Hunter
03/16/23
State lawmakers have approved Governor Kim Reynolds’ bill that reshapes and consolidates Iowa government.
The Des Moines Register reports that the bill shrinks the number of cabinet-level government agencies from 37 to 16 and gives Gov. Kim Reynolds more power over the appointment, firing and salary of top-level state employees.
The Senate passed the bill last week; the House voted 58-39 to pass the over 1500-page bill on Wednesday.
The governor used nearly a million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act money to hire and out-of-state consultant to formulate the legislation and introduced the bill last month. In a statement, Reynolds said,
“We are making government smaller, more efficient, and more effective. We are saving taxpayer dollars and putting Iowans’ needs first. This transformational legislation will put Iowa in the best position to help our state thrive.”
Democrats in the House voted en masse against the bill, and were joined by 5 Republicans. They say the legislation reshuffles state government to give Reynolds too much power and removes legislative checks on the executive branch.