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SHSI Legislative Report
By Gordon Hendrickson, Legislative Liaison
As I look at the bills that have currently been filed, I group them into about five categories: budget related bills; bills related to Iowa Great Places; bills related to State Historic Tax Credits; bills related to arts and history as economic development generators; and bills related to departmental administration and other associated interest areas.
Perhaps the greatest amount of activity related to Cultural Affairs centers on the State Historical Society’s historic tax credit program. A number of different bills have been introduced, all designed to increase availability of the tax credits. Some of the bills focus on increasing tax credits for projects throughout the state, some focus on increasing tax credits for cultural and entertainment district projects and some focus on increasing tax credits for projects in enterprise zones. The environment around the tax credit proposals is very fluid at the present time. I do anticipate a bill being reported out of the House Economic Growth Committee before the funnel on March 3. Likewise, I anticipate a favorable report on a bill now before the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
Representative Nathan Reichert has introduced a bill (HF 2407) to provide exemption of sales, service and use taxes for construction projects in cultural and entertainment districts and for the subtraction of the first $25,000 of income from sale of art work for artists who live and work in cultural and entertainment districts. Representative Helen Miller has introduced a bill (HF 2317) to assist in creating an African American Heritage Website. Another bill of interest to the Department is a proposal to create a Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission (HF 2170 in the office of Governor. Representative Ed Fallon has introduced a bill (HF 2402) to move the Iowa Main Street Program from Economic Development to the Department of Cultural Affairs and to provide administrative funding ($1 million) for the Cultural and Entertainment District program. Finally, a group of state senators introduces SF 2061 which would utilize ½ of 1 per cent of revenue imposed on gambling revenue for the purpose of tourism marketing.
The Iowa Studies bill which we have been working on for the past several years has been refined and is ready to be introduced to this session. State Historical Society of Iowa Board Members John Liepa and Jason Follett have been working on this bill, discussing it with other education groups including the community colleges and the Department of Education, and refining the bill so chances for adoption are improved. Representative Roger Wendt introduced the bill (HF 2269) and it is currently in the Senate as SF 27, a carry-over piece from the first session of the General Assembly.
I am encouraged by the number of inquiries have been directed to me this session and legislators continue to include the Department of Cultural Affairs in the discussions about improving the economic condition of our state. Thus far the Department has been asked to meet with the House Economic Growth Committee to discuss historic tax credits and the Iowa Great Places Initiative; the Senate Local Government Committee to discuss Cultural and Entertainment Districts, tax credits and the Iowa Great Places Initiative, and we have been asked to meet with the Joint Appropriations Sub Committee on Economic Development to discuss the tax credit program. I have attended several sub committee meetings on various bills of interest to the department.
If you have any questions about current legislative activities, contact Gordon Hendrickson at (515) 281-8875 or Gordon.Hendrickson@iowa.gov.
