Financial institutions operating in the state would be prohibited from using a merchant code for credit card transactions at gun retailers meant to detect suspicious firearms and ammunition sales under a bill headed to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk — even though lobbyists have said credit card companies don’t plan to use the codes in Iowa.
The Senate amended the bill last week and sent it back to the Iowa House for final passage. House lawmakers concurred with the Senate amendment Tuesday, sending House File 2464 to the governor to be signed into law.
The bill would prevent banks and credit card companies from using a merchant code that would differentiate a firearms retailer from any other retailer.
And it would bar state and local governmental agencies from keeping a record or registry of privately owned firearms, except for records kept during the regular course of a criminal investigation, a prosecution, any court case or as otherwise required by law.
The bill also makes an exception for law enforcement agencies maintaining a list or record of firearms that have been stolen or reported stolen.
The Iowa Attorney General’s Office would be authorized to investigate alleged violations, and bring civil action in district court to enjoin further violations.
Individuals would have 60 days to cease violations. Those who fail to comply with an injunction would face a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation.
Supporters of the bill have said it aims to prevent financial institutions from creating a de facto gun registry.
Major credit card companies were moving to make a merchant code available for firearm and ammunition retailers to comply with a new California law that will allow banks to potentially track suspicious gun purchases and report them to law enforcement.
Gun rights advocates said the code is an infringement on privacy and Second Amendment rights.
Democrats questioned the need for the legislation.
“What is the problem we’re trying to curb … and is it occurring today in Iowa?” Rep. David Jacoby, D-Coraville, asked bill floor manager Rep. Ray Sorensen, R-Greenfiled.
"Not that I’m aware, but it very well could and that’s what we’re preemptively trying to stop,“ Sorensen responded.
After a lengthy debate that centered on the role of government in lifting people out of poverty, Iowa Senate Republicans approved legislation that would prohibit guaranteed basic income programs in Iowa, sending the proposal to Gov. Kim Reynolds.
UpLift Iowa, a project involving four Central Iowa local governments and a number of businesses and nonprofits, is the only existing guaranteed income program in the state. The pilot program provides 110 residents with monthly payments of $500 that can be spent without restrictions.
The program was set up to research the effects of regular monthly payments to low-income people. It uses a combination of public funding and donations by businesses and nonprofits. The program uses no state tax dollars, but does use federal pandemic relief dollars awarded to Des Moines and Urbandale.
Uplift Iowa is set to last two years, ending in spring 2026. Under the bill, the project would be allowed to continue but no future guaranteed income programs could be started.
During Senate debate, Republicans argued that previous government programs designed to alleviate poverty have not been successful. Sen. Scott Webster, R-Bettendorf, referenced the proverb that if you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for life.
“That’s the moral of this particular day and this particular bill,” Webster said.
Democrats criticized the bill for prohibiting local governments from experimenting with basic income programs, and argued Republicans were being hypocritical by opposing basic income programs while supporting taxpayer-funded subsidies for farmers.
“Whether you call it a subsidy or — when you don’t like it — a handout, what’s the difference?” Sen. Tony Bisignano, D-Des Moines, asked during debate.
House File 2319 passed the Senate on a mostly party-line, 35-13 vote, with all Republicans supporting and most Democrats opposing. Having previously passed the House on a similarly party-line vote, the bill moves to Reynolds for her consideration.
State lawmakers approved changes to the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System for sheriffs and deputies, including increasing the applicable percentage for retirement benefit payments.
It also would provide that a person charged with the murder or felony assault of a law enforcement or corrections officer is not eligible for bail. And it would create a tax credit of up to $2,000 for public safety officers moving into Iowa.
House File 2661 increases the maximum IPERS retirement benefit from 72 to 80 percent of a retiree’s three-year salary average. It also establishes an annual 1.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment to the monthly allowance for sheriff and deputy sheriff members of IPERS for retirements on or after July 1.
Representatives for the Iowa State Association of Counties and Iowa State Sheriffs' & Deputies' Association say the legislation will help recruitment and retention efforts, and bring IPERS into better alignment with other pension systems in Iowa for law enforcement.
The pension increase will be split evenly between the county and retirees.
House lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously passed the bill as amended by the Senate, sending it to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to be signed into law.
House lawmakers passed a bill requiring schools and child care centers to publish information about exceptions to vaccination requirements in any communications about those requirements to parents.
Iowa law requires children in child care centers, elementary schools and secondary schools to be immunized against a variety of infectious diseases, but parents can obtain exceptions for medical and religious reasons.
The bill, Senate File 2196, does not change any exemption rules, but it would require schools and child care centers to provide information about exemption options to parents when they explain the required vaccines. The exemptions also would need to be published online.
House lawmakers amended the bill to require that schools have trained staff able to respond to seizures and require that schools create a “seizure action plan” for students prone to seizures.
The bill passed the House, 77-20, with all no votes being Democrats. It now goes to the Senate, which will need to approve the amended language to send it to Gov. Kim Reynolds for a signature.
www.thegazette.com
The Senate amended the bill last week and sent it back to the Iowa House for final passage. House lawmakers concurred with the Senate amendment Tuesday, sending House File 2464 to the governor to be signed into law.
The bill would prevent banks and credit card companies from using a merchant code that would differentiate a firearms retailer from any other retailer.
And it would bar state and local governmental agencies from keeping a record or registry of privately owned firearms, except for records kept during the regular course of a criminal investigation, a prosecution, any court case or as otherwise required by law.
The bill also makes an exception for law enforcement agencies maintaining a list or record of firearms that have been stolen or reported stolen.
The Iowa Attorney General’s Office would be authorized to investigate alleged violations, and bring civil action in district court to enjoin further violations.
Individuals would have 60 days to cease violations. Those who fail to comply with an injunction would face a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation.
Supporters of the bill have said it aims to prevent financial institutions from creating a de facto gun registry.
Major credit card companies were moving to make a merchant code available for firearm and ammunition retailers to comply with a new California law that will allow banks to potentially track suspicious gun purchases and report them to law enforcement.
Gun rights advocates said the code is an infringement on privacy and Second Amendment rights.
Democrats questioned the need for the legislation.
“What is the problem we’re trying to curb … and is it occurring today in Iowa?” Rep. David Jacoby, D-Coraville, asked bill floor manager Rep. Ray Sorensen, R-Greenfiled.
"Not that I’m aware, but it very well could and that’s what we’re preemptively trying to stop,“ Sorensen responded.
Ban on guaranteed income programs passes
After a lengthy debate that centered on the role of government in lifting people out of poverty, Iowa Senate Republicans approved legislation that would prohibit guaranteed basic income programs in Iowa, sending the proposal to Gov. Kim Reynolds.
UpLift Iowa, a project involving four Central Iowa local governments and a number of businesses and nonprofits, is the only existing guaranteed income program in the state. The pilot program provides 110 residents with monthly payments of $500 that can be spent without restrictions.
The program was set up to research the effects of regular monthly payments to low-income people. It uses a combination of public funding and donations by businesses and nonprofits. The program uses no state tax dollars, but does use federal pandemic relief dollars awarded to Des Moines and Urbandale.
Uplift Iowa is set to last two years, ending in spring 2026. Under the bill, the project would be allowed to continue but no future guaranteed income programs could be started.
During Senate debate, Republicans argued that previous government programs designed to alleviate poverty have not been successful. Sen. Scott Webster, R-Bettendorf, referenced the proverb that if you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for life.
“That’s the moral of this particular day and this particular bill,” Webster said.
Democrats criticized the bill for prohibiting local governments from experimenting with basic income programs, and argued Republicans were being hypocritical by opposing basic income programs while supporting taxpayer-funded subsidies for farmers.
“Whether you call it a subsidy or — when you don’t like it — a handout, what’s the difference?” Sen. Tony Bisignano, D-Des Moines, asked during debate.
House File 2319 passed the Senate on a mostly party-line, 35-13 vote, with all Republicans supporting and most Democrats opposing. Having previously passed the House on a similarly party-line vote, the bill moves to Reynolds for her consideration.
Lawmakers approve sheriff retirement changes
State lawmakers approved changes to the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System for sheriffs and deputies, including increasing the applicable percentage for retirement benefit payments.
It also would provide that a person charged with the murder or felony assault of a law enforcement or corrections officer is not eligible for bail. And it would create a tax credit of up to $2,000 for public safety officers moving into Iowa.
House File 2661 increases the maximum IPERS retirement benefit from 72 to 80 percent of a retiree’s three-year salary average. It also establishes an annual 1.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment to the monthly allowance for sheriff and deputy sheriff members of IPERS for retirements on or after July 1.
Representatives for the Iowa State Association of Counties and Iowa State Sheriffs' & Deputies' Association say the legislation will help recruitment and retention efforts, and bring IPERS into better alignment with other pension systems in Iowa for law enforcement.
The pension increase will be split evenly between the county and retirees.
House lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously passed the bill as amended by the Senate, sending it to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to be signed into law.
House passes bill to publicize school vaccine exemptions
House lawmakers passed a bill requiring schools and child care centers to publish information about exceptions to vaccination requirements in any communications about those requirements to parents.
Iowa law requires children in child care centers, elementary schools and secondary schools to be immunized against a variety of infectious diseases, but parents can obtain exceptions for medical and religious reasons.
The bill, Senate File 2196, does not change any exemption rules, but it would require schools and child care centers to provide information about exemption options to parents when they explain the required vaccines. The exemptions also would need to be published online.
House lawmakers amended the bill to require that schools have trained staff able to respond to seizures and require that schools create a “seizure action plan” for students prone to seizures.
The bill passed the House, 77-20, with all no votes being Democrats. It now goes to the Senate, which will need to approve the amended language to send it to Gov. Kim Reynolds for a signature.
Capitol Notebook: Bill to prohibit firearms tracking headed to Iowa Gov. Reynolds’ desk
Also, Republicans advanced a measure to ban future guaranteed basic income programs in Iowa.
www.thegazette.com
