1.

(SF 267) 

State revenues were lower than expected, so the legislature panicked and tried to slash $25 million from money already appropriated for this year. This would have resulted in unnecessary chaos and job loss. 

• IFL position was "NO." 
• House Vote: Passed 56 – 43.   
• $17 million in cuts item vetoed by Governor

(H-1603 to HF 718) 

FY 2002 budget cuts will eliminate two Workers Comp deputy positions and two OSHA inspector positions. This amendment would have kept staffing at current levels. 

• IFL position was "YES." 
• House Vote: Failed 42 – 55.

(HF 746) 

Money to pay state workers’ wages is negotiated in collective bargaining and must be appropriated by the Legislature. This appropriations bill is $11 million short of the money needed to adequately fund negotiated wages. 

• IFL position was "NO." 
• House Vote: Passed 51 – 46.   
• Passed Senate and signed by Governor.

(SF 65) 

Costs for heating fuels soared this winter, causing federal money for low-income assistance to fall short of the need. Rather than provide new money, Republicans took money from other low-income programs, including weatherization and low-income housing to provide supplemental funding for the Low-Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). 

• IFL position was "NO." 
• House Vote: Passed 56 – 44.   
• Item vetoed by Governor. 

(HF 716) 

The state is faced with a budget shortage, so giving away much needed revenue in the form of tax cuts defies all logic. Yet the legislature allowed gasoline retail dealers that have sales of 60% or more of ethanol blend gasoline a 2-cent a gallon tax credit. 

• IFL position was "NO." 
• House Vote: Passed 69 – 27.  
• Passed by Senate and signed by Governor. 

(SF 516) 

Iowa has a budget shortage, but allowed shareholders of Subchapter S Corporations that allocate income to other states to deduct 100% of their federal tax liability from their Iowa income tax. 

• IFL position was "NO." 
• House Vote: Passed 62 – 35.   
• Vetoed by Governor. 

(HF 714) 

Iowa has a budget shortage, but passed additional tax cuts to corporations that donate money for community projects and childcare. 

• IFL position was "NO." 
• House Vote: Passed 66 – 33.   
• Vetoed by Governor.

(SF 521) 

Iowa has a budget shortage, but passed tax cuts on capital gains for those who get stock options as part of their compensation. 

• IFL position was "NO." 
• House Vote: Passed 61 – 36.  
• Vetoed by Governor. 

(HF 757) 

Iowa has a budget shortage, but exempted the 2001 federal tax rebate from state income tax. The average Iowan will save $14; the state will lose over $20 million. 

• IFL position was "NO." 
• House Vote: Passed 94 – 3.   
• Passed by Senate and signed by Governor.

(H-1466 to HF 696) 

Iowa has 71 workforce centers. Fifty six of these, located mostly in small towns and rural areas, are funded by an employer surcharge on unemployment. This amendment would have extended the surcharge to fully fund these centers for two more years. 

• IFL position was "YES." 
• House Vote: Failed 45 – 54.  
• Passed at lower funding level and signed by Governor.

(HF 577) 

Iowa needs to build new generation to meet future energy needs, but this bill would have allowed the building of deregulated plants that could pass deregulated costs on to consumers. 

• IFL position was "NO." 
• House Vote: Passed 54 – 44.  
• (See Vote #12) 

(HF 577 as amended) 

This version made it easier to build electric generation plants, but did not contain the power purchase contract section that allowed deregulated costs to be passed on to consumers. 

• IFL position was "YES." 
• House Vote: Passed 95 – 1.  
• Passed by Senate and signed by Governor. 

(HF 324) 

A section of this bill changed the bidding process on public works projects to favor private contractors, putting public employee jobs in jeopardy. 

• IFL position was "NO." 
• House Vote: Passed 65 – 32.   
• Amended and passed by Senate. 

(HF 103) 

Right-to-work states are low-wage states. This bill would require the Department of Economic Development to have a "clear and conspicuous" reference to Iowa’s right-to-work law in all of its promotional materials, thus advertising Iowa as a low-wage state and encouraging more low-wage employers to come here. 

• IFL position was "NO." 
• House Vote: Passed 55 – 45.  
• Vetoed by Governor. 

(HF 304) 

Voting should be easier so that more citizens will vote, yet this bill made it more difficult by requiring citizens to be registered 20 days in advance of an election rather than 10 and adding restrictions on absentee voting. 

• IFL position was "NO." 
• House Vote: Passed 56 – 43.   
• Not considered by Senate. 

(SF 342) 

Voting should be easier so that more citizens will vote, yet this bill adds another barrier by requiring presentation of identification to vote.

• IFL position was "NO." 
• House Vote: Passed 52 – 45.  
• Senate did not reconsider bill as amended by House.