2017 - ACU Ratingsacuratings.conservative.org/.../07/Iowa_2017_web.pdf2017 Ratings of Iowa. Dear...

2017

Letter from the Chairman .......................................... 2

ACU & ACUF Board Members .................................. 3

Selecting the Votes .................................................... 3

2017 Winners & Losers .............................................. 4

IA Senate Statistics .................................................... 5

IA Senate Vote Descriptions ...................................... 6

IA Senate Scores........................................................ 9

IA House Statistics ................................................... 11

IA House Vote Descriptions ..................................... 12

IA House Scores ...................................................... 14

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RATINGS of IOWARATINGS of IOWA

ACUConservative Conservative.org@ACUFoundation

#ACURatings

2

AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2017 Ratings of Iowa

Dear Fellow Conservative,

The American Conservative Union Foundation is proud to present our ratings of the 2017 meeting of the Iowa General Assembly. Like our Congressional Ratings, which date back 46 years, these ratings are meant to reflect how elected officials view the role of government in an individual’s life. We begin with our philosophy (conservatism is the political philosophy that sovereignty resides in the person) and then apply our understanding of government (its essential role is to defend life, liberty and property).

Because our ratings are designed to educate the public about how consistently their elected officials adhere to conservatism, we carefully examine the entire docket of legislation introduced in each state every year. We select the most meaningful bills and publish the results after the dust has settled. The ACU Foundation is the only organization to score over 8,000 elected officials each year, including lawmakers from all 50 states and Congress.

The 2016 election dramatically impacted the political landscape of not only Washington but state legislative chambers all across the country. Republicans now have control of both legislative chambers in 32 states, more than double the number they controlled in 2010. With these victories comes an ability to implement policies that restore individual liberty and return us to a limited form of government run by and for “We the People.”

It is our hope that these ratings will serve as a guide showing who can be relied on to fight for conservative principles and restore the role of government to what our nation’s founding fathers envisioned.

Sincerely,

Matt SchlappChairmanAmerican Conservative Union

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN

3


SELECTING THE VOTES

ACU researched and selected a range of bills before the Iowa General Assembly that determine a member’s adherence to conservative principles. We selected bills that focus on Ronald Reagan’s philosophy of the “three-legged stool”: 1) fiscal and economic: taxes, budgets, regulation, spending, healthcare, and property; 2) social and cultural: 2nd amendment, religion, life, welfare, and education; and 3) government integrity: voting, individual liberty, privacy, and transparency. This wide range of issues are designed to give citizens an accurate assessment that conveys which of Iowa’s elected leaders best defend the principles of a free society: Life, Liberty and Property.

1331 H Street NW, Suite 500Washington, DC 20005(202) 347-9388

Matt Schlapp Chairman

Charlie Gerow First Vice Chairman

Bob Beauprez Treasuer

Amy Frederick Secretary

Ed Yevoli At-Large

Jackie Arends

Larry Beasley

Kimberly Bellissimo

Steve Biegun

Morton C. Blackwell

John Bolton

Jose Cardenas

Ron Christie

Muriel Coleman

Becky Norton Dunlop

John Eddy

Luis Fortuno

Alan M. Gottlieb

Van D. Hipp, Jr.

Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser

Michael R. Long

Ed McFadden

Carolyn D. Meadows

Priscilla O'Shaughnessy

Ron Robinson

Mike Rose

Ned Ryun

Peter Samuelson

Sabrina Schaeffer

Terry Schilling

Matt Smith

Thomas Winter

ACU BOARD MEMBERS

Matt Schlapp Chairman

Millie Hallow Vice Chairman

Van D. Hipp, Jr. Treasurer

Kimberly Bellissimo Secretary

Jose Cardenas

Jonathan Garthwaite

Charlie Gerow

Colin Hanna

Niger Innes

Adam Laxalt

Willes K. Lee

Mary Matalin

Carolyn D. Meadows

Randy Neugebauer

Thomas Winter

ACUF BOARD MEMBERS

4


2017 WINNERS & LOSERS

SENATE

ANDERSONBEHNBREITBACHBROWNCHAPMANCHELGRENCOSTELLODAWSONDIXEDLERFEENSTRAGARRETTGREENEGUTH

SENATE

JOHNSON, C.KAPUCIANKRAAYENBRINKLOFGRENROZENBOOMSCHNEIDERSCHULTZSEGEBARTSHIPLEYSINCLAIRSMITHWHITVERZAUNZUMBACH

90-100% AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE EXCELLENCE

HOUSE

BAXTERBESTBLOOMINGDALECARLSONDEYOEDOLECHECKFISHERFRYGRASSLEYGUSTAFSONHAGENOWHAGER

HOUSE

HEARTSILLHEINHIGHFILLHINSONHOLTJONESKERRLANDONMOHRNUNNRIZERROGERS

HOUSE

SALMONSEXTONSIECKUPMEYERVANDER LINDENWATTSWILLSWINDSCHITLWORTHAN

SENATE

BERTRAND

HOUSE

BACON

BALTIMORE

CARLIN

COWNIE

GASSMAN

HANUSA

HEATON

HOUSE

HOLZ

HUSEMAN

KAUFMANN

KLEIN

KOESTER

LUNDGREN

MOMMSEN

HOUSE

MOORE

PAUSTIAN

PETTENGILL

SHEETS

TAYLOR, R.

WHEELER

ZUMBACH

80-89% AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE ACHIEVEMENT

SENATE

BolkcomDotzlerDvorskyHoggJochumMcCoyPetersen

10% COALITION OF THE RADICAL LEFT

HOUSE

Abdul-SamadAndersonBennettBreckenridgeBrown-PowersCohoonForbesGainesGaskillHansonHeddens

HOUSE

HunterIsenhartKearnsKressigKurthLensingMascherMeyerOldsonRunning- Marquardt

HOUSE

Smith, M.Smith, R.StaedSteckmanTaylor, T.ThedeWessel-KroeschellWinckler

<=

5


IOWA SENATE STATISTICS

61%OVERALL AVERAGE

BERTRAND89%

LOWEST REPUBLICAN

92%REPUBLICAN AVERAGE

19%DEMOCRAT AVERAGE

BOWMAN50%

HIGHEST DEMOCRAT

IOWA SENATE CONSERVATIVE RATINGS

RED = REPUBLICANS BLUE = DEMOCRATS

30

25

20

15

10

5

090-100%

2017 ACU PERCENTAGE

# OF STATE

SENATORS

0-9% 10-19% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-89%20-29%

6


1. SF 2 Taxpayer Funding of Abortion. This bill replaces the Medicaid-based family planning services program with a state program that directs funds to organizations that do not perform abortions. Due to this change, state funds will effectively no longer go to Planned Parenthood. ACU believes abortion is a human tragedy, supports restrictions on the practice, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 2, 2017 by a vote of 30-20.

2. HF 291 Collective Bargaining Reform. This bill overhauls the state’s collective bargaining laws for government employees for the first time in 43 years. Amongst other provisions, the bill eliminates the automatic deduction of union dues from paychecks, and restricts issues for collective bargaining to those related to base pay. ACU has long supported these reforms and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 16, 2017 by a vote of 29-21.

3. SF 357 Electrician Licensing. This bill exempts electrical work done on a farm operation from state licensing laws. Expanding entrepreneurship promotes economic growth, which leads to greater family prosperity, as illustrated by the ACU Foundation’s Family Prosperity Index. ACU opposes the proliferation of licensing requirements, which are primarily designed to reduce competition, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 6, 2017 by a vote of 36-14.

4. SF 413 Tort Reform. This bill reduces the time limit on lawsuits against builders and contractors, known as the statute of repose, from 15 years to 10 years on residential construction and 8 years on commercial construction. ACU supports tort reform to put reasonable restrictions on lawsuits and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 8, 2017 by a vote of 32-16.

5. SF 438 Project Labor Agreements. This bill bans the use of Project Labor Agreements, which force companies to negotiate with unions in order to qualify for state contracts. ACU opposes these regulations, which drive up the cost of projects to taxpayers and prevent qualified contractors from receiving contracts and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 9, 2017 by a vote of 26-21.

6. HF 203 Road Projects Regulations. This bill allows counties and cities to “swap” federal funds they receive for road projects for state funds. This allows the localities to bypass burdensome and time-consuming regulations mandated by the federal government, such as the Davis-Bacon “prevailing wage” law and requirements to purchase domestic-made products regardless of the cost. ACU supports efforts to reduce regulations, which create needless delays and drive up project costs to taxpayers, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 13, 2017 by a vote of 26-21.

7. SF 447 Farmer Property Rights. This bill provides farmers who run animal feeding operations with better protections against nuisance lawsuits. The bill prevents a farmer from being sued for future damages that may result from their practice and clearly defines and limits compensatory damages. ACU Foundation’s Center for 21st Century Property Rights engages heavily on this issue, and supports strengthening property rights and protection from needless litigation and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 14, 2017 by a vote of 31-18.

8. SJR 9 Spending Caps. This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to limit state expenditures based on current revenues and revenue estimates for the next fiscal year. State budget and appropriation bills will have to meet the limits set by the amendment. ACU supports spending caps and supported this resolution. The Senate passed the resolution on March 16, 2017 by a vote of 38-10.

9. SF 475 Online Education Regulations. This bill expands an online learning pilot school program to now permit all school districts and non-public schools in Iowa to have on-line education programs. The bill also removes the current cap (set at less than 1 percent) on students allowed to enroll in online learning classes. ACU supports expanding school choice and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 21, 2017 by a vote of 33-15.

10. SF 489 Fireworks Regulations. This bill legalizes the sale of fireworks in Iowa at specific times of the year and restricts setting them off to specified hours. Local governments can limit the use of fireworks but not their sale. ACU supports Iowa joining 43 other states in allowing the sale of fireworks and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 21, 2017 by a vote of 34-14.

IOWA SENATE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS

7


11. SF 359 Disposition of Fetal Body Parts. This bill prohibits acquiring or transferring fetal body parts, with exceptions for diagnostic tests and medical studies. Fetal body parts are defined as part of a fetus terminated by an abortion. ACU Foundation’s Center for Human Dignity engages heavily on these issues. ACU believes abortion is a human tragedy, supports restrictions on the practice, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 22, 2017 by a vote of 43-6.

12. HF 215 Insurance Mandate. This bill requires health plans that cover businesses of 50 or more to include applied behavior analysis for children diagnosed with autism. ACU opposes these mandates, which drive up the cost of health insurance for everyone, and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 23, 2017 by a vote of 48-0.

13. HF 295 Minimum Wage. This bill prohibits localities from imposing a minimum wage above the wage set by state law. An increase in the minimum wage results in higher unemployment. High rates of unemployment hinder family prosperity, as illustrated by the ACU Foundation’s Family Prosperity Index. ACU opposes these artificial wages, which hurt those who need help with employment the most, such as students and inexperienced workers, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 27, 2017 by a vote of 29-21.

14. SF 446 Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform. This bill reforms the state’s civil forfeiture laws which govern the seizure of property by local law enforcement officials. The bill prohibits the seizure of property valued at less than $5,000, and raises the standard of proof to forfeit property from a “preponderance of evidence” to “clear and convincing evidence.” Finally, the bill places the burden of proof on the prosecutor rather than the property owner. ACU Foundation’s Center for Criminal Justice Reform and Center for 21st Century Property Rights both engage heavily on this issue and support legislation that protects the liberty and property of the individual. ACU opposes the seizure of property without a criminal conviction and supported this bill as a step in the right direction. The Senate passed the bill on March 28, 2017 by a vote of 49-0.

15. SF 408 Architects Licensing Requirement. This bill requires architects to obtain a state license from a state board of licensing rather than the current requirement of registering with the state. When entrepreneurship is suppressed, the resulting decline in economic growth leads to a reduction in family prosperity, as illustrated by the ACU Foundation’s Family Prosperity Index. ACU opposes the proliferation of licensing requirements, which are primarily designed to restrict competition, and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 28, 2017 by a vote of 49-0.

16. HF 542 Unemployment Insurance Reform. This bill increases the amount a person must earn in order to be eligible for unemployment benefits for a second consecutive year. In order to re-qualify for unemployment benefits a person must now have earned at least eight times their weekly benefit amount. Prior to passage, Iowa required only $250, the lowest qualifying amount of income earned for benefits in the country. ACU supports reasonable restrictions on unemployment benefits and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 4, 2017 by a vote of 29-21.

17. HF 517 Omnibus Firearms Law. This bill overhauls and reforms many of the firearm regulations in the state. The following are some key provisions in the bill: allowing citizens to use deadly force if their life is threatened, prohibiting local governments from creating “weapons-free” zones, legalizing concealed carry of firearms in state buildings, and prohibiting the confiscation of firearms during state emergencies. ACU supports the founders’ beliefs in the Second Amendment and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 4, 2017 by a vote of 33-17.

18. HF 625 Income Tax Regulations. This bill repeals a requirement that has been in effect since 2010 that requires a tax filer to state on their tax return whether or not each dependent child has health coverage. The state then evaluates the filer’s income and notifies the filer of government programs for their dependent children and how to enroll them. ACU opposes using the tax form to promote government programs and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 11, 2017 by a vote of 29-19.

19. SF 481 Sanctuary Cities. This bill requires local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws and comply with requests issued by federal authorities to detain illegal immigrants. A local entity that fails to comply with the provisions of this bill will be ineligible to receive state funds. ACU supports the enforcement of federal immigration laws and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 12, 2017 by a vote of 32-15.

20. HF 516 Voter ID. This bill requires a photo ID for voting at the polls, and provides for five forms of acceptable identification, including a state ID that will be provided free of charge. The bill also eliminates straight party voting. ACU supports the strengthening of ballot integrity through measures to prevent vote fraud and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 13, 2017 by a vote of 28-21.

8


21. SF 465 Medical Malpractice Reform. This bill sets a cap of $250,000 for non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases but makes an exception for cases of “substantial or permanent loss or impairment of bodily functions and substantial disfigurement.” The bill also requires a plaintiff’s lawyers to submit proof of medical malpractice at the beginning of a case. ACU supports reasonable limits on medical malpractice claims, which have driven up the cost of healthcare, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 17, 2017 by a vote of 37-12.

22. SF 471 20-Week Limitation on Abortions. This bill prohibits abortions after 20-weeks (five months) of pregnancy. Exemptions include the life of the mother, a serious risk of substantial physical impairment to the mother, and if between 20 and 24 weeks of pregnancy there is a fetal anomaly incompatible with life. ACU Foundation’s Center for Human Dignity engages heavily on these issues, and believes abortion is a human tragedy, supports restrictions on the practice, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 18, 2017 by a vote of 30-20.

23. HF 242 Taxpayer Funding of Elections. This bill repeals the individual income tax checkoff, which funds either the political party of one’s choice or the state election fund that supports all qualified parties equally. ACU opposes taxpayer funding of political campaigns and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 19, 2017 by a vote of 37-13.

24. HF 573 Local Control of Schools. This bill gives school districts some power to tailor their local schools to the needs of the community. This type of power is already held by cities and counties. ACU supports strengthening local control of education and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 20, 2017 by a vote of 34-16.

9


IOWA SENATE VOTE DETAIL

Party District SF 2 HF 291

SF 357

SF 413

SF 438

HF 203

SF 447

SJR 9

SF 475

SF 489

SF 359

HF 215

HF 295

SF 446

SF 408

HF 542

HF 517

HF 625

SF 481

HF 516

SF 465

SF 471

HF 242

HF 573

ACU Votes

Votes Cast

2017 %

2016 %

LIFETIME AVG

Allen D 15 - - + + - - - + - + + - - + - - + X + - - - + + 10 23 43% 20% 24%

ANDERSON R 3 + + + + X + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 21 23 91% 60% 70%

BEHN R 24 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 80% 92%

BERTRAND R 7 + + + X X X + X + + + - + + - + + + X X + + + + 16 18 89% 67% 66%

Bisignano D 17 - - - - - - - + - - + - - + - - - - X - - - - + 4 23 17% 20% 19%

Bolkcom D 43 - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - 1 24 4% 10% 4%

Boulton D 16 - - - - - - - + - - + - - + - - - - - - - - - - 3 24 13% n/a 13%

Bowman D 29 - - + + - - + + + + + - - + - - + - + - - - + + 12 24 50% 40% 20%

BREITBACH R 28 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 70% 79%

BROWN R 26 + + + + + + + + X X + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 20 22 91% n/a 91%

CHAPMAN R 10 + + + + + X + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 21 23 91% 60% 86%

CHELGREN R 41 + + + X + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 21 23 91% 67% 82%

COSTELLO R 12 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 80% 81%

Danielson D 30 - - - - - - - + + + + - - + - - - - + - - - + - 7 24 29% 30% 11%

DAWSON R 8 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% n/a 92%

DIX R 25 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 56% 83%

Dotzler D 31 - - - - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - 2 24 8% 30% 8%

Dvorsky D 37 - - - - - - - - + - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - 2 24 8% 0% 3%

EDLER R 36 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% n/a 92%

FEENSTRA R 2 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 63% 83%

GARRETT R 13 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 80% 81%

GREENE R 44 + + + + X + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 21 23 91% n/a 91%

GUTH R 4 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 80% 92%

Hart D 49 - - + - - - - + - - + - - + - - - - - - - - + + 6 24 25% 20% 13%

Hogg D 33 - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - - - - - - - - - - 2 24 8% 10% 5%

Horn D 35 - - - - - - X - - + + - - + - - + - - - - - - - 4 23 17% 20% 9%

Jochum D 50 - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - - - - - - - - - - 2 24 8% 20% 6%

JOHNSON, C. R 32 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% n/a 92%

Johnson, D. I 1 + - + + - - - + + - + - - + - - - - - - - + + - 9 24 38% 50% 68%

KAPUCIAN R 38 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 60% 70%

Kinney D 39 - - + + - - + + + - + - - + - - - - - - - - + + 9 24 38% 30% 26%

IOWA SENATE SCORES

10


IOWA SENATE VOTE DETAIL

Party District SF 2 HF 291

SF 357

SF 413

SF 438

HF 203

SF 447

SJR 9

SF 475

SF 489

SF 359

HF 215

HF 295

SF 446

SF 408

HF 542

HF 517

HF 625

SF 481

HF 516

SF 465

SF 471

HF 242

HF 573

ACU Votes

Votes Cast

2017 %

2016 %

LIFETIME AVG

KRAAYENBRINK R 5 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 60% 74%

LOFGREN R 46 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% n/a 87%

Lykam D 45 - - - - - - - + - + + - - + - - - - - - - - - - 4 24 17% 43% 22%

Mathis D 34 - - - - - - - + - - + - - + - - - - - - - - + - 4 24 17% 20% 11%

McCoy D 21 - - - + - - - - - - - - - + - - - X - - - - - - 2 23 9% 20% 5%

Petersen D 18 - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - 1 24 4% 30% 7%

Quirmbach D 23 - - - - - - - - + - + - - + - - - - - - - - - - 3 24 13% 20% 10%

Ragan D 27 - - + - - - - + - - + - - + - - - - + - - - + - 6 24 25% 20% 11%

ROZENBOOM R 40 + + + + + + + + + + + - + X X + + + + + + + + + 21 22 95% 80% 84%

SCHNEIDER R 22 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 67% 84%

SCHULTZ R 9 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 80% 87%

SEGEBART R 6 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 50% 77%

SHIPLEY R 11 + + + + + + + + X X X X + + - + + + + + X + + + 18 19 95% 60% 75%

SINCLAIR R 14 + + + + + X + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 21 23 91% 70% 83%

SMITH R 47 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 60% 83%

Taylor D 42 - - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - + - X - - - - - 4 23 17% 30% 13%

WHITVER R 19 + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 24 92% 80% 94%

ZAUN R 20 + + + + + + + + + + + X + + - + + + + + + + + + 22 23 96% 60% 82%

ZUMBACH R 48 + + + + + + + X + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + 21 23 91% 50% 76%

11


IOWA HOUSE STATISTICS

55%OVERALL AVERAGE

BAUDLER70%

LOWEST REPUBLICAN

88%REPUBLICAN AVERAGE

10%DEMOCRAT AVERAGE

BEARINGER30%

HIGHEST DEMOCRAT

IOWA HOUSE CONSERVATIVE RATINGS

RED = REPUBLICANS BLUE = DEMOCRATS

# OF STATEREPS

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

090-100%

2017 ACU PERCENTAGE

0-9% 10-19% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-89%20-29%

12


1. HF 203 Road Projects Regulations. This bill allows counties and cities to “swap” federal funds they receive for road projects for state funds. This allows the localities to bypass burdensome and time-consuming regulations mandated by the federal government, such as the Davis-Bacon “prevailing wage” law and requirements to purchase domestic-made products regardless of the cost. ACU supports efforts to reduce regulations, which create needless delays and drive up project costs to taxpayers, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 9, 2017 by a vote of 54-41.

2. HF 291 Collective Bargaining Reform. This bill overhauls the state’s collective bargaining laws for government employees for the first time in 43 years. Amongst other provisions, the bill eliminates the automatic deduction of union dues from paychecks, and restricts issues for collective bargaining to those related to base pay. ACU has long supported these reforms and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 16, 2017 by a vote of 53-47.

3. HF 242 Taxpayer Funding of Elections. This bill repeals the individual income tax checkoff, which funds either the political party of one’s choice or the state election fund that supports all qualified parties equally. ACU opposes taxpayer funding of political campaigns and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 22, 2017 by a vote of 65-34.

4. SF 357 Electrician Licensing. This bill exempts electrical work done on a farm operation from state licensing laws. Expanding entrepreneurship promotes economic growth, which leads to greater family prosperity, as illustrated by the ACU Foundation’s Family Prosperity Index. ACU opposes the proliferation of licensing requirements, which are primarily designed to reduce competition, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 8, 2017 by a vote of 65-34.

5. HF 295 Minimum Wage. This bill prohibits localities from imposing a minimum wage above the wage set by state law. An increase in the minimum wage results in higher unemployment. High rates of unemployment hinder family prosperity, as illustrated by the ACU Foundation’s Family Prosperity Index. ACU opposes these artificial wages, which hurt those who need help with employment the most, such as students and inexperienced workers, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 9, 2017 by a vote of 56-41.

6. HF 215 Insurance Mandate. This bill requires health plans that cover businesses of 50 or more to include applied behavior analysis for children diagnosed with autism. ACU opposes these mandates, which drive up the cost of health insurance for everyone, and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on March 15, 2017 by a vote of 96-0.

7. HF 542 Unemployment Insurance Reform. This bill increases the amount a person must earn in order to be eligible for unemployment benefits for a second consecutive year. In order to re-qualify for unemployment benefits a person must now have earned at least eight times their weekly benefit amount. Prior to passage, Iowa required only $250, the lowest qualifying amount of income earned for benefits in the country. ACU supports reasonable restrictions on unemployment benefits and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 20, 2017 by a vote of 58-39.

8. SF 413 Tort Reform. This bill reduces the time limit on lawsuits against builders and contractors, known as the statute of repose, from 15 years to 10 years on residential construction and 8 years on commercial construction. ACU supports tort reform to put reasonable restrictions on lawsuits and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 21, 2017 by a vote of 57-39.

9. SF 447 Farmer Property Rights. This bill provides farmers who run animal feeding operations with better protections against nuisance lawsuits. The bill prevents a farmer from being sued for future damages that may result from their practice and clearly defines and limits compensatory damages. ACU Foundation’s Center for 21st Century Property Rights engages heavily on this issue, and supports strengthening property rights and protection from needless litigation and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 22, 2017 by a vote of 60-39.

10. HF 602 Christian Education Curriculum. This bill allows the Accelerated Christian Education Curriculum (ACE) to be accredited by the state Department of Education. The bill corrects a drafting error in legislation passed last year that dealt with abuse at children’s residential facilities, but indirectly prevented a certain facility that works with troubled youth from getting certified by the state. ACU supports the ability for private facilities to choose their own curriculum and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 27, 2017 by a vote of 58-40.

11. SF 438 Project Labor Agreements. This bill bans the use of Project Labor Agreements, which force companies to negotiate with unions in order to qualify for state contracts. ACU opposes these regulations, which drive up the cost of projects to taxpayers and prevent qualified contractors from receiving contracts and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 4, 2017 by a vote of 57-41.

12. SF 471 20-Week Limitation on Abortions. This bill prohibits abortions after 20-weeks (five months) of pregnancy. Exemptions include the life of the mother, a serious risk of substantial physical impairment to the mother, and if between 20 and 24 weeks of pregnancy there is a fetal anomaly incompatible with life. ACU Foundation’s Center for Human Dignity engages heavily on these issues, and believes abortion is a human tragedy, supports restrictions on the practice, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 5, 2017 by a vote of 55-42.

IOWA HOUSE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS

13


13. SF 408 Architects Licensing Requirement. This bill requires architects to obtain a state license from a state board of licensing rather than the current requirement of registering with the state. When entrepreneurship is suppressed, the resulting decline in economic growth leads to a reduction in family prosperity, as illustrated by the ACU Foundation’s Family Prosperity Index. ACU opposes the proliferation of licensing requirements, which are primarily designed to restrict competition, and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on April 6, 2017 by a vote of 96-0.

14. HF 517 Omnibus Firearms Law. This bill overhauls and reforms many of the firearm regulations in the state. The following are some key provisions in the bill: allowing citizens to use deadly force if their life is threatened, prohibiting local governments from creating “weapons-free” zones, legalizing concealed carry of firearms in state buildings, and prohibiting the confiscation of firearms during state emergencies. ACU supports the founders’ beliefs in the Second Amendment and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 6, 2017 by a vote of 57-36.

15. SF 446 Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform. This bill reforms the state’s civil forfeiture laws which govern the seizure of property by local law enforcement officials. The bill prohibits the seizure of property valued at less than $5,000, and raises the standard of proof to forfeit property from a “preponderance of evidence” to “clear and convincing evidence.” Finally, the bill places the burden of proof on the prosecutor rather than the property owner. ACU Foundation’s Center for Criminal Justice Reform and Center for 21st Century Property Rights both engage heavily on this issue and support legislation that protects the liberty and property of the individual. ACU opposes the seizure of property without a criminal conviction and supported this bill as a step in the right direction. The House passed the bill on April 10, 2017 by a vote of 95-1.

16. HF 516 Voter ID. This bill requires a photo ID for voting at the polls, and provides for five forms of acceptable identification, including a state ID that will be provided free of charge. The bill also eliminates straight party voting. ACU supports the strengthening of ballot integrity through measures to prevent vote fraud and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 10, 2017 by a vote of 56-40.

17. HF 625 Income Tax Regulations. This bill repeals a requirement that has been in effect since 2010 that requires a tax filer to state on their tax return whether or not each dependent child has health coverage. The state then evaluates the filer’s income and notifies the filer of government programs for their dependent children and how to enroll them. ACU opposes using the tax form to promote government programs and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 11, 2017 by a vote of 56-41.

18. SF 465 Medical Malpractice Reform. This bill sets a cap of $250,000 for non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases but makes an exception for cases of “substantial or permanent loss or impairment of bodily functions and substantial disfigurement.” The bill also requires a plaintiff’s lawyers to submit proof of medical malpractice at the beginning of a case. ACU supports reasonable limits on medical malpractice claims, which have driven up the cost of healthcare, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 12, 2017 by a vote of 65-32.

19. SF 489 Fireworks Regulations. This bill legalizes the sale of fireworks in Iowa at specific times of the year and restricts setting them off to specified hours. Local governments can limit the use of fireworks but not their sale. ACU supports Iowa joining 43 other states in allowing the sale of fireworks and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 18, 2017 by a vote of 56-41.

20. HF 573 Local Control of Schools. This bill gives school districts some power to tailor their local schools to the needs of the community. This type of power is already held by cities and counties. ACU supports strengthening local control of education and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 21, 2017 by a vote of 59-37.

14


IOWA HOUSE VOTE DETAIL

Party District HF 203

HF 291

HF 242

SF 357

HF 295

HF 215

HF 542

SF 413

SF 447

HF 602

SF 438

SF 471

SF 408

HF 517

SF 446

HF 516

HF 625

SF 465

SF 489

HF 573

ACU Votes

Votes Cast

2017 %

2016 %

LIFETIME AVG

Abdul-Samad D 35 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - + - 2 20 10% 7% 9%

Anderson D 36 - - - - - - - X - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 19 5% 14% 23%

BACON R 48 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + - + 17 20 85% 57% 77%

BALTIMORE R 47 + + + + + - + + + + X + - + + + + + + + 17 19 89% 67% 83%

BAUDLER R 20 + - + + + - + + + + + + - + - + + - - + 14 20 70% 50% 78%

BAXTER R 8 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 79%

Bearinger D 64 - - + + - - - - + - - - - + + - - + - - 6 20 30% 36% 26%

Bennett D 65 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 20 5% 21% 15%

BERGAN R 55 + + + + + - + + - + + + - - + + + + - + 15 20 75% n/a 75%

BEST R 12 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 79%

BLOOMINGDALE R 51 + + + + + - + + + + + X X X X X X + + + 13 14 93% n/a 93%

Breckenridge D 29 - - - - - - - - X - - - - - + - - - - X 1 18 6% n/a 6%

Brown-Powers D 61 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - - 2 20 10% 29% 23%

CARLIN R 6 + + + + + - + + + + + + - X + + + + + + 17 19 89% n/a 89%

CARLSON R 91 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 50% 69%

Cohoon D 87 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - + - 2 20 10% 36% 15%

COWNIE R 42 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + X + + 17 19 89% 57% 82%

DEYOE R 49 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 80%

DOLECHECK R 24 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 80%

Finkenauer D 99 - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - X - 2 19 11% 27% 16%

FISHER R 72 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 50% 83%

Forbes D 40 - - - - - - - - - - - - - + + - - - - - 2 20 10% 43% 22%

FORRISTALL R 22 X + + X X X + + + X X X X X X X X X X + 6 6 n/a† 57% 78%

FRY R 27 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 85%

Gaines D 32 - - - - - - - - - - - - X - + - - - X - 1 18 6% 14% 9%

Gaskill D 81 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - - 2 20 10% 36% 18%

GASSMAN R 7 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + - + 17 20 85% 57% 79%

GRASSLEY R 50 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 80%

GUSTAFSON R 25 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 50% 74%

HAGENOW R 43 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 82%

HAGER R 56 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% n/a 95%

Hall D 13 - - + + - - - - - - - - - - + - - - + + 5 20 25% 43% 29%

IOWA HOUSE SCORES

15




HF 291

HF 242

SF 357

HF 295

HF 215

HF 542

SF 413

SF 447

HF 602

SF 438

SF 471

SF 408

HF 517

SF 446

HF 516

HF 625

SF 465

SF 489

HF 573

ACU Votes

Votes Cast

2017 %

2016 %

LIFETIME AVG

Hanson D 82 - - - + X - - - - X - - - X X X - - - - 1 15 7% n/a 13%

HANUSA R 16 + - + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 17 20 85% 58% 79%

HEARTSILL R 28 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 86%

HEATON R 84 + - + + + - + + + + + + - - + + + + + + 16 20 80% 43% 73%

Heddens D 46 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - - 2 20 10% 15% 13%

HEIN R 96 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 77%

HIGHFILL R 39 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 71% 85%

HINSON R 67 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% n/a 90%

HOLT R 18 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 79%

HOLZ R 5 X + + + + - + X + + + + - + + + + + + + 16 18 89% 62% 75%

Hunter D 34 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 20 5% 36% 19%

HUSEMAN R 3 X + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 17 19 89% 57% 78%

Isenhart D 100 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - - 2 20 10% 14% 10%

Jacoby D 74 - - - - - X - + - - - - - - + - - X - - 2 18 11% 17% 11%

JONES R 2 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 50% 73%

Kacena D 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - + + - - - - + 3 20 15% n/a 15%

KAUFMANN R 73 + + + + - - X + + + + + - + + + + + + + 16 19 84% 57% 73%

Kearns D 83 - - - - - - - - - - - - X X + - - - - - 1 18 6% 29% 11%

KERR R 88 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% n/a 90%

KLEIN R 78 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + X X + + + + 16 18 89% 57% 84%

KOESTER R 38 + + + + + - + + + + + + - X + + + + - + 16 19 84% 57% 78%

Kressig D 59 - - - - - - X X - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 18 6% 45% 15%

Kurth D 89 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 20 5% n/a 5%

LANDON R 37 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 54% 78%

Lensing D 85 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 20 5% 14% 11%

LUNDGREN R 57 + - + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 17 20 85% n/a 85%

Mascher D 86 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 20 5% 21% 12%

MAXWELL R 76 + + + + + - + + + + + - - + + + + - - + 15 20 75% 57% 73%

McConkey D 15 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + + - 3 20 15% 43% 33%

McKEAN R 58 + - + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + - - + 15 20 75% n/a 75%

Meyer D 33 - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 2 20 10% 14% 15%

Miller D 9 - - - + - - X X - - - - - - + - - - - - 2 18 11% 29% 17%

MOHR R 94 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% n/a 90%

MOMMSEN R 97 + + + + + - + - + + + + - + + + + + + + 17 20 85% 57% 73%

16




HF 291

HF 242

SF 357

HF 295

HF 215

HF 542

SF 413

SF 447

HF 602

SF 438

SF 471

SF 408

HF 517

SF 446

HF 516

HF 625

SF 465

SF 489

HF 573

ACU Votes

Votes Cast

2017 %

2016 %

LIFETIME AVG

MOORE R 21 + - + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 17 20 85% 57% 71%

Nielsen D 77 - - - + - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - - 3 20 15% n/a 15%

NUNN R 30 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 79%

Oldson D 41 - - - - - X - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 19 5% 14% 6%

Olson D 31 - - - + - - - - + - - - - - + - - + + - 5 20 25% 46% 27%

Ourth D 26 - - + - - - - - + - - - - + + - - + - - 5 20 25% 43% 25%

PAUSTIAN R 92 X + + + X - + + + + + X - + + + + + + + 15 17 88% 57% 81%

PETTENGILL R 75 + + + + + - + - + + + + - + + + + + + + 17 20 85% 64% 82%

Prichard D 52 - - + + - X - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 3 19 16% 36% 18%

RIZER R 68 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 79%

ROGERS R 60 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 85%

Running-Marquardt D 69 - - X - - - - - - - - - - X + - - - - - 1 18 6% 31% 14%

SALMON R 63 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 69% 90%

SEXTON R 10 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 50% 73%

SHEETS R 80 + + + + + - + + - + + + - + + + + - + + 16 20 80% 71% 87%

SIECK R 23 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 76%

Smith, M. D 71 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - - 2 20 10% 7% 10%

Smith, R. D 62 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 20 5% n/a 5%

Staed D 66 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 20 5% 15% 11%

Steckman D 53 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - - 2 20 10% 14% 10%

TAYLOR, R. R 44 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + - + 17 20 85% 57% 74%

Taylor, T. D 70 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 20 5% 29% 13%

Thede D 93 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 20 5% 29% 20%

UPMEYER R 54 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 54% 81%

VANDER LINDEN R 79 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 85%

WATTS R 19 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 64% 89%

Wessel-Kroeschell D 45 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 20 5% 21% 15%

WHEELER R 4 X + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 17 19 89% n/a 89%

WILLS R 1 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 76%

Winckler D 90 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 1 20 5% 21% 13%

WINDSCHITL R 17 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 64% 83%

Wolfe D 98 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + + - 3 20 15% 36% 20%

WORTHAN R 11 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 18 20 90% 57% 79%

ZUMBACH R 95 + + + + + - + + + + + + - + + + X + + + 17 19 89% n/a 89% †Legislator did not vote on enough of the selected bills and as a result the 2017 percentage was not rated. 2/3rds of the selected bills must be voted on to receive a score.

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