The Iowa House passed HF 248 by a vote of 87-0. The bill, supported by the Iowa Catholic Conference, requires employers to treat employees who adopt a child under 6 years of age in the same manner as a biological parent. The legislation now goes to the Senate.
Current ICC alerts address the immigration issue, helping students learn about the development of human life, and helping people with disabilities earn and save more while keeping Medicaid benefits. Check out our sample messages to legislators here.
Federal action alerts are here, including a call to resume international humanitarian assistance.
This Wednesday there’s a subcommittee hearing scheduled for HSB 223, which would legalize online casino apps with real money. The Catholic Church does not oppose gambling per se, but the ICC opposes this bill because it will make it way too easy for vulnerable people to get caught up in this form of gambling while sitting on the couch.
Republicans in the legislature have released their proposal to revamp Iowa’s property tax system. The bills, SSB 1208 and HSB 313, would:
Cap property tax growth at 2% while phasing out the current system which rolls back the value of assessments for determining property taxes
Limit the amount local governments can increase taxes due to the end of the rollback
Increase homestead and veteran credits and a property tax freeze for some people over 70
Provide about $400 million in property tax relief funds from the state to local governments
For what it’s worth, both chambers have introduced an unusually large number of bills this session. It seems the House is likely to exceed 1,000 bills this year, at least 20% more than “normal.” The Senate has more than 600 bills, also an increase.
Feds drop challenge to Iowa immigration law
The Trump Administration has dropped the federal lawsuit against SF 2340, the law passed by the legislature last year on “illegal reentry.” The law would make it a crime for a person who has been previously denied admission or deported from the U.S. to be present in the state, even if they subsequently have received legal status. The state lawsuit against the bill by Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice continues and it appears the law is not in force for now.
At the time of the bill’s passage, the Catholic bishops of Iowa said, “At the state level, we have opposed migration enforcement measures such as SF 2340 because they place a disproportionate emphasis on punitive sanctions, undermine family unity, reduce humanitarian protections, and provide no viable solutions for long-time residents without legal status.”
If you’re interested in learning more about what the Catholic Church teaches on immigration, the Diocese of Des Moines has posted a video of a recent presentation by Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas on the campus of Drake University of Des Moines. The event was part of an ongoing dialogue series sponsored by St. Catherine of Siena Church in Des Moines.
ICC Executive Director Tom Chapman will be the emcee of an “Immigration Action Workshop” at St. Catherine’s on Saturday, March 29, at 10 a.m. Participants will learn about the specific needs of refugees and immigrants. Organizations represented will include Catholic Charities, Lutheran Services of Iowa, Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, and the Refugee Alliance of Central Iowa.
Save the date – Iowa Religious Freedom Day
The public is invited to the 12th Annual Iowa Religious Freedom Day Interfaith Breakfast and Prayer on Thursday, April 10 from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the rotunda at the State Capitol. There will be a short program at 8 a.m.
The theme for the day is “The Role of Religion in Peacemaking.” The Iowa Catholic Conference is a co-sponsor of the breakfast along with The Comparison Project at Drake University, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, DMARC and the University of Texas at Austin School of Law.
Other events will take place during the day in different parts of the state. In addition, there will be an evening symposium, “The Role of Religion in Peacemaking,” from 6-9 p.m. at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates in Des Moines. You can connect with people of different faiths while celebrating the importance of religious freedom in Iowa.
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