News from the State House
by State Representative Patti Ruff
This week I met with Allamakee County Farm Bureau members Tracy, Joel, Dustin, and Lee. We discussed legislator priorities for this session. I also met with Kim Waters from Allamakee and Carol Keune from Fayette, we discussed mental health issues. On Saturday, March 21, I will be at the Farm Bureau Forum in Waukon starting at 11:15 a.m. Hope to see everyone there!
Broadband Bill Moves Forward in Legislature
The expansion of broadband access to all corners of Iowa has been a priority of both parties in the House and Senate, and bills are moving forward in each chamber. At this time, the bills are not identical, but both have the same goal of expanding broadband internet access to more Iowans.
The House bill allows for a ten-year property tax exemption for companies that expand broadband to targeted service areas. A targeted service area is one that doesn’t have access to broadband with 25 megabits per second of download and 3 megabits per second of upload speed.
The broadband bill in the House, House File 576, has passed out of the Commerce Committee and is now in the House Ways and Means Committee due to the allowance for property tax exemption for companies that expand broadband access to certain areas in Iowa.
Update: Chronic Wasting Disease Testing in Allamakee County
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has started the process of collecting samples from adult deer in Allamakee County to test for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Testing is being done in response to finding four deer that tested positive for CWD in 2013 and 2014.
The DNR would like to collect a total of 200 samples, 150 samples from private property and 50 from the Yellow River State Forest. As of Monday, March 9, the DNR has collected the following samples:
• 101 deer
• 82 samples (adults) (41% of 200 goal)
• 19 fawns
• 25 of the sampled were shed antlered bucks
Operation ReLeaf to Distribute Trees to Iowans
Alliant Energy customers may have the opportunity to receive deeply discounted landscape quality trees at several events this spring. Trees will be available for $25 on a first-come, first-served basis. These trees would typically sell for between $65 and $125. Each event will have between 8-12 species available.
The program helps customers save energy by using trees to create shade in the summer and wind breaks in the winter. The Department of Natural Resources recommends that for maximum effectiveness, shade trees should be planted within 30 feet of the house to the east or west and evergreen trees should be planted to the north and west of the home to help stop winter winds.
Eight events will be held across the state. Trees are distributed regionally to Alliant Energy residential customers. Event locations and times, as well as additional information on the Operation ReLeaf program, can be found at http://www.alliantenergy.com/CommunityInvolvement/CommunityOutreach/Oper....
Protecting Parents and Local Pharmacies
In an effort to keep prescription drugs affordable for Iowans and protect local pharmacies, we are working on a bill this year to crack down on pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) using unfair practices.
PBMs generated well over $15 billion in revenue last year and are third party administrators of prescription drug programs that contract with major health plans to manage prescription drug formularies and determine pharmacy networks.
Over time, PBMs have taken advantage of their strategic position between the insurer and provider to squeeze the budgets of both patients and local pharmacies by forcing them into unclear contracts. The unfair practices used by PBMs have led to 71 local pharmacies closing in Iowa and higher prescription drug costs for many Iowans.
Last year, the Legislature charged the Iowa Insurance Commissioner with gathering information relating to pricing methodology in an effort to find out if the PBMs were taking financial advantage of their position.
Unfortunately, some PBMs are not complying with state law. If signed into law this year, the Iowa Insurance Commissioner will have new authority to investigate and enforce fair practices on pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) that do not follow Iowa law.
Until next week!
