Bills Associated with Juvenile Detention Coalition of Iowa

Allows school district to maintain a year-round school calendar for grades 9-12. Signed by governor 5/6/25. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Sets up a process for spending opioid settlement funds.  Annually appropriates 75% of opioid settlement funds to the Iowa Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the remaining 25% to the Iowa Attorney General (AG).  Allows unspent funds to carry forward util June 30, 2030 (when all funds are to be spent). Requires the behavioral heath administrative services organization (BH-ASO) to submit recommendations to HHS and the AG on use of funds, after consultation with the BH district advisory boards. Includes a lengthy list of requirements the AG and HHS is to consider in evaluating the recommendations, including identifying indicators and outcomes that are to be used to measure success. Requires annual reporting each November 1 with 1) information on use of fund, including intended outcomes of each grant; 2) input from each advisory council; and 3) list of current opioid-related initiatives within each BH district funded with settlement funds (including funds received from local governments). Recipients can only receive one grant annually from the opioid settlement fund. Funds do not have to be distributed equally among behavioral health districts. Caps HHS and AG use of settlement funds for administrative costs at 2.5%. Appropriates $29 million from the opioid settlement fund to be distributed prior to June 30, 2025 for the following: $3 million to HHS for YSS/Ember (Cambridge) for a recovery focus high school; $5 million to HHS for USC (Des Moines) for expanded medication assisted treatment; $1.5 million to BH-ASO for FlowState (Council Bluffs) to expand its jail-based services; $2 million to HHS for AGAPE (Sioux City) for recovery housing and recovery cafe; $2 million to BH-ASO for contracts with SEIDA (Ottumwa), Pathways (Waterloo), ASAC (Cedar Rapids), and ADDS (Burlington) for post overdose response (LORE); $4.5 million to HHS for Full Circle Recovery (Council Bluffs/Des Moines), Center of Attention (Waterloo), CRUSH (Cedar Rapids), Rise Recovery (Des Moines), and Rediscover (Clinton) for recovery community centers; $1.5 million to HHS for Barikiwa (Des Moines) and Once City United (Waterloo) for recovery cafes; $1.5 million to HHS for House of Mercy (Des Moines), ASAC (Cedar Rapids), Rosecrance Jackson (Sioux City), and Heartland (Council Bluffs) for women-focused recovery respite; $3 million to HHS for CFR (Fort Dodge) for a treatment campus on the East Side of Des Moines; $2 million to HHS to Vera French (Davenport) for supportive housing; and $3 million to HHS for recovery housing (HHS will issue an RFP for these funds). Earmarked funds are to be fully obligated by 6/30/2027.  Of these earmarks, $2.375 million goes to BH District 1; no funds go to BH District 2 or 3; $2.325 million goes to BH District 4; $13.475 million goes to BH District 5; $500,000 goes to BH District 6; and $7.325 million goes to BH District 7. Retroactive to 7/1/2024. You can read the nonpartisan fiscal staff review of this bill at:https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/NOBA/1528030.pdf.

Appropriates $2.47 billion for Medicaid and other health/human services programs for fiscal year 2026, an increase of $255.9 million. Also appropriates $457.2 million from other funds, a decrease of $11.2 million.  Veteran Affairs: No change for veterans' homeownership assistance program ($2.2 million). Aging/Disability Services:  Increases funding by $119,466 for general operating expenses. No changes in funding for area agencies on aging, family support program, and Conner Decree training. Behavioral Health: No change in funding ($24.4 million), including use of sport wagering fund to pay for problem gambling treatment and prevention ($1.75 million).  Public Health: Increases funding by $95,548 for operating expenses and adds $20,000 in new funds for free radon testing kits for homeowners and renters. Transfers $214,000 to the Education Budget for residencies and health care loan repayment program consolidation. No change in funding for SafeNetRX ($600,000), rural health clinics ($25,000), free clinics ($374,000, which includes the $40,000 needed annually for electronic prescribing fees), and Polk County Medical Society's specialty care network ($225,000). Reduces funding for rural psychiatric residencies by $200,000 ($600,000 total). Adds new appropriation of $2.3 million for Medicaid graduate medical education efforts (per Governor's rural health bill, HF 972).  Community Access:  Increases funding by $498,512 for general operating expenses. No change in funding for this division as well as First Five and Volunteer Iowa.  Temporary Aid for Needy Families/TANF Block Grant:  Increase of $20 million for TANF-related purposes ($25 million total). Increases funding for child protective services by $3 million ($65.4 million total). No change in funding for pregnancy prevention grants ($1.9 million); PROMISE Jobs/FIP ($12.99 million); child abuse prevention grants and FADDS ($3.01 million); and child care assistance ($47.2 million). Note child abuse prevention grants (previously funded at $125,000) is no longer an item but is merged with FADDS appropriation. Medicaid: Increase funding for Medicaid by $252.7 million. This includes increases to address the anticipated Medicaid shortfall ($210.5 million); children's insurance program/Hawki shortfall ($19.9 million); increase nursing home reimbursement ($20 million); increase dental provider rates ($2.1 million); unbundle maternal health care rates ($420,000); increase prosthetic reimbursement rates ($295,000); increase the monthly personal needs allowance for people living in ICF/nursing homes from $50 to $55/month ($330,513); and increase rates for intermittent community-based services like supported community living, day habilitation, employment, and respite ($3.05 million).  Eliminates $800,000 earmark for nursing facility renovation/construction. Medicaid funding is also adjusted to compensate for increased federal reimbursement ($3 million) for certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs). Prohibits any Medicaid funds to be used for gender reassignment surgery or hormone replacement therapy (behavioral health services to those with gender dysphoria are still allowed). Establishes a new Nursing Facility Bed Forecasting Formula Work Group to make recommendations for a forecasting formula to ensure a sufficient number of nursing facility beds are available to meet future demand. The work group is to include representatives of nursing homes, MCOs, HHS and DIAL (and any other appropriate stakeholders).  Requires HHS to implement the recommended formula by July 1, 2026. Requires HHS to come up with a new Medicaid reimbursement methodology for nursing homes that includes a base rate payment, quality assurance assessment pass-through, and quality assurance add-on that includes a fixed fee payment and quality-based payment (to be implemented by April 1, 2026). No change in family planning services, state supplementary assistance/SSA, and state poison control center.  State Child Care Assistance: Small increase ($16,069) for child care assistance ($34.98 million total). Early Intervention & Supports: Increases funding by $24,165 (total $35.3 million). No changes in funding for Early Childhood Iowa ($29,256,799).  Child Protective Services: Moves $1 million in funding for the MOMS program to a different HHS division.  Increases to increase youth provider (QRTP) provider rates ($3,245,594) and shelter reimbursements ($1,590,842). Increases foster care and adoption subsidies by 5% ($456,997). No changes in funding for decategorization ($1,717,000); court-ordered services ($748,000); child protection centers ($1,658,000); Preparation for Adult Living/PAL ($4,359,500); and Project Harmony supporting victims of child abuse ($227,000). State Specialty Care: Increases funding for state mental health institutions (MHIs) by $4.7 million and Woodward State Resource Center by $415,155 ($14.4 million total). Glenwood State Resource Center funding is reduced by $3.67 million (leaving $1.6 million to maintain the now vacant facility). Increases funding for the Eldora State Training School by $856,520 ($20.5 million total).  HHS Administration: Moves the $875,000 appropriation for Criminal & Juvenile Justice Planning to the Department of Management. No change in funding for the Long Term Care Ombudsman ($1.2 million) and ABLE account administration ($200,000).  Allows HHS to retain any unspent money for the next fiscal year, including Thrive Iowa unspent funds. Gives HHS emergency rule-making authority to implement this bill.  Beer & Liquor Fund: Reduces funds going to HHS from this fund by $2 million, which then increases the funds going into the general fund. This change is retroactive to 7/1/2024. Policy:  Codifies the hospital directed payment program (the "provider tax" that is matched with federal funds to increase hospital reimbursement). No change in juvenile detention fund formula. Takes effect July 1, 2025. You can review the nonpartisan fiscal staff review of this budget at: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/NOBA/1528947.pdf.

Enhances penalties from "D" to "C" felony for assaults against first responders, law enforcement, correctional officers and health care workers.  Adds juvenile detention workers and individuals who are employees of the Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing.  Adds spitting on  a protected workers (aggravated misdemeanor and mandatory seven days in jail).  Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Makes changes related to services and support for youth. Division I: Sets up the regulatory structure for a specialized psychiatric medical institution for children (PMIC) that provides behavioral health (including substance use) treatment to children and youth up to age 21 with serious emotional disturbance. Exempts beds for this type of care from caps. Allows juvenile court to order a physical and behavioral health evaluation at any time after adjudication. While most evaluations are to be on an outpatient basis, the court can order inpatient evaluation for up to 30 days. Allows the court to order treatment if the evaluation indicates it is needed. Allows the use of Eldora Training School to perform 30-day inpatient evaluations for boys (nothing listed for girls).  Division II: Allows 16- and 17-year-olds to be treated in an adult facility (Iowa HHS says other rules will continue to require separation form adults even though it is not stated in the bill). Division III: Changes how Chief Juvenile Court Officers are appointed (by the Director of Juvenile Court Services instead of the Chief Judge) and moves more duties to the Director.  Division IV:  Suspends (rather than terminates) Medicaid coverage while a child/youth is institutionalized or in a correctional facility (including juvenile detention) after the initial 30 days placement. Division V: Corrective and conforming changes. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Requires all school districts assemble multidisciplinary threat assessment teams to improve school safety and flag students in distress for services and appropriate interventions. Permits information sharing between agencies and gives schools civil immunity. Supported by school boards, teachers, and children's groups. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Distributes anticipated federal block grants for federal fiscal years (FFY) 2026 and 2027. Distributes funds from the following federal block grants and formula grants: substance abuse, community mental health services, maternal and child health services, community development, preventive health services, residential substance abuse treatment for state prisoners, Byrne memorial justice assistance, community services, surface transportation, low income home energy assistance (LIHEAP), social services, projects for assistance in transition from homelessness (PATH), and child care and development.  Moves TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families) block grant distribution to HHS Budget. Changes LIHEAP administrative cap to reflect the changes in management of system between Iowa HHS and community action agencies.  Continues 70% set-aside for community mental health centers (CMHCs) for the first fiscal year (until September 30, 2026) but requires treatment billing to through Iowa HHS' claims system. Also adds a provision prohibiting a city from regulating developers, contractors, or subcontractors unless otherwise required by federal law (effective June 11, 2025, retroactive to March 28, 2025). The rest of the bill takes effect July 1, 2025. You can read the non-partisan fiscal staff review of this bill at: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/NOBA/1528872.pdf.

Appropriates $703.1 million to the Attorney General, Department of Corrections, Department of Public Safety and other justice system agencies for Fiscal Year 2026, an increase of $7.8 million. Also appropriates $20.6 million in other funds (status quo level).  Attorney General: Increases funding for victim service grants by $150,000 ($5,166,708), but dedicates this increase to organizations that serve victims of human trafficking.  Opens up victim services funds to serve "all other victims of violent crime."  Prior to this, the language only was to be used to serve victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault. No change in funding for the Office of Consumer Advocate (total $3,763,937).  Corrections: Increases funding for the Department of Corrections by $503,398 (total $8.2 million). Increases funding for prisons by $6,754,825 (including an additional $250,000 for pharmaceuticals at Oakdale). Increases educational programming for prison inmates by $500,000 (community colleges provide this service).  Increases community-based corrections by $2,612,338 (all CBC districts are increased except the 4th Judicial District, where funding remains at current levels).  States that it is the intent of the Legislature to continue to support drug courts in judicial districts 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7. Public Safety: Cuts overall funding to the Department of Public Safety by $2,088,127 (administration is increased by $2,996 but department-wide duties is cut by $2,091,123). Increases funding for criminal investigation by $1,616,189 (total $22,805,958), narcotics enforcement by $1,021,487 (total $10,265,032), and the state patrol by $2,176,712 (total $92,232,969). No change in the Office to Combat Human Trafficking ($200,742).Eliminates funding for public safety equipment fund ($2.5 million), but this is funded at $8 million through the sports wagering fund in SF 660. Other: No change in funding for the Office of Drug Control Policy ($249,219). Continues current funding for consumer fraud public education efforts ($1,875,000). Adds $60,000 in funding for Iowa Law Enforcement Academy ($2,964,407 total). Increases public defender funding by $2.05 million (there is a $1.5 million cut in the amount of money coming from the Indigent Defense Fund, so this is a $550,000 overall increase).  Increases hourly rates for court-appointed counsel by $2/hour on July 1, 2025 ($88/hour for class A felony; $83/hour for class B felony; $78/hour for all other cases. Takes effect July 1, 2025. You can read the non-partisan staff review at: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/NOBA/1528935.pdf.

Appropriates $1.033 billion to the Department of Education, health professional shortage programs, community colleges, and state universities for fiscal year 2026, an increase of $14.1 million. Also appropriates $33.7 million from other funds, a decrease of $325,000. Department for the Blind: Increase of $120,019 (total $3,207,190). Department of Education: Increases administration funds by $151,558 (total $7,073,808). Cuts funding for special education in half ($5 million), but funds the other half ($5 million) from the sports wagering fund in SF 660. Increases funding for public broadcasting by $50,000 ($8.17 million total) for additional programming costs and Jobs for America's Graduates by $300,000 ($9.95 million total) to expand programs to other schools. No change in funding for career/technical education, birth to age three services, child health specialty clinics, early head start, work-based learning clearinghouse, early warning system for literacy, early reading programs, reading research center, school-based mental health services ($3,383,936), Best Buddies ($35,000), STEM initiative, therapeutic classrooms ($2,351,382), LEAD-K ($200,000), Last Dollar Scholarships ($23.9 million), Future Ready Iowa skilled workforce grant program ($425,000), and Iowa workforce grant & incentive fund ($6.5 million). Adds new $265,000 line item for an online job posting site for the Department, AEAs, charter schools, and public and nonpublic schools. Eliminates funding for the Health Care Professional Recruitment Program ($500,973), Rural Iowa Primary Care Loan Repayment Program ($2,629,933), Health Care Loan Repayment Program ($500,000), and the Mental Health Professional Loan Repayment Program ($520,000).  Replaces these programs with a $7,985,911 combined Health Care Professional Incentive Program (increase of $3,621,005 for health care incentive programs).  Skilled Worker Fund: No change in funding for skilled workforce shortage tuition grants ($5 million), workforce training and economic development funds ($15.1 million), community college infrastructure ($6 million), gap tuition assistance ($2 million), and STEM Best ($700,000).  Cuts funding for workforce preparation outcome reporting by $125,000 (leaving $75,000, but an additional $125,000 is appropriated for this through the Economic Development Budget). Eliminates $200,000 line item for regional industry sector partnerships but retains the funding for the main (Pathways/PACE) program. School for Deaf/Services for the Blind & Low Vision: Increases funding for the School for the Deaf by $342,391 and for low-vision/blind services by $98,278.  Community Colleges & State Universities: Increases funding for community colleges by $7.5 million ($243.4 million total), but eliminates the line items for each community college. No changes to funding state universities except $1 million for ISU's Agricultural Experiment Station; $1 million to UNI for a new center for Civic Education; and $1 million increase for the University of Iowa to prepare an Iowa Cancer Assessment and Intervention Plan in coordination with Iowa HHS.  The UI project is to identify potential causes of Iowa's high cancer rates and recommend policies to enhance prevention/screening, raise public awareness, and integrate evidence-based findings into existing initiatives. Appropriation for this is contingent on the University of Iowa agreeing to the state's contractual terms. Suspends the standing appropriation ($2.75 million) for college work study programs. Caps the standing appropriation for at-risk children at $10.5 million (same as current year). Other:  Creates a new court reporter equipment grant program ($50,000). Adds new $1 million appropriation for the University of Iowa Center for Intellectual Freedom (if HF 437 is signed into law). Sets up a new Iowa Tuition Grants Fund ($1.1 million increase - total $53.8 million); Iowa Tuition Grants For-Profit Institutions Fund ($2,214 increase - total of $112,914); and Vocational-Technical Tuition Grants Fund (no change in funding - total $1.75 million). Repeals the Scholarship & Tuition Grant Reserve Fund.  Allows interest/earnings from various education funds to be retained in the fund.  Takes effect July 1, 2025. Read the nonpartisan fiscal staff review at:https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/NOBA/1527536.pdf.  LINE ITEM VETO:  The Governor vetoed the $1.5 million that the Legislature had appropriated to UNI to give border state students in-state tuition. You can read her veto message at: https://governor.iowa.gov/media/454/download?inline.

Appropriates $221.8 million for the state's court system (judicial branch) for Fiscal Year 2026, an increase of $1.7 million. Increases funding for the judicial branch by $1,672,500 to increase  judge and magistrate salaries.  No change in funding for court-ordered services to juveniles ($3.29 million), school-based supervision ($1,556,000), juvenile delinquent graduated sanctions services ($12.253 million), and other court operations.  Adds interpreter and translator fees to the list of fees deposited into the Jury and Witness Revolving Fund and exempts such fees from Department of Revenue and county attorney court debt collection fees. Takes effect July 1, 2025. Read the nonpartisan fiscal staff review at: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/NOBA/1527483.pdf.

Makes changes to automatic (standing) appropriations for fiscal year 2026.  Reduces automatic funding for schools by a total of $66.7 million (this is the same cut schools received  in past years). This includes the $25 million reduction for AEAs (this is on top of last year's $7.5 million cut). This means the total cut to AEAs is $32.5 million, which is the same cut they got in the current year. Transfers $21.9 million from the Taxpayer Relief Fund (same as last year). Prohibits the state departments and agencies from joining a health benefit reinsurance association, retroactive to 1/1/2020. Makes a number of corrections to previously passed bills, including striking the trade name in the crystalline polymorph psilocybin bill (HF 383). Takes effect July 1, 2025.