Legislation

Iowa State Police Association Legislative Initiatives 

The below five (5) Legislative Initiatives were submitted by the Iowa State Police Association Board of Directors:

1. Departments across Iowa continue to face increasing difficulty with recruiting and retaining a sufficient number of quality law enforcement officers.  The calls to defund the police and the increasing violence carried out against law enforcement has led to staffing shortages across Iowa. The Iowa State Police Association will continue to lobby the Iowa General Assembly for the passage of the "First Responder Dependent Education Act" (HF2654/HSB716). This bill offers a practical and impactful solution. It provides resident-tuition waivers at Iowa community colleges for dependents of active first responders. This benefit eases the financial burden of higher education for families who serve and protect their communities every day. It will reinforce Iowa’s commitment to public safety and enhance agencies’ ability to recruit and retain the best officers. It is a direct investment in people who safeguard our communities and a strong step toward stabilizing law enforcement staffing statewide.
    
2. The Iowa State Police Association will engage the Iowa General Assembly to advance and strengthen initiatives aimed at improving law enforcement recruitment and retention. These proposed incentive programs include tax credits, health-insurance support initiatives, and the Sick Leave Incentive Program (SLIP). These efforts will assist agencies with recruitment and retention of quality officers. 
    
3. Law enforcement is an inherently dangerous profession, and some police offices are called upon to pay the ultimate price.  Section 425.15 of the Iowa Code provides for an additional Homestead Credit for Iowa military veterans or spouses of veterans who are severely injured or killed in the performance of their duties.  The Iowa State Police Association will work with the Iowa General Assembly to provide the same credit to Iowa Peace Officers and Fire Fighters or their spouses who are severely injured or killed in the performance of their duties.
    
4. Police officers and fire fighters regularly risk their lives in service of their communities which can result in severe injury and/or permanent disability ending their career; however, most of these public servants go on to find employment in other professional fields.  The current pension laws and administrative rules penalize and reduce their pensions if they earn more than 1.5x the salary of their previous position prior to injury -which is essentially freezing their income indefinitely.  The Iowa State Police Association will work to increase the amount of money an officer who is retired on a disability pension can earn before being penalized from 1½ times the salary to 2½ times that salary.
    
5. In 2017, Chapter 20 was rendered mostly ineffective for public employees, to allow reasonable and fair bargaining rights.  Chapter 20 had been in force for over 40 years and helped achieve a level playing field for both employees and employers.  The Iowa State Police Association will continue to petition the Iowa General Assembly to reverse the damage done in 2017 and restore reasonable bargaining rights for all public safety officers and employees.

Tim Murphy, Local 2, made a motion to approve all five (5) Legislative Initiatives as submitted. Ray Gallardo (Past President), Local 10, seconded the motion.  Motion carried by unanimous voice vote.  Attested to by David McFarland Secretary/Treasurer.