Latest news with #MikeBousselot
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Iowa Senate advances carbon pipeline eminent domain legislation
DES MOINES, IOWA — For the first time in four sessions, the Iowa Senate took up legislation on the use of eminent domain relating to carbon dioxide pipelines. HF 639 passed through the chamber by a vote of 27 to 22 Monday night. While the bill doesn't prohibit the use of eminent domain for hazardous liquid pipelines on agricultural land, it adds requirements relating to the process. It says that a pipeline company shall hold informational meetings in each county where property rights will be affected 30 days prior to filing a petition for a new pipeline. It requires that at least one member of the commission attend each of the informational meetings. It also adds insurance requirements for pipeline companies for all damages and operations of the hazardous liquid pipeline. Iowa House sends PBM reform bill to governor's desk The Iowa House passed another version that would prohibit the use of eminent domain for hazardous liquid pipelines on agricultural land. The Iowa Senate did not bring that version to the floor, and voted down Republican and Democrat amendments attempting to change the bill to that. State Senator Mike Bousselot attempted to amend the bill to ban the use of eminent domain for hazardous liquid pipelines in the future, but not including the pipeline by Summit Carbon Solutions. That amendment failed by a vote of 22 to 28. The group of 12 Iowa Republican Senators who were withholding a vote on state budget bills spoke in favor of this legislation, but also expressed frustration that the full prohibition of eminent domain was not passed. Crowds of Iowa landowners were waiting all day after the hours of caucusing by both parties, waiting for action to be taken. The landowners wanted the full prohibition as well, but are still in favor of the requirements added by the legislation. Iowa Senate advances carbon pipeline eminent domain legislation Marshalltown City Council moves mall project forward Forecast: Who will see rain this week? Iowa House sends PBM reform bill to governor's desk Congressman Randy Feenstra files paperwork hinting he may run for governor Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Four years and another day': Senators punt long-awaited eminent domain debate
Landowners opposed to carbon sequestration pipelines shout at senators for declining to debate an eminent domain bill Friday. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) 'Shame, shame, shame,' a red-shirted group chanted from a Senate gallery after a full day waiting for senators to debate a bill impacting carbon sequestration pipelines. A group of landowners has been pushing lawmakers to take up the issue around property rights for four years. They, along with farmers and union workers in favor of the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, showed up to the Capitol in droves Friday, expecting to hear debate on House File 639. After breaking for a closed-door caucus after almost every action on the floor, senators decided to adjourn until Monday, without having debated the eminent domain bill or budgets. 'You're disrespecting our time,' a landowner yelled from the gallery following the pound of the gavel. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX HF 639 would set requirements for pipeline insurance and permit limits and change the definitions of common carrier in the state to require hazardous liquid pipeline operators prove they will transport commodities owned by shippers not affiliated with the carrier. The Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, which was granted eminent domain by the Iowa Utilities Commission in June, would connect to nearly 60 ethanol facilities and stretch around 2,500 across Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska. The pipeline would transport sequestered carbon dioxide from the facilities to underground storage in North Dakota. Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, proposed a major amendment to the bill in committee, and an additional amendment Friday that removes many parts of the version passed from the House. Under Bousselot's amendment, which must be approved on the floor, projects could seek voluntary easements from outside of the project corridor, which he said would allow them to avoid using eminent domain. His amendment also requires the project operators to repair damaged land for the lifetime of the project. The Iowa Utilities Commission would have to make a decision on permit applications within one year and members would have to be present at hearings under the amendment, which would apply to all projects seeking eminent domain. Sen. Kevin Alons, R-Salix, proposed a strikethrough amendment Friday that instead added language similar to House File 943, to ban the use of eminent domain for pipelines carrying liquified carbon dioxide. 'I guess four years and another day is what we will be doing again next Monday,' Sherri Webb, a landowner opposed to the pipeline said following the adjournment. 'We're just gonna have to wait another day, and it's not right.' Farmers and biofuel advocates who gathered in the Capitol rotunda earlier in the day said the carbon sequestration capabilities offered by the pipeline would open the door to expanded biofuel markets, like sustainable aviation fuel. A number of farmers were among the more than 1,300 landowners who have already signed easement agreements with Summit. Kelly Nieuwenhuis, a signed landowner and corn farmer in O'Brien County, said he signed easement agreements with Summit for nearly three miles of pipeline through his property. 'We need to get this project done for a positive future for not only farmers, but the biofuels industry and good-paying jobs for rural America,' Nieuwenhuis said. Farmers pointed to low corn prices from lack of market demand as a strong reason for the pipeline, as it would make it easier for ethanol producers in Iowa to enter the ultra-low carbon ethanol market. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association earlier this week published a study highlighting the same issue. While the ethanol industry had another good year in 2024, the study said the associated economic effects of biofuels were diminished by the 'stagnant' corn market. 'This project, hooking these plants onto it, is going to change and open up markets,' Mark Wigans, a signed landowner and an ethanol plant president, said at the rally. 'Agriculture's in terrible shape right now, and we need change and this is going to give it to us.' Also in attendance were members from several union locals, in favor of the pipeline for the construction jobs it would supply. The 110-day legislative session was scheduled to end May 2, marking the end to some per diem payments to lawmakers. The failure to bring an eminent domain bill to the Senate floor likely sets back efforts to end the session early next week. Though the Senate did not vote on the eminent domain bill Friday, lawmakers did approve one measure, House File 856, a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion activities and offices in state agencies and community colleges. The Senate amended the bill to remove private colleges from the measure and returned it to the House. The chamber also voted along party lines to confirm three of the governor's appointees – Cheryl Elsloo to the Iowa State Civil Rights Commission, Christine Hensley to the Iowa Board of Regents and Whitney Smith McIntosh to the state's Human Rights Board. However, there were several other measures on the calendar – including budget bills – that were not brought up for debate. Senate File 645, the economic development budget, Senate File 646, the agriculture and natural resources budget and Senate File 647, the education budget were not brought up before the chamber adjourned Friday. There were amendments filed on these three bills to reflect the budget compromise reached with House Republicans Thursday. While these amendments are spending figures that represent an agreement between House and Senate Republicans, the majority caucuses in both chambers, the Senate would not be able to pass these or other budget bills before getting the support of the 12 GOP senators who pledged to vote against appropriations bills until the eminent domain legislation is brought to the floor. Most of the spending bills for fiscal year 2026 have not yet been approved in either chamber. The House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet Monday, May 12 to discuss four budget bills. The Senate Appropriations Committee also still must hold a meeting to approve standings appropriations bill that includes the State Supplemental Aid (SSA) per-pupil funding for Iowa's K-12 system, the House priority of $14 million for paraeducator pay, and other various state spending obligations. Robin Opsahl contributed to this report. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Expanded Medicaid, SNAP work requirement bill approved by Senate subcommittee
Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, spoke March 20, 2025 on legislation directing the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to seek federal waivers to implement work requirements for the state's expanded Medicaid program and other benefits like SNAP. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Legislation setting work requirements to receive Medicaid and SNAP benefits was approved by a Senate appropriations subcommittee Thursday. The bill, Senate File 599, directs the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to seek a waiver from the federal government to institute work requirements for the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan (IHAWP), the state's Medicaid expansion program. The bill adds work requirements for other public assistance programs as well, including for food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The work requirements would apply to Iowans between age 19 and 65, with exceptions listed to the work requirements, including people with disabilities, parents of children under age 6, people with a high-risk pregnancy and those in substance abuse treatment programs for a period of up to six months. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX While an earlier version of the bill set a requirement for Iowans to work or volunteer 20 hours a week to maintain IHAWP membership, language in the current legislation does not specify how many hours would be necessary to maintain benefits. Several speakers said denying Iowans assistance who do not fit into these exceptions would lead to much higher overall costs for Iowa's health care system, by not giving consideration to people like parents of children with disabilities, who are unable to work while caring for their child, or for people who are not disabled but still require access to their prescription medicine in order to avoid being hospitalized and to maintain a job. Leslie Carpenter with Iowa Mental Health Advocacy gave a fiscal estimates for the cost of 100 people who would need to make a hospital emergency department visit if they cannot access their medication after being removed from Medicaid coverage. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimated the average cost of an emergency department visit to be $1,506, she said, which means a there would be a cost of roughly $150,000 for 100 patients being hospitalized for a day and $1,316,000 if they were hospitalized for a week. 'I suspect that my estimates of having only 100 people who are severely sick being at risk for having their Medicaid insurance lost is actually quite low,' Carpenter said. 'If those numbers are actually higher, you can imagine the fiscal impact on the taxpayers.' Others called for Iowa legislators to look at other states, including Georgia, which have tried to implement Medicaid work requirements as proof that the policy does not work. Anne Discher with Common Good Iowa, a progressive nonprofit, also cautioned against Iowa lawmakers moving on work requirements when federal action is expected on the subject. 'It feels a little bit like we're rushing forward on this bill at a point where we know at the federal level, Republicans are very interested in making massive changes to SNAP and to Medicaid, and the area where there seems to be agreement at the federal level is on something in the vicinity of reporting requirements,' Discher said. 'We certainly oppose those at the federal level. However, the worst case scenario, the worst of both worlds would be for Iowa to rush ahead, the feds do something different, and then we have to come back and clean it up.' The bill proposes suspending Iowa's expanded Medicaid program if work requirements are not implemented, and would resume it if the work rules take effect. That could at least temporarily halt IHAWP, which provides health coverage to adults age 19 through 65 who have an income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level — roughly $20,030 for a single adult and $27,186 for a married couple. According to data compiled by the Legislative Services Agency, there were 179,918 Iowa adults on IHAWP in fiscal year 2025. At the subcommittee meeting, multiple advocates criticized the bill for tying IHAWP coverage to receiving federal approval. MaryNelle Trefz with Iowa ACEs 360, an advocacy group focused on trauma recovery and support, said this provision will create financial hardships for Iowa's economy by requiring federal approval for Iowa's expanded Medicaid program to continue to exist. 'If those requirements aren't approved now or in the future, Iowa would be forced to walk away from expansion entirely, jeopardizing coverage for thousands, increasing costs for hospitals and businesses, and worsening our workforce shortage,' Trefz said. Sen. Mark Costello, R-Imogene, said there were 'misunderstandings' about the IHAWP trigger provisions, saying he received letters from constituents who believed other Medicaid and benefit programs would be impacted if the federal government does not approve Iowa's request to implement reporting requirements. 'That is, you know, a group that is already in a higher income or (a part of the) expanded population there, that we would hope some of them would be able to get insurance through the exchange or whatever,' Costello said. Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, said he has been involved in state government since former Gov. Terry Branstad signed IHAWP into law in 2013. He said adding work requirements to the program 'is common sense and is in line with why and how the bill passed at the very beginning.' 'The safety net is intended to be just that, a safety net that bounces people back up, not a poverty trap that has folks that are consistently sticking and staying and have no incentive to get off of those taxpayer-funded services,' Bousselot said. 'The work and job training requirements that are found in this bill, and the goal to align those, are in line with the idea that job and work requirements have existed for folks that are disabled on Medicaid for decades, have existed for other social services that taxpayers provide.' While Iowa lawmakers are pursuing legislative action to implement work requirements, Gov. Kim Reynolds also said during her Condition of the State address in January she plans to apply for a federal waiver to implement Medicaid work requirements. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
