Joining lowans in celebrating National Ag day this week, I met with Farm Bureau members from Hardin County to listen to the 2023 policy priorities for this legislative session. After discussing what the House Republicans plans are for landowner rights, we later discussed the scope of veterinary practices and property taxes. I admire the allegiance of the lowa Farm Bureau members being involved in the life of agriculture producers in our great state.

Earlier this week I chaired SF 490 and SF381 in subcommittee. SF 490 is a bill for an act relating to person authorized to receive a copy of a written accident report filed by a law enforcement officer. (Formerly SSB 1170.) SF381 is a bill for an act regarding special minor’s driver’s license, and making penalties applicable. (Formerly SF24.)

This week brought much needed discussion to the House Floor on HF 656. I am proud to support this bill to protect landowners’ rights as three major CO2 pipeline projects are in the works here in lowa. understand that this bill may not be seen as perfect by folks on either side of this issue. We want to support the ethanol industry while ensuring private property rights are respected. HF 656 bill is not about opposing the pipelines, but about opposing the use of eminent domain to construct the pipelines in our state. Companies constructing these pipelines should not be able to use the heavy hand of government power to abuse landowner rights. This bill requires that carbon captures pipelines companies to reach voluntary easements for 90% of the land route before they seek the use of eminent domain. It also creates an interim study committee meaning in that will make recommendations that will improve eminent domain policy in lowa.

Learning more about child care centers this week around our state, I was happy to support HF 668. This bill provides that child care centers and facilities will be given the residential rollback instead of commercial for property tax purposes. This bill says that properties that are primarily used for a child care centers will be given the same rollback as residential property, which for this year is 54%. Currently, child care centers are considered a commercial property and required to pay property tax on 90% of their assessed value.

In previous editions of “The Weekly Scoop” newsletters on both sides have been working to

collect information for behavior issues inside the classrooms. I was proud to join my House

colleagues in supporting HF 604 for Teacher Empowerment. Too often, these teachers are not

getting the support they need for the administration. HF 604 lays out the 3-strike system rule

proposed by the teachers.

I was honored to join my fellow House Representatives in attending the Ag Leaders Dinner at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny and hear about low Agriculture goals for our state. I would to thank the Department of Agriculture and Sectary Mike Naig for his hard, ongoing work, to promote our state agriculture industry. Thanks go out to keynote speaker Jeff Stine, his presentation about low’s innovations was impressive as always.

Rep. Meggers’ district, Iowa House District 54, includes all of Grundy and Hardin counties and several rural townships on the far western edge of Black Hawk County. He can be reached via email: joshua.meggers@legis.iowa.gov.