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Leadership Iowa Session V
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2016 Critical Business Updates - 
This event has been CANCELLED.
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Iowa Business Day on the Hill Reception
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Iowa Business Day on the Hill
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March Board Meeting (Invite Only) 
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To foster a favorable business, economic, governmental and social climate within the State of Iowa so that our citizens have the opportunity to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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Legislative News

Next week marks the second funnel week in the Iowa Legislature, which means bills need to have passed out of one chamber and one committee in another chamber.
The House and Senate have spent the week debating mostly non-controversial bills with a few exceptions, some of which are highlighted below.
 
Iowa Business Day on the Hill is in less than two weeks. This is your opportunity to speak with legislators about concerns you have on issues still under consideration. Hear from legislative leaders and get an update on the Federal election scene during the day's events. Register for the Iowa Business Day on the Hill Reception here and Iowa Business Day on the Hill here. Don't forget, for a $50 donation to IIPAC you can also join fellow ABI members and legislative leaders for lunch! Contact Michelle Vollstedt (mvollstedt@iowaabi.org) for more information.

CTE Bill receives consideration
The Iowa House on Thursday passed HF 2392 to modernize Iowa's Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. The legislation, which does not have a Senate companion, passed with a bipartisan vote of  96-0.   Keep reading...
Staff contact: Nicole Crain

Iowa Senate approves another employer mandate
The Iowa Senate on Wednesday approved SF 2252 by a vote of 28-22. The bill requires employers provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant and nursing mothers. ABI opposes the legislation as it places the burden of proof in accommodation cases on the employer and also hinders communications between employees and employers.  Keep reading...
Staff contact: Nicole Crain

Annual Tax Increment Financing legislation introduced
This week several TIF bills were considered in subcommittees by the House and Senate. The House discussed a comprehensive TIF bill, HSB 639, which makes significant changes to Iowa's urban renewal law, including prohibiting the use of TIF for public buildings, limiting slum and blight TIFs to a shorter 25-year duration and sunsetting existing economic development TIFs with no end date. 
The bill also greatly changes the definition of blighted area for new slum and blight urban renewal areas.  The House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to consider the bill Monday. Keep reading...
Staff contact: Jessica Harder

Renewable chemical bill advances in Senate
The Senate Ways and Means Committee voted to amend and advance SF 2285, a bill ABI supports that establishes a biochemical tax credit program. Committee chairman Sen. Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City) cast the only vote against the amended bill.  Keep reading...
Staff contact: Jessica Harder

Iowa Workforce Board decides not to recover UC overpayments
The Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) Board has decided to forgive the beneficiaries of overpayments that were made in error two years ago. The board made the decision after a lengthy discussion at it's regularly scheduled meeting on Friday, Feb. 25. ABI board member John Krogman of Connect-A-Dock serves on the IWD board and spoke in favor of using the recovery process already outlined in Iowa Code.

The board will request an appropriation from the Iowa Legislature to replenish the fund with Federal Reed Act money that is allocated to the states for UC administrative improvements. If the Legislature agrees, the UC Trust Fund will be fully replenished from the loss to the fund. Keep reading...
Staff contact: Myron Linn

Federal Spotlight: GMO labeling passes Ag Committee
The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee on Tuesday passed a law pre-empting the states from enacting their own labeling laws as it relates to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). The bill still has some challenges before it gets to the full Senate floor. Keep reading...

MECC conference is May 11-13 
Registration is now open for the Midwest Environmental Compliance Conference (MECC), May 11-13 in Overland Park, Kansas. ABI partners with MECC to put on this event each year, which is designed for regulated entities and service providers charged with the important task of environmental compliance. Keep reading...

From the Desk of...ABI President Mike Ralston

The state of ABI member businesses

When I write these columns each month, I typically focus on thanking you for your investment in ABI and providing an update on the state of our organization. This month's column will be a bit different, because I would like to share with you what I am hearing from ABI members about the state of their businesses.
In the past 60 days or so, I have visited ABI members in several different counties and literally been north, south, east, and west in Iowa. From Atlantic to Burlington, from Dubuque to Sioux City, from Waterloo to Ottumwa, and many points in between, I have been all over our state and talked with ABI members at each stop.
These visits have produced the most mixed business reports I have heard in my 10-plus years with ABI.  Many members experienced strong years in 2015. Some even experienced record years. By that, I mean that sales, orders, and employment (among other indicators) were all trending upward. But more members than usual (not a majority, but more than usual) experienced some softening in their business in 2015. Keep reading...
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Did you miss the Monday Memo from ABI President Mike Ralston? For the most recent memo click  here.

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