DES MOINES, Iowa — Multiple bills are awaiting Gov. Kim Reynolds' signature. One gets rid of gender balance requirements for appointive bodies, and another expands oversight of some foreign citizens and entities who hold or acquire agricultural land in Iowa.
The first of these, Senate File 2096, would no longer require appointive bodies to have a balance of men and women on them. The bill covers a variety of appointive bodies, like state boards and commissions.
However, there is one exception Local 5 found: The legislation does not get rid of a rule requiring there to be at least one female selected to participate in the annual statewide youth summit.
Some appointive bodies have other diversity requirements, such as political affiliation, race, geography and economic balance. Those requirements were not changed.
Another bill on Reynolds' desk, Senate File 2204, expands oversight of agricultural land acquired or held by foreign entities and certain people without U.S. citizen status. To be more specific, noncitizens who have not been granted permanent residence.
This bill makes it so this group will need to disclose more information to the state than before. For instance, a statement describing the purpose of their business in Iowa as well as their nationality.
The bill would also give Iowa's attorney general new powers to investigate violations.
Additionally, civil penalties for not disclosing information to the state in the timeframe required would be steeper under this bill. The fee for failing to register in time would no longer be capped at $2,000 — it would instead be capped at 25% of the previous year's assessed value of the land for each offense.
There would also be a civil penalty capped at $10,000 for each offense of failing to report or giving false information.
Governor Reynolds recently issued the following statement about the legislation:
“American farmland should remain in American hands, and Iowa’s agricultural dominance must be protected. Other states look to Iowa as a model, but foreign adversaries are adapting, and our laws must too. I’m proud that the first bill sent to my desk this legislative session had bipartisan support to protect our most valuable resource: our land. Iowans across all 99 counties have expressed the need for tougher foreign ownership laws that strengthen enforcement, increase reporting, and enhance transparency."