[Dome]Session Summary

77th Iowa General Assembly -- 1997 Session

1997 SESSION STATSBills introduced: 1,290
Senate: 555 House: 735		Bills passed and sent to Governor: 217
Date Convened: January 13Joint resolutions passed: 2
Date Adjourned: April 29Study bills proposed: 515
Senate: 273 House: 242		Bills vetoed by Governor: 2
Length: 107 calendar daysBills item vetoed by Governor: 11

LEGISLATURE APPROPRIATES $4.363 BILLION FOR FISCAL 1998

The 1997 Session of the Iowa Legislature passed 18 different bills containing significant appropriations of state funds.

The bills authorize spending for state government expenses for the 1997-1998 fiscal year (and for subsequent years, in some cases). They also contain modifications to annual appropriations found in the Iowa Code, and related law changes.

In all, this year's Legislature appropriated $4.363 billion from the state's general fund. The chart below shows the total amount appropriated in each of the several budgeting areas and the percentage of the total. Data for the chart was supplied by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

TAXES, BUSINESS, CRIME, YOUTH MAJOR ISSUES

Tax policy, business regulation, penalties for crimes, and issues affecting children and youth were among the more frequently addressed subjects in significant legislation passed during the 1997 Session of the 77th General Assembly, which adjourned April 29.

This year's Legislature passed and sent to the Governor a total of 217 bills. In addition, two joint resolutions proposing amendments to the Iowa Constitution were passed. Both amendments will be submitted to the voters in the November 1998 general election. Bills passed by the Legislature must be signed by the Governor in order to become law.

Listed below are some of the more significant pieces of legislation passed this year, grouped by subject and including the bill numbers. A complete listing of bills passed by the Legislature this year follows.

AGRICULTURE

BUSINESS, INSURANCE & UTILITIES

CHILDREN & YOUTH

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

COURTS & CIVIL PROCEDURE

CRIME

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

EDUCATION

HEALTH & SAFETY

HUMAN SERVICES

LABOR & EMPLOYMENT

NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT

TAXES

TRANSPORTATION

COMPLETE LISTING OF BILLS PASSED GOVERNOR'S ACTIONS & EFFECTIVE DATES

Bills are grouped by subject area. SF = Senate File, HF = House File, and HJR = House Joint Resolution. Bill titles have been edited to indicate only the general subject(s) addressed. For more specific information on the wording of a bill, please see the complete text. Printed bill copies are available from the Legislative Information Office, State Capitol, Des Moines, IA 50319. The telephone number is (515) 281-5129.

AGRICULTURE
Trespassing or stray livestock, remedies. SF 219
Cooperative corporations, transfer of stock, allocation of patronage dividends, dissolution. SF 292
Cooperative associations and corporations, operations and procedures. SF 299
Milk and milk products, regulation. SF 451
Animal feeding operation structures, prohibitions on violators. SF 472
Agricultural drainage wells, regulation. SF 473
Pseudorabies, control. SF 555
Domesticated animal activities, liability. HF 132
Iowa beef industry council, increasing an excise tax on beef cattle upon a referendum. HF 687
Brucellosis, extending eradication provisions to non-bovine animals. HF 694
Eggs, modifying the holding temperature required for retail storage. SF 161
APPROPRIATIONS
Appropriations of petroleum overcharge funds for energy conservation programs. SF 82
Appropriating federal funds made available from federal block grants and other federal grants. SF 240
Transportation appropriations for the fiscal year beginning 7/1/97. SF 391
Administrative and regulatory appropriations for the fiscal year beginning 7/1/97. SF 529
Justice system appropriations for the fiscal year beginning 7/1/97. SF 533
Supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year beginning 7/1/96. SF 542
Education appropriations for the fiscal year beginning 7/1/97. SF 549
Salaries and benefits for state officials and employees. SF 551
Appropriating federal block grant funds and amending human services appropriations for the fiscal year beginning 7/1/96. HF 125
Economic development appropriations for the fiscal year beginning 7/1/97. HF 655
Agriculture and natural resources appropriations for the fiscal year beginning 7/1/97. HF 708
Health and human rights appropriations for the fiscal year beginning 7/1/97. HF 710
Human services appropriations for the fiscal year beginning 7/1/97. HF 715
Iowa Communications Network and information technology appropriations. HF 730
Infrastructure and capital projects appropriations. HF 733
BUSINESS, INSURANCE & UTILITIES
Registered agents of corporations, limited liability companies, and partnerships, appointment and resignation. SF 116
Funds held by life insurance companies. SF 160
Safe deposit boxes, repealing the procedures for disposition of the contents upon death. SF 238
Motor vehicles, increasing the property damage limit for mandatory reporting of accidents. SF 293
Iowa Communications Network, use. SF 519
Health insurance, offering of point of service plan options. HF 133
Electric transmission lines, availability of a map indicating location. HF 229
Mercantile establishment, definition of an owner for purposes of recovery of merchandise or damages. HF 307
Communications between a debt collector and a debtor, notification requirements. HF 308
Activities of a foreign corporation which do not constitute doing business in or deriving income from the state for state tax purposes. HF 354
Acquisition of a branch of a savings association by a newly chartered bank. HF 475
Motor vehicles, financial liability coverage and registration. HF 514
Multiple employer welfare arrangements, regulation. HF 550
Electric transmission lines, wires, or cables, eliminating notice requirements. HF 552
Securities, broker-dealers and agents, registration. HF 553
Insurance regulation provisions. HF 557
Real estate appraisers, continuing education requirements. HF 577
Municipal utilities as local exchange service providers, regulation. HF 596
Open-end credit, permissible charges. HF 611
Linked deposit investment programs. HF 613
Corporations, special meetings of shareholders, combination of a corporation and certain shareholders, and certain merger and share acquisitions. HF 628
Corporations, partnerships, and associations, general operation. HF 637
Limited partnerships and limited liability companies, organization and operation. HF 642
Real estate brokers or salespersons, relationship with parties to transactions. HF 644
Health insurance, portability and continuity. HF 701
CHILDREN & YOUTH
Runaway children, treatment and assessment. SF 123
Child sexual abuse reporting. SF 176
Child abuse, assessments performed in lieu of investigations. SF 230
Minors' driver's licenses and violations relating to cigarettes and tobacco products. SF 499
Juvenile and youthful offenders, underage drinking, release of information by law enforcement agencies, arrest records, and court procedures. SF 515
Child day care, home care regulation pilot project. SF 541
Child day care, requiring criminal and child abuse record checks of persons receiving state funding. HF 313
Children born outside of marriage, issuing of temporary orders for support, custody, or visitation. HF 371
Child welfare provisions involving juvenile justice dispositional orders, hearings, and placements. HF 376
Termination of parental rights, accepted or supposed father. HF 453
Adoption and foster care, providing for a family rights and responsibilities plan and agreement for placements. HF 544
Delinquent children, criteria for placement of those for whom guardianship has been transferred to the Department of Human Services. HF 545
Child support, establishing paternity, collection, income withholding, enforcement of orders. HF 612
Providing for grandparent and great-grandparent visitation rights. HF 643
Child abuse, information and central registry. HF 698
COURTS & CIVIL PROCEDURE
Probate code, guardianships and conservatorships, transfer on death security registration. SF 241
Judicial administration. SF 281
Parental notification procedures prior to an abortion on a minor. HF 121
Court-ordered treatment of a criminal defendant judged mentally incapable of standing trial. HF 232
Wrongful imprisonment, providing a cause of action against the state. HF 674
Tort reform provisions relating to statutes of limitations, interest rate on judgments and decrees, patient records, fault, damages, and liability. HF 693
Civil and criminal penalties and fees. HF 734
CRIME
Police bicycles, operating requirements. SF 80
Room and board, collection of fees charged prisoners. SF 184
International terrorism, compensation to victims who are residents of Iowa. SF 251
Designation of correctional facilities. SF 442
Prohibiting the possession or distribution of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid under certain circumstances. SF 497
Crime provisions, including penalties for drug offenses, restrictions on public nudity in certain establishments, probation supervision and revocation, and restitution. SF 503
Good behavior, computation of time by which criminal sentences may be reduced. HF 226
Criminal and juvenile laws, affirmation and reenactment of certain provisions. HF 265
Ephedrine, include certain products as schedule V controlled substances. HF 384
Controlled substances, prohibiting sex acts when one participant was prevented from consenting. HF 449
Bodily fluids or secretions, prohibiting acts by inmates. HF 542
Deadly force, use of less lethal munitions by peace officers, possession of curio or relic firearms by members of certain organizations. HF 635
Theft, defining the crime to include offering a bad check for the use of property. HF 647
Sentencing of certain criminal offenders. HF 661
Court-appointed counsel in criminal cases. HF 662
Amphetamine, increase the penalties for manufacture, delivery, or possession. HF 666
Drunk driving penalties, driver's license revocation, restitution, substance abuse evaluation, vehicle impoundment. HF 707
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
New jobs and income program, ownership of land by nonresident aliens, capital investment and job creation. SF 205
Economic development assistance programs, implementation. SF 272
Rural improvement zones, designation of unincorporated areas of a county. SF 544
Job training withholding payments, transfer to the workforce development fund account. HF 367
Entrepreneurs, financial and technical assistance. HF 368
Venture and seed capital, availability and accessibility. HF 722
Enterprise zones, establishment in counties and cities. HF 724
Housing development, financial assistance to communities. HF 732
EDUCATION
Coaching authorization, minimum age 18. SF 104
Regular program district cost guarantee, extending for two years. SF 189
Community colleges, alternative retirement benefit systems for new employees. SF 233
Higher education loan authority, financing of projects. SF 410
Physical plant and equipment levy for schools, increase. SF 531
School improvement technology program, eligibility for receipt of moneys. HF 92
Postsecondary schools, registration and accreditation requirements. HF 320
School locker searches, student protected areas. HF 331
School or area education agency property, sale, lease, or other disposition. HF 405
College student aid commission programs, establishing an osteopathic physician recruitment program. HF 410
Truancy, intervention meetings, eligibility for family investment program benefits, civil penalty. HF 597
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Statistical reporting of terminations of pregnancy. SF 128
Family investment and medical assistance program benefits, fraudulent practices. SF 131
Vending machines, sale of cigarettes and tobacco products. SF 163
Health care facilities, certificate of need. SF 236
HIV, prohibited sale of home testing kits. SF 300
Iowa pharmacy practice act provisions. SF 457
Public assistance, revising provisions involving human services programs. SF 516
Legal settlement regarding providers of mental health treatment or services. SF 522
Health care facilities, employment checks of prospective employees. SF 523
Healthy opportunities for parents to experience success-healthy families Iowa program. SF 526
Appropriation for allowed growth in county costs for mental health, mental retardation, and developmental disabilities services. HF 255
Department of Public Health programs. HF 335
Supplemental needs trusts for persons with disabilities. HF 492
Membership of the medical assistance advisory council. HF 579
Respiratory care, regulation. HF 659
Human services and facility requirements involving the single entry point process, regional planning councils, employee record checks, decategorization, legal settlement, and the operating requirements. HF 702
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT
Workers' compensation, injuries outside of state. SF 109
Employment references, immunity from civil liability for employers. SF 280
Workers compensation liability, nonoccupational health care plan payments. SF 296
Workers' compensation, coverage for students participating in school-to-work programs. SF 361
Unemployment compensation, Department of Workforce Development provisions. SF 395
Workforce development board membership. SF 460
Department of Workforce Development and the enforcement of employment laws. SF 501
Workers' compensation, eligibility requirements. HF 167
Temporary employment firm employees, unemployment compensation eligibility. HF 236
Workers' compensation benefits for professional athletes. HF 370
Labor commissioner, construction contractors law, nonsubstantive Code corrections relating to the child labor law. HF 398
Inspections of unfired steam pressure vessels. HF 399
Professional boxing and wrestling matches. HF 589
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Nonperpetual care cemeteries, eliminating signage requirement. SF 21
County mental health, mental retardation, and developmental disabilities services fund levy, procedure for county revisions. SF 145
Special land use districts, election of trustees. SF 193
Notarial acts, individuals who may perform. SF 232
Extension councils, amount of a surety bond required to be executed. SF 417
Disposition of private property condemned under eminent domain or condemned or purchased as highway right-of-way property. SF 432
Regulation and location of a land-leased community or a modular or manufactured home. SF 433
Office of city assessor in certain counties. HF 4
Legalize certain city and county deeds and conveyances. HF 114
Sanitary districts, joint billing or collection of combined service accounts. HF 178
County debt service fund. HF 244
County issuance of motor vehicle licenses, establishing a study. HF 372
Legalize certain unified law enforcement district tax levies. HF 373
City civil service. HF 456
Drainage subdistricts, eliminating notice by petitioning landowners regarding establishment. HF 485
Deputy sheriffs, determination of annual salaries. HF 515
County recorder, instruments filed or recorded. HF 616
County treasurers, powers and duties. HF 645
City ordinances and other official actions of a city council and mayor. HF 658
Election of mayors in certain cities. HF 680
Legalize the proceedings taken by the Sergeant Bluff city council to grant an urban revitalization tax exemption for certain property. HF 717
NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Groundwater professionals, qualifications. SF 75
Water and ice vessel accident reports. SF 95
Motorboats, operation on artificial lakes. SF 174
Easements, granting by the Department of Natural Resources. SF 190
Sewage sludge, regulation of use and disposal. SF 214
Soil and water conservation, emergency restoration of permanent practices. SF 235
Snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle registration. SF 246
Household hazardous materials, retail labeling requirements. SF 285
Wild animal depredation, discharge of firearms in state parks, issuance of free deer hunting licenses. SF 362
Contaminated property, cleanup and reuse (brownfields). SF 528
Hunter safety and ethics education, qualifications for the successful completion of an approved course. HF 81
Deer hunting with a pistol or revolver. HF 142
Drinking water, financing for facilities, treatment, and administration. HF 191
Waste tires, permits issued to licensed automobile tire recycling dealers to own or operate a site. HF 228
Ozone transport assessment group, review and oversight of actions. HF 309
Levee and drainage districts, assessment of lands owned by the Department of Natural Resources. HF 336
Abandoned coal mines, reclamation of land and drainage abatement. HF 615
Waste tire collection and processing sites, financial assurance requirements. HF 653
STATE GOVERNMENT
Emergency medical care provider certification fees, disposition. SF 59
Statutory corrections. SF 118
Burning, allowing a supervised, controlled burn for which a permit has been issued during an open burning ban. SF 126
Interstate emergency management assistance compact, adoption. SF 358
Nonsubstantive Code corrections. HF 200
Cooperative associations, filing of documents, effective date of merger or consolidation. HF 233
Trademarks and service marks registered with the Secretary of State. HF 275
State government personnel procedures including job classifications, pay plans, employee recall from layoff, and abolishing the personnel commission. HF 401
Repository for criminal history, abuse and sex offender registries, and nurse aide and other health profession certification and licensing information. HF 439
State government employee personnel procedures and investment policy requirements. HF 540
Department of Human Rights, providing for continued operation. HF 578
Election and voter registration laws, corrective and technical changes. HF 636
Amend Iowa Constitution relating to equality of rights of men and women. HJR 5
Amend Iowa Constitution to eliminate $100 limit on fines for simple misdemeanors. HJR 10
TAXES
Farm chemicals, sales tax exemption for ingredients and detergents used to enhance application. SF 30
Inheritance tax, elimination on property passing to certain relatives. SF 35
Life estate property donated to state or local government, taxation. SF 83
Updating the Iowa Code references to the Internal Revenue Code. SF 129
Motor vehicle leasing, use tax. SF 222
Subchapter S, tax treatment of financial institutions and their shareholders. SF 553
Industrial machinery, equipment, and computers used in the manufacturing process, sales tax exemption. HF 126
Racetrack or racetrack enclosure, taxation of real property used in operation. HF 212
Notices of appraisement of property, service of for state inheritance tax purposes. HF 218
Tax administration by the Department of Revenue and Finance. HF 266
Subchapter S corporations, extending tax reduction for shareholders. HF 306
National guard or armed forces military reserve personnel, tax exemption of active duty pay for foreign service. HF 355
Individual income tax rates, 10 percent reduction. HF 388
Industrial machinery, equipment, and computers used in the manufacturing process, property tax exemption phaseout. HF 495
State reimbursement to counties for various tax credits and exemptions, providing for local government budget practices, property tax statements. HF 726
Local option sales and services taxes, reporting, depositing, and distribution. HF 729
TRANSPORTATION
Ex-prisoner of war motor vehicle plates, registration fee. SF 5
Transportation operations, including hazardous materials transport, regulating motor vehicle dealers, administrative rules. SF 132
Motor vehicle operator prohibitions and restrictions, including careless driving, littering, blood alcohol test certificates. SF 177
Driver's licenses, issuance for certain law enforcement officers. SF 229
Maintenance and repair of out-of-state commercial motor vehicles. SF 379
Driver's license nonrenewal or suspension for failure to pay debts to the state in pilot project counties. SF 545
Information centers and rest areas on interstate or primary highways. HF 383
Trucks and certain other large motor vehicles, regulation. HF 416
Motorcycle dealer, required business hours. HF 685
Handicapped parking permits. HF 688
Handicapped special plates, criteria for issuance. HF 692
Motor vehicle and highway regulation. HF 704
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