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Your Capitol Voice: Scattergood protected in final bill language
by Bobby Kaufmann, State Representative · Op-Ed · May 26, 2016
In my last column I touched on three successes of this year’s legislative session (balanced budget, more timely school funding, and property rights language) as well as three disappointments on issues that did not advance (higher school funding, water quality language, and medical cannabis).
This week I will write about three more successes of the session as well as an additional three items that did not make the cut that I believe should have. In two weeks, after the Governor has acted on all the bills and budgets passed, I will write one final column on any vetoes he chooses to exercise.
Successes
1. Managed Care Oversight – Many of you have reached out to me with concern over the states switch to managed care. While I have had issues with the process, doing nothing was not an option. State costs for Medicaid were growing by over a hundred million dollars each year. Doing nothing would have resulted in devastating future cuts to items such as school funding. Since Managed Care is here to stay for the foreseeable future, it was imperative to me to get some Oversight language to make sure no one slipped through the cracks. The Senate and House agreed on language that will ensure the three companies report data to the state. They will be required to report services provided, costs, and follow-up. This information will be easily accessed by the public and will allow us to make sure people are getting the services they need. This is a work-in-progress and anyone experiencing trouble should get in touch with me so we can put you in touch with the right people.
2. Boarding School Oversight – I wrote about the tragedy at the boarding school in Keokuk many times. Tales of abuse were rampant and oversight of these facilities was required. It was also important to me that boarding schools such as our very own Scattergood were not negatively affected. The House and Senate had competing language that ended up going to a conference committee. Through negotiations I believe we have language that both respects the good actors such as Scattergood and also puts a structure for Oversight in place for those that might have nefarious intent.
3. Coupling of the federal tax code with the state code did occur this year, a promise made to small businesses, farmers, and tens of thousands of other Iowans. I have no problem having a conversation about this issue in the future, but you can NOT take away something that has been promised or the investment and expansion of businesses will be negatively affected. Every single business that contacted me on this issue was indeed a small one negating the political talking point of a corporate influence. I would challenge all of you to talk to your small businesses and local farmers about the value of this. The bill passed a Republican House and a Democratic Senate.
Disappointments
1. Animal abuse – Many of you reached out to me in regard to reforming our laws for puppy mills. There are many good people who raise puppies and who love and care for them. My intent is not to harm their profession. There are, however, those that severely neglect the animals they raise and it was my hope to put a structure in place that would hold them accountable. I authored a bill that passed the Commerce Committee but it did not end up being successful. I plan to work with all of you for whom this issue is important over the next six months to see if we can perfect language to give us a chance of success next session.
2. Mental Health Funding – We “kicked the can” down the road again on this issue. There was a obvious solution in place…one that would have been a property tax decrease for the majority of Iowans, including Cedar and Muscatine County residents! Now we MUST act early in next year’s session in order to avoid the unacceptable outcome of smaller counties supplementing larger counties. I did everything I could with a bipartisan coalition, but the bill did not pass either chamber. I want to thank Cedar County Supervisors Dawn Smith and Jeff Kaufmann for helping many days advocating for a solution in the Capitol.
3. Private property rights – Last year I wrote of our success in curbing eminent domain abuse stemming from a situation regarding a lake in Clarke County. Two weeks ago I wrote about our success in getting some language that would regulate the Rock Island Clean Line. While we were successful in getting something done, the language does not go nearly as far as it should to protect property owners. I want to be clear that reforming our eminent domain laws to ensure private companies such as RICL cannot condemn your private property for their personal profit will remain a top priority for both myself and the House Government Oversight Committee.
You may contact Rep. Kaufmann at bobby.kaufmann@legis.iowa.gov, 515-281-3221 or 1527 330th St. Wilton, IA, 52778
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