Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs law eliminating dozens of state boards and commissions
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Iowa will soon eliminate dozens of state boards and commissions after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a law Friday furthering her plan to shrink state government.
Reynolds, a Republican, called for the changes in her Condition of the State address in January. The reductions follow a massive state government reorganization plan Reynolds signed into law last year that reduced cabinet-level state agencies from 37 to 16.
Senate File 2385 eliminates 67 boards and commissions, merges a number of others and reduces the membership of several boards.
It also requires every remaining board and commission to be reviewed once every four years to determine whether it should continue to exist. That process will be carried out by a new committee: the State Government Efficiency Review Committee.
"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."
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The law requires governmental bodies, including boards and commissions, to offer hybrid, virtual or remote options for the public to participate.
It also removes the requirement that most boards meet at specific meeting times, or hold meetings at certain intervals, such as quarterly or monthly.
Reynolds signed a separate law in April that does away with the requirement that state and local boards and commissions have a balance of men and women serving on them. The gender balance rule will be repealed effective July 1.
More: Kim Reynolds signs law repealing gender balance requirement for Iowa boards and commissions
One of the most controversial changes in the law shrinks the Iowa Civil Rights Commission from seven to five members and places most of its duties under the Office of Civil Rights, which is overseen by a director appointed by Reynolds. The commission hears cases alleging discrimination in housing, employment and other areas.
Another change eliminates the commissions on the Status of African Americans, Asian and Pacific Islanders, Persons with Disabilities, the Status of Women, Native American Affairs and Latino Affairs and transfer those commissions' duties to the Human Rights Board, which would be reduced in size.
Both changes drew condemnation from the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP and from Iowa Democrats.
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Reynolds signs law eliminating dozens of Iowa boards and commissions
