Gov. Kim Reynolds signs law reshaping Iowa government, reducing agencies. What it does:

Flanked by her top-level division administrators, Gov. Kim Reynolds inked her identify to an enormous invoice Tuesday that can reshape Iowa’s state businesses and provides her extra energy to rent, fireplace and set the salaries of prime officers.

Reynolds, a Republican, proposed the laws earlier this 12 months, arguing it has been too lengthy since state authorities has taken a holistic take a look at the way in which it provides companies to Iowans. She stated Senate File 514 will make authorities smaller and extra environment friendly, saving taxpayers cash.

“Companies have been unfold unpredictably throughout state authorities, actually inflicting simply pointless friction for Iowans,” she stated. “And what we additionally noticed was fractured organizational construction that was stopping hundreds of succesful, hardworking public servants from reaching their full potential.”

Below the brand new regulation, Iowa’s cabinet-level authorities businesses will shrink from 37 to 16.

The governor will be capable of rent and fireplace extra top-level positions at will, fairly than for trigger. And the salaries for cabinet-level administrators won’t be restricted by regulation, giving Reynolds the power to pay extra to lure officers to work for the state.

Reynolds assembled these 16 company administrators and a bunch of Republican lawmakers behind her Tuesday for a signing ceremony within the governor’s formal workplace within the Iowa Capitol constructing.

“It’s their work as we transfer ahead with implementation that completely will generate the optimistic outcomes that this laws intends,” Reynolds stated. “And so a heartfelt thanks to all of my administrators and my group.”

Reynolds stated her group is working arduous to make sure a lot of the mergers are prepared by July 1, the invoice’s efficient date. And he or she stated she plans to maintain the general public knowledgeable about how the method goes.

“I’m not saying there gained’t be bumps. I imply, it is a enormous enterprise,” she stated. “However we’re going to do it proper. We’re going to get it proper, and if we have to decelerate any of the alignments to ensure that we’re taking all of that into consideration, we’ll do this.”

Democrats have criticized the regulation’s enlargement of the governor’s powers and argued that businesses just like the state’s Workplace of the Client Advocate and Division of the Blind shall be extra topic to political strain due to the restructuring.

“The governor retains calling this a realignment, however let’s be sincere: it’s an influence seize,” stated Senate Minority Chief Zach Wahls, D-Coralville. “Below this new regulation, the governor can have extra management over once-independent workplaces and businesses, with fewer checks and balances. She’ll have extra energy to nominate pals and cronies, with no limits on sweetheart salaries for them.”

Reorganization based mostly on guide paid with federal rescue cash

Reynolds started learning the opportunity of reorganizing Iowa’s authorities final August, when she used $994,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to rent a guide, Guidehouse LLP, to have a look at the problem and write a report with suggestions.

Her first public name to scale back the variety of state businesses got here in January, throughout her Situation of the State tackle.

Democrats accused Republicans of not responding to Iowans’ issues concerning the invoice. They usually say the way in which some state departments are reorganized will make it tougher to ship companies to Iowans.

“The governor’s invoice signing at this time is all politics,” stated Rep. Amy Nielsen, D-North Liberty, the highest Democrat on the Home State Authorities Committee. “Far too most of the payments like this one have been authored by out-of-state consultants or particular curiosity teams with out actual enter from Iowans. It’s an influence seize and one of many causes persons are so annoyed with politics lately.”

Lawmakers have questions on state positions that shall be eradicated

Reynolds has repeatedly stated the reorganization will occur with out shedding any state staff.

She expects $214.6 million in financial savings to the state over 4 years, primarily by chopping vacant positions, consolidating workplace area and sharing expertise between businesses.

Reynolds stated she believes that may very well be a conservative estimate and that she might discover extra methods to avoid wasting as soon as the mergers happen.

“But when we save something and I can streamline companies and have a single mother or single dad that’s attempting to get some companies not should undergo 14 completely different doorways to determine how one can get a solution, then that’s a win for me,” she stated.

Nonetheless, a number of hundred state authorities positions are anticipated to be eradicated on account of the regulation.

The nonpartisan Legislative Companies Company has estimated 205 funded full-time equal positions shall be eradicated on account of the regulation. The company’s estimate doesn’t embrace vacant, unfunded positions.

The company’s evaluation stated some state departments haven’t indicated whether or not the positions that shall be eradicated are crammed or unfilled.

Reynolds’ workplace has estimated the invoice will eradicate 513 vacant positions.

Lawmakers are starting the method of drafting the state’s price range for the upcoming 12 months, they usually’ll have to regulate for the positions which might be going to be eradicated.

Some lawmakers stated they nonetheless have questions on which positions shall be affected.

Throughout a committee assembly Tuesday for the Well being and Human Companies price range, Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines, requested Sen. Mark Costello, R-Imogene, if he had particulars concerning the 110 HHS positions which might be anticipated to be eradicated beneath the brand new regulation. The division has stated these positions are unfilled.

“Might you give us the place these are coming from and what areas that can impression?” Petersen requested.

“I don’t know that,” Costello stated, including that he expects to have the ability to get that data earlier than the price range comes up for a vote.

Rep. Gary Mohr, R-Bettendorf, who chairs the Home Appropriations Committee, stated Tuesday that lawmakers are taking the restructuring into consideration as they draft their budgets.

“We wished to ensure as we construct a price range we’re not constructing a price range for the previous authorities,” he stated. “We’re constructing a price range for the brand new authorities.”

He stated he believes he and his colleagues have everybody’s greatest estimates on the variety of positions that shall be eradicated, however in a price range as giant as Iowa’s — $8.5 billion — lawmakers do not count on these predictions to be 100% correct.

“We simply should do the price range very conservatively as a result of now we have to imagine there’s going to be errors,” he stated.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He could be reached by electronic mail at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by cellphone at 515-284-8169. Comply with him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.