Iowa House of Representatives
| Iowa House of Representatives | |
 | |
| General Information | |
| Type: | Lower house |
| Term limits: | None |
| 2013 session start: | January 9, 2012 |
| Website: | Official House Page |
| Leadership | |
| House Speaker: | Kraig Paulsen, (R) |
| Majority Leader: | Linda Upmeyer, (R) |
| Minority leader: | Kevin McCarthy, (D) |
| Structure | |
| Members: | 100 |
| Democratic Party (47) Republican Party (53) | |
| Length of term: | 2 years |
| Authority: | Legislative Department, Iowa Constitution, Sec 3 |
| Salary: | $25,000/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last Election: | November 2, 2010 (100 seats) |
| Next election: | November 6, 2012 (100 seats) |
| Redistricting: | Legislative Service Agency with legislative approval |
Contents |
In 2012, the House was in session from January 9 to May 9.
Sessions
The Legislative Department of the Iowa Constitution establishes when the Iowa General Assembly, of which the House of Representatives is a part, is to be in session. Section 2 of the article states that the General Assembly is to convene its regular session on the second Monday of January of each year. The General Assembly can also be called into special session by a proclamation of the Governor of Iowa or by a written request of two-thirds of both houses of the General Assembly.
2012
- See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions
In 2012, the House was in session from January 9 to May 9.
Major issues
The main issues will be a property tax relief package, along with education and mental health reform. Legislators are also expected to consider extending terms for representatives from two to four years.[3]
2011
- See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions
In 2011, the General Assembly was in session from January 10 through July 1. The legislature was in an extended session due to concerns on how to reduce commercial property taxes. House Republicans favored a 25 per cent reduction in commercial property tax rates, while Senate Democrats proposed a tax credit that would be paid directly to the owners of the commercial properties.[4] During the extended session, legislators did not receive per diem. Iowa legislative rules allow lawmakers to receive per diem for a maximum of 100 days in even numbered years, and 110 days in odd numbered years. The 110th calendar day of the 2011 session was April 30. The rules may be amended at any time to extend the legislative session.
Budget
Iowa ended its 2011 fiscal year with $54.5 million in revenue collections above estimated figures, an increase of 6 percent over fiscal 2010. The 6 percent increase was one percent higher than expected.[5]
As a whole, Iowa collected $329.3 million more in revenue than it did last year. Last year's overall total revenue is still not yet known, due to the continuing flow of expenses or revenue collections that can be attributed to fiscal year 2010. To account for this, the books will remain open until September, as is customary for the state.[5]
2010
- See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions
In 2010, the House of Representatives was in session from January 11th to March 30th. [6]
Elections
2012
Elections for the office of Iowa House of Representatives will be held in Iowa on November 6, 2012.
The signature filing deadline for the candidates wishing to run in these elections was March 16, 2012. The primary date was June 5, 2012.
2010
Elections for the office of Iowa House of Representatives were held in Iowa on November 2, 2010. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was March 19, 2010 and the primary election day was on June 8, 2010.
The partisan breakdown of the House before and after the election was as follows:
| Iowa House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 1, 2010 | After the 2010 Election | |
| Democratic Party | 56 | 42 | |
| Republican Party | 44 | 58 | |
| Total | 100 | 100 | |
In 2010, $13,358,470 in contributions was raised among all campaigns for state house. The top donors were: [7]
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Iowa Republican Party | $2,784,031 |
| Iowa Democratic Party | $2,071,130 |
| AFSCME Iowa Council 61 | $283,585 |
| Iowans for Tax Relief | $273,900 |
| Associated General Contractors of Iowa | $203,250 |
| Iowa Credit Union League | $191,700 |
| Iowa Bankers Association | $136,300 |
| Master Builders of Iowa | $115,350 |
| Iowa Association of Realtors | $105,500 |
| Iowa Farm Bureau | $93,103 |
Qualifications
The Iowa Constitution states, "No person shall be a member of the house of representatives who shall not have attained the age of twenty-one years, be a citizen of the United States, and shall have been an inhabitant of this state one year next preceding his election, and at the time of his election shall have had an actual residence of sixty days in the county, or district he may have been chosen to represent." [8]
Vacancies
| How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures |
 |
The Governor is required within five days of a vacancy in the House to call for a special election. If the vacancy happens in session, the Governor must call for an election as soon as possible with a minimum 18 day notice. All other special elections require a 45 day notice as long the election does not happen on the same day of a school election[9].
Redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Iowa
The Iowa Legislative Service Agency is responsible for the redistricting process in Iowa. This entity is not a special commission or committee of legislators, but a non-partisan entity established before the 1981 redistricting process that divides the state into districts based on key geographic principles, including population, contiguity, respect for political subdivisions, and compactness.[10] The plan must be passed by the legislature and the governor before it becomes law.
2010 Census
Iowa's population grew 4.1 percent between 2000 and 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Iowa's population was 2.93 million in 2000, and rose to 3.05 million in 2010. This rate was less than half of the national growth rate of roughly 10 percent between 2000 and 2010.[11] Due to this slow growth, the U.S. Census Bureau determined that Iowa would only be represented by four members of the U.S. House of Representatives, rather than the five seats Iowa had during the 2000-2010 decade.[12] Most of Iowa's growth occurred in the urban and suburban areas of the state, while most of the rural counties grew slowly or lost population.[13]
On March 31, 2011, the Iowa Legislative Service Agency released its first map. This map paired two incumbent Republicans together in one U.S. House district and two incumbent Democrats together in another U.S. House district. The map also created 7 potential incumbent versus incumbent matchups in the State Senate elections as well as seven districts without incumbents. The State House map created 14 vacant districts and 14 more potential incumbent versus incumbent races.[14]
The Iowa State Senate passed the plan 48 to 1. The House of Representatives approved the plan 90 to 7. Legislators remarked that, although not everyone was happy with the plan, it was fairly drawn.[15]
The new State House districts vary from the ideal population count by no more than 1.93 percent, or less than a 300-resident deviation from the target for the least accurate district.[16]
Representatives
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
As of 2012, members of the Iowa legislature are paid $25,000/year. Additionally, legislators receive $132/day per diem tied to the federal rate. Polk County legislators receive $102.75/day.[17]
The $25,000/year that Iowa legislators are paid as of 2011 is the same as they were paid during legislative sessions in 2007. Per diem has increased from $118/day in 2007 to $132/day in 2011. Additionally, Polk County legislators received $88.50/day per diem in 2007 but now receive $102.75).[18]
When sworn in
Iowa legislators assume office the first day of January after their election.
Partisan composition
- See also: Partisan composition of state houses
| Party | As of June 2013 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 47 | |
| Republican Party | 53 | |
| Total | 100 | |
Leadership
The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the body.
House Leadership of the 84th General Assembly (01/10/2011 - 01/13/2013)[19]
Current members
Standing committees
Iowa House of Representatives has 19 standing committees:
External links
- Official website of the Iowa General Assembly
- Official list of the current members of the Iowa House of Representatives
- Project Vote Smart on the Iowa House of Representatives
References
- ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
- ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
- ↑ Sioux City Journal, "Legislators predict 'different' 2012 session," January 8, 2012
- ↑ RadioIowa, Property tax reduction still holding up close of legislature, June 15, 2011
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 DesMoinesRegister.com, Iowa ends fiscal year with better-than-expected revenues, July 14, 2011
- ↑ 2010 session dates for Iowa legislature
- ↑ Follow the Money: "Iowa House 2010 Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ Iowa Constitution
- ↑ Iowa General Assembly "Iowa Election Law"(Referenced Statute 69.14)
- ↑ The Legislative Lawyer, "A Nonpartisan Approach to Redistricting," 2002
- ↑ U.S> Census Bureau, "2010 Census: Iowa Profile," 2011
- ↑ Des Moines Register, "Iowa loses U.S. House seat in shift from Midwest, Northeast to South," December 21, 2010
- ↑ Radio Iowa, "Detailed 2010 Census data for Iowa released," February 10, 2011
- ↑ The Iowa Independent, "Proposed redistricting plan brings minor legislative shifts," March 31, 2011
- ↑ Reuters, "Iowa legislature approves redistricting plan," April 14, 2011
- ↑ Des Moines Register, "How balanced is Iowa’s redistricting proposal? See for yourself," April 1, 2011
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislator Compensation Data"
- ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
- ↑ Leadership of the 84th General Assembly
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