Moving on to FY24

With Gov. Kim Reynolds’ signature on each of the 2023 budget bills, the state’s spending plan for the new fiscal year is now set.

The governor signed all of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget bills on June 1. She chose not to use her line item veto authority on any of the appropriations levels enacted by the General Assembly. The only item veto involved policy in the Judicial Branch appropriations bill.

The section in question dealt with a situation in eastern Iowa where attorneys who do not practice criminal law are being required to provide counsel to criminal defendants. The language prevented courts from appointing attorneys to provide legal counsel without the attorney’s consent. It applied for one year. Reynolds vetoed the language over the concern that it may create a situation where it is even harder to provide criminal defendants with the legal representation they have a right to under the Constitution.

The newly enacted budget will spend $8.5173 billion over the next 12 months, starting July 1. That is a 3.68 percent increase in General Fund spending when compared to the current year’s budget of $8.2148 billion. Fiscal Year 2024 revenue is estimated to be $9.643 billion. With these figures, the FY 2024 budget will spend 88.33 percent of the projected ongoing revenue for the year.

Next year’s budget includes a number of priorities that Iowans brought to the Legislature. They include:

• 3 percent increase in state aid to schools, which is projected to be an additional $106.8 million given to schools next school year;

• Funding for the new Educational Savings Accounts, which is expected to be $107 million;

• $6.5 million to start the new Workforce Grant and Incentive Program, a financial aid program for students studying education, nursing and STEM majors at Iowa’s three state universities;

• $15 million for improvements and salary increases within the Department of Corrections;

• $20 million in additional funds for the Department of Public Safety and the Iowa State Patrol, including the transfer of Motor Vehicle Enforcement to DPS from the Dept. of Transportation;

• $13 million in provider rate increases for mental health and substance abuse treatment services within Medicaid;

• $15 million increase for care provided by Iowa’s nursing homes;

• Additional $7.2 million for Iowa community colleges;

• $750,000 for a new program to help expand capacity and access to dairy operations (see HF 700 for details).

Rep. Megan Jones, R-Sioux Rapids, serves parts of Clay and Buena Vista counties in Iowa House District 6.