Appropriations Committee – Week 4, 2020

February 10, 2020 Senate Staff Appropriations Committee, Blog, Votes 0

COMMITTEE ACTION:

SF 2143– Equity Bill, Per Pupil and Transportation

SF 2143 addresses the school aid state cost per pupil (SCPP) versus the district cost per pupil (DCPP) and transportation equity.

The per pupil equity provides an additional $10 per student for some school districts on top of the state supplemental aid for the upcoming budget year. *Same as House GOP*

  • This equates to an additional $5.9 million for schools in FY21.
  • It is estimated that 195 school districts will receive additional funding, of which 177 school districts will see the full $10 increase to their state cost per pupil. This is new money for those schools. 
  • The rest of the school districts will get a small property tax decrease, because $10 of their current DCPP will be paid for by additional state dollars. These districts won’t see “new” money under this portion of this bill.
  • The difference in SCPP vs. DCPP under this bill is now $155 maximum. Five districts are at that amount.

The transportation equity portion of the bill provides an additional $7.3 million to the Transportation Equity Fund for a total of $26 million in FY21. This effort builds upon last year’s $19 million investment. *Different than House GOP*

  • SF 2143 gets all schools to the statewide transportation per pupil average.
  • SF 2143 has language that says transportation funding will grow by the Categorical SSA percentage starting in FY21. This means an additional $400,000 will be generated through the school aid formula and the cost for FY21 SSA will increase by that $400,000. *This is different than the House GOP*

  • [2/5: short form (Excused: Celsi, Miller-Meeks)]

SF 2144/SSB 3102—FY20 Supplemental

SF 2144/SSB 3102 provides for two appropriations from FY20 General Fund. One appropriation is to the Department of Human Resources for the Glenwood Resource Center for $330,0000. The money will be used for additional staff training, expert consultation and review of patient treatment.

The other appropriation is to Homeland Security and Emergency Management for $20 million to the Flood Recovery Fund. The Fund was established in SF 638 (Standings bill) in 2019. In the 2019 Session, the Republicans created the fund and appropriated $15 million to the Fund. The $15 million was a supplemental appropriation from FY19 money. All $15 million has been awarded. There are 35 projects of interest that have been submitted to the Flood Mitigation Board. The 35 projects total $164 million, this amount reflects the full estimated cost of the projects (the actual amount could be lower due to federal contributions to the projects).

The money is awarded by the Flood Mitigation Board to political subdivisions located within counties designated Presidential Disaster Areas (DR-4421-IA) and also located within a county where the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individual Assistance Program has been activated. Ten counties meet the criteria: Fremont, Harrison, Louisa, Mills, Monona, Muscatine, Pottawattamie, Scott, Shelby and Woodbury.
[2/4: short form (Excused: Celsi)]