DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a slew of bills into law Friday, capping off a busy legislative session.
In total, Reynolds inked her signature on 20 new laws. Among those are three pieces of legislation addressing the consolidation and elimination of dozens of state commissions and boards: HF 2686, SF 2370 and SF 2385.
"Iowa’s boards and commissions have never been comprehensively reviewed and adjusted for effectiveness and have grown exponentially in size and scope over decades," Reynolds said in a statement. "Today, we reverse that trend, reducing 83 boards and commissions, fixing identified inefficiencies, and unlocking the full potential of last year’s legislation to more effectively deliver services to Iowans.”
Earlier this year, Local 5 spoke to commissioners who said laws like SF 2385 could erase certain voices from state government.
"There's going to be less collective power for one," Caleb Knutson, Commissioner of Latino Affairs, told Local 5 in April. "You've gotta divide the time, and that's going to be a very difficult logistical challenge."
Reynolds also signed a bill regulating hemp products into law. While she acknowledged some concerns about the bill, Reynolds ultimately signed the legislation to "protect minors from dangerous and intoxicating products."
"At the same time, we’ve taken steps to ensure that children who are resistant to medications and suffer from seizures and other medical conditions continue to have access to consumable hemp alternatives for relief," Reynolds said in a statement.
While Reynolds signed numerous pieces of legislation into law Friday, she also vetoed a bill relating to penalties associated with open meetings violations. Read her full veto letter here.
For a full list of bills Reynolds signed into law Friday, click here.