HF 918 takes advantage of Iowa’s alternative energy strengths by developing new industries and reducing our dependency on fossil fuels. This legislation established the Iowa Power Fund, which is intended to make Iowa the “Green State” and a world leader in biodiesel and renewable energy. HF 927 provides $25 million a year for FY 09, FY 10, and FY 11 to the Office of Energy Independence for grants and loans under the Iowa Power Fund. These funds will go towards developing energy related industries. This can include developing new ways of making ethanol and the development of its byproducts; expanding Iowa’s wind industry; and addressing various transportation needs, production and equipment needs for alternative energy. HF 2233 provides property and sales tax exemptions for certain machinery, equipment and related items to encourage a computer web search portal business to locate in Iowa. It is essentially the same as HF 912, which passed the house in 2007. HF 912 resulted in the announcement last June by the Google web search company that it would invest $600 million and create 200 jobs with an average salary of $50,000 on a 55-acre site in Council Bluffs. SF 2430 establishes community micro enterprise development organizations and a grant program for the Department of Economic Development to provide training, access to financing, and technical assistance to micro enterprises (i.e., businesses with five or fewer employees, generally lack collateral, and have difficulty securing financing from conventional business lending sources). A micro enterprise includes start-up, home-based, and self-employed businesses.

HF 829 encourages the development and commercialization of businesses in bioscience and advanced manufacturing based on recommendations from the Battelle Institute.  There is $8 million in total funding for various projects including initiatives at our state universities.  A provider will offer statewide commercialization services to assist with the formation of companies and help entrepreneurs with experience in forming companies to make marketing assessments.  Prototype development of products at state universities and other locations that have a clear potential to be commercially viable is also assisted.

Financial assistance for commercializing existing software and applications technologies is provided along with equipment and training software that would be offered competitively through Iowa’s community colleges.

Targeted industries internships are offered, and a statewide supplier capacity and product database will be created to assist in linking suppliers to Iowa-based companies.

$7.1 million for job training at community colleges, including $2.5 million from the Iowa Power Fund for training in advanced manufacturing, information solutions and bio-sciences, $2.5 million for custom training under the Accelerated Career Education (ACE) program, and the $2.1 million for targeted industry training discussed under Bioscience and Advanced Manufacturing Technology Research at Universities section were appropriated to address Iowa’s skilled workforce shortage.

HF 790 allows trade associations to form small employer health insurance pools.  An eligible association must be formed for reasons other than health insurance and has to be in existence for five years before issuing a policy.  It must also let any business meeting its qualifications to join and cannot have conditions based on employee health status.  An eligible small business employer is one with two to fifty full-time employees who normally work at least 30 hours per week.  The bill retains existing small business rate limits; annual changes based on experience or employee health cannot exceed 15%; index rates cannot vary by more than 20% among business classes; and rates within a class cannot vary from the index rate by more than 25%.

HF 2539, expands health care coverage for all children in Iowa by January 1, 2011, and works to cover all adults.  In addition, the bill works to reduce health care costs and improve on wellness and chronic disease management by establishing medical homes and expanding electronic health technology.  The bill expands health care coverage for dependents up to age 25 and to individuals moving from a private group insurance policy to an individual insurance policy

HF 909 expands Medicaid eligibility for parents.  An estimated 6,500 more parents of children eligible for Medicaid or Hawk-I are now eligible for Medicaid.  In addition, Medicaid and Hawk-I are expanded to cover around 10,750 more children.

HF 790 lets insurers offer premium credits and discounts in any small employer group policy to encourage employee participation to quit tobacco or other wellness or disease management programs.

SF 2425 requires the Department of Education to adopt rules establishing nutritional guidelines for foods and beverages sold or provided in schools.  The bill also includes requirements for CPR certification and physical activity.

In 2007, within HF918, the Iowa Power Fund Board was created to oversee the newly created Office of Energy Independence.  The legislation gave some details for funding specific areas of energy projects while maintaining flexibility to address future energy development.  The board was charged with developing an Energy Independence Plan to reduce the state’s consumption of energy, dependence on foreign sources of energy, use of fossil fuels, and greenhouse gas emissions.  In addition, the Iowa Utilities Board and the Iowa Energy Center were to conduct a survey and study relating to consumer knowledge of energy use and energy efficiency.

In 2008, we continued our effort to make Iowa the “Green State” with another $25 million for the Iowa Power Fund, which will help develop the nation’s first bio-refinery for the next generation of ethanol.

HF 2689 changes the current Iowa Law related to the renewable fuels infrastructure grant program.  The bill makes changes to provisions relating to the cost-share program, types of blender pumps, blends of gasoline allowed, labeling of pumps, marketing, and reporting.   One of the changes directs the Office of Energy Independence to create a renewable fuels marketing plan to assist in promoting the bio-fuels industry.  The plan must identify barriers for retailers in selling and barriers to consumers in purchasing bio-fuel.  It requires the office to submit the plan to the governor and General Assembly by January 30, 2009.