H.F. 2029 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 15.120 Employer advocacy council. 1 1. An employer advocacy council is established within 2 the authority. The authority shall provide the council with 3 staff assistance and administrative support using existing 4 resources available to the authority. The authority may expend 5 moneys allocated to the authority to provide such support. 6 The authority may adopt rules for the implementation of this 7 section. 8 2. The council shall consist of the following members: 9 a. Voting members as follows: 10 (1) The governor, or the governor’s designee. 11 (2) The director of the authority, or the director’s 12 designee. 13 (3) The director of the department of workforce 14 development, or the director’s designee. 15 (4) Additional members with expertise relevant to 16 employment and job growth selected by the governor. 17 b. Four members of the general assembly serving two-year 18 terms in an ex officio, nonvoting capacity, with two from the 19 senate and two from the house of representatives and not more 20 than one member from each chamber being from the same political 21 party. The two senators shall be designated one member each 22 by the majority leader of the senate and the minority leader 23 of the senate. The two representatives shall be designated 24 one member each by the speaker of the house of representatives 25 after consultation with the majority leader of the house of 26 representatives, and by the minority leader of the house of 27 representatives. 28 3. The council shall annually elect a chairperson and other 29 officers as the members determine. A majority of the members 30 of the council shall constitute a quorum. The council shall 31 meet at least quarterly. Members of the advocacy council shall 32 serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for actual 33 expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. 34 4. The purposes of the council are the following: 35 -1- LSB 5156YH (2) 84 je/nh 1/ 4

H.F. 2029 a. To receive and document concerns from employers regarding 1 regulatory compliance and any other issues which prevent 2 employers from starting or expanding a business or hiring 3 employees in this state. 4 b. To publicize concerns received from employers so that 5 the private and public sectors can be more adequately informed 6 about such issues in pursuit of job growth in this state. 7 c. To recommend solutions for employer concerns to the 8 general assembly and other stakeholders in order to promote job 9 growth in this state. 10 5. The duties of the council shall include the following: 11 a. The council shall establish a physical address and 12 telephone number for the receipt of concerns from employers. 13 The council shall provide for the receipt of concerns from 14 employers at the council’s physical address during normal 15 business hours. 16 b. The council shall establish an internet site. The 17 council’s internet site shall serve as a forum for the receipt 18 of concerns from employers in accordance with this section 19 and for the discussion of such concerns. The council shall 20 regularly publish concerns received by the council from 21 employers on the council’s internet site, including concerns 22 received by mail and telephone and in person. The council’s 23 internet site may include other resources for employers as the 24 council deems appropriate. 25 c. The council shall conduct regular public meetings across 26 the state to receive and discuss concerns from employers in 27 accordance with this section. The council shall publish notice 28 of the date, time, and location of each meeting at least two 29 weeks in advance. The council shall establish procedures for 30 participation in such meetings by means of telecommunication 31 or electronic communication. The council shall establish 32 procedures for recording all comments received during such 33 meetings. 34 d. The council shall by December 15 each year issue an 35 -2- LSB 5156YH (2) 84 je/nh 2/ 4

H.F. 2029 annual report to the general assembly detailing concerns 1 expressed to the council by employers during the previous 2 year and making recommendations based on such concerns for 3 legislation and any other action the council deems necessary to 4 promote job growth in this state. The annual report shall be 5 published on the council’s internet site. 6 e. The council may establish other procedures the council 7 deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the council 8 pursuant to section 4. 9 EXPLANATION 10 This bill establishes an employer advocacy council within 11 the economic development authority. The authority is to 12 provide the council with staff assistance and administrative 13 support using existing resources and may expend moneys 14 allocated to the authority to provide such support. The 15 authority may adopt rules for the implementation of the bill. 16 The employer advocacy council’s voting members shall consist 17 of the governor, or the governor’s designee; the director of 18 the economic development authority, or the director’s designee; 19 the director of the department of workforce development, or 20 the director’s designee; and additional members with expertise 21 relevant to employment and job growth selected by the governor. 22 The council shall also include four ex officio, nonvoting 23 legislative members who serve two-year terms, two from the 24 senate and two from the house of representatives and not more 25 than one member from each chamber being from the same political 26 party. The council is to annually elect a chairperson and 27 other officers as the members determine. A majority of the 28 members of the council constitutes a quorum. The council is to 29 meet at least quarterly. Members of the advocacy council serve 30 without compensation but may be reimbursed for actual expenses 31 incurred in the performance of their duties. 32 The employer advocacy council has several purposes. The 33 council is to receive and document concerns from employers 34 regarding regulatory compliance and any other issues which 35 -3- LSB 5156YH (2) 84 je/nh 3/ 4

H.F. 2029 prevent employers from starting or expanding a business or 1 hiring employees in Iowa; publicize concerns received from 2 employers so that the private and public sectors can be more 3 adequately informed about such issues in pursuit of job growth 4 in Iowa; and recommend solutions for employer concerns to the 5 general assembly and other stakeholders in order to promote job 6 growth in Iowa. 7 The bill sets out certain duties of the employer advocacy 8 council. The council is to establish a physical address and 9 telephone number for the receipt of concerns from employers 10 during normal business hours. The council is to establish an 11 internet site which shall serve as a forum for the receipt 12 of concerns from employers in accordance with the bill and 13 the discussion of such concerns. The council is to regularly 14 publish concerns received by the council from employers on 15 the council’s internet site, including concerns received by 16 mail and in person. The council’s internet site may include 17 other resources for employers as the council deems appropriate. 18 The council shall conduct regular public meetings across the 19 state to receive and discuss concerns from employers and 20 shall publicize the date, time, and location of each meeting 21 at least two weeks in advance. The council is to establish 22 procedures for participation in such meetings by means of 23 telecommunication or electronic communication and for recording 24 all comments received during such meetings. 25 By December 15 each year, the employer advocacy council is 26 to issue an annual report to the general assembly detailing 27 concerns expressed to the council by employers during the 28 previous year and making recommendations based on such 29 concerns for legislation and any other action the council deems 30 necessary to promote job growth in Iowa. The annual report 31 is also to be published on the council’s internet site. The 32 council may also establish other procedures the council deems 33 necessary to carry out the purposes of the council pursuant to 34 the bill. 35 -4- LSB 5156YH (2) 84 je/nh 4/ 4