House Issues – 2007
1 MINIMUM WAGE (HF 1)

Increases the minimum wage in Iowa from $5.15 to $6.20 on April 1, 2007, and to $7.25 on January 1, 2008.

  • IFL position was “YES.”

  • House Vote: Passed 79 yes – 19 no
2 CAR TITLE LOANS  (HF 5)

Limits the interest rate that can be charged on loans secured by title on a motor vehicle to 21%.

  • IFL position was “YES.”

  • House Vote: Passed 84 yes – 12 no

3 TOBACCO TAX  (SF 128)

Increases the tax on cigarettes by $1.00 per pack, with the money to be used for improvements in health care.

  • IFL position was “YES.”

  • House Vote: Passed 58 yes – 40 no

4 TEACHER PAY INCREASE

(SF 277 Conference Committee Report)

Increased funding will move teacher salaries from 40th in the nation to 25th to attract and keep more qualified teachers in Iowa.

  • IFL position was “YES.”

  • House Vote: Passed 53 yes – 44 no

5 PRESCHOOL EDUCATION (HF 877) 

Expands access to preschool for 4-year olds.

  • IFL position was “YES.”

  • House Vote: Passed 56 yes – 43 no

6 ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION (HF 653) 

Allows eligible citizens to register and vote at the polls on Election Day.

  • IFL position was “YES.”

  • House Vote: Passed 54 yes – 45 no
7 PAPER TRAIL  (SF 369)

Requires touch screen voting machines to be equipped with a voter verified paper trail.

  • IFL position was “YES.”

  • House Vote: Passed 53 yes – 42 no 
8 CIVIL RIGHTS (SF 427)

Adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the Civil Rights Code as a protected class.  The Civil Rights Code prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, credit, public accommodations and education.

  • IFL position was “YES.”

  • House Vote: Passed 59 yes – 37 no
9 PEACE OFFICERS' BILL OF RIGHTS (SF 457)

Gives an officer who is the subject of a complaint the right to a written summary of the complaint prior to an interview and allows off-duty political activity.

  • IFL position was “YES.”

  • House Vote: Passed 56 yes – 42 no
10 BAN ON PRIVATE PRISONS 

(SF 528)

Prohibits the Department of Corrections from entering into an agreement with a private sector for-profit entity to house inmates in custody of the department.

  • IFL position was “YES.”

  • House Vote: Passed 60 yes – 36 no

No floor votes were taken in the House on the following issues, so they are not part of the official IFL voting record; however, as they are of utmost importance to the Iowa labor movement, the unofficial counts, based on information from legislative leadership and lobbyists, are recorded here.
A1 FAIR SHARE - PUBLIC SECTOR  (SF 413)

Allows unions and management in the public sector to negotiate a clause in their contract that would require non-members to pay a fee to the union to share the costs of the benefits  and services the union is required to provide for them.

  • IFL position was “YES.”

A2 FAIR SHARE FOR ALL  (HF 324)

Allows unions and management in both public and private sectors to negotiate a clause in their contract that would require non-members to pay a fee to the union to share the costs of the benefits and services the union is required to provide for them.

  • IFL position was “YES.”