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SB 157 undercuts local control

Local citizens deserve a chance to be fully informed and weigh in on proposed development in their communities.

Senate Bill 157, brought at the request of Gov. Noem and advanced in the Senate, erodes local control by restructuring the county zoning and appeals process in a way that removes the requirement of a public hearing for projects with special permitted use. Public hearings are one of the few avenues stakeholders have to provide comments to local officials on proposed projects, and they need to be preserved.

Iowa Legislative update - Feb. 25, 2020

Last week was the first funnel deadline in the Legislature, which means bills must have moved from House and Senate committees to the full floor for debate or they cannot move forward this session. Appropriations bills and Ways and Means Committee bills are not subject to these deadlines, as well as bills that moved through the funnel last year. A few of the bills we are monitoring failed to move forward. In all, we have registered for, against, or undecided on more than two-dozen bills which relate to water quality, renewable energy, economic development, and more.

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