of May to sign, veto, or line-item veto bills.  I will report these to you in my next letter.

 

As always, you can contact me at polly.granzow@legis.state.ia.us or at 641-858-5210.