Brianne Pfannenstiel

bpfannenst@dmreg.com

CORRECTION: This article has been corrected to say that language protecting landlords who don't want to rent to those who use federal housing vouchers has been stripped from the bill.

Cities and counties would be barred from enacting local minimum wage increases under a proposal approved by the Iowa House Thursday night.

"We believe that local control is important and advocate for it. This bill is not inconsistent with that belief," said Rep. John Landon, a Republican from Ankeny who managed the bill on the House floor. "Allowing cities and counties to set standards for employment matters and commerce creates an inconsistent playing field that hinders economic growth and business interests."

House File 295 was approved on a vote of 56 to 41. Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, was the only Republican to break ranks and vote against the bill, and all House Democrats voted against it.

The legislation includes broad pre-emption language that blocks cities and counties from implementing policies that are at odds with state law, including setting minimum wages that exceed the state level of $7.25 an hour. Polk is one of four Iowa counties that have approved increases, along with Johnson, Linn and Wapello counties.

Polk County wages are scheduled to grow incrementally to $10.75 an hour by 2019, beginning with an increase next month to $8.75 an hour.

“I’ve seen what kind of input and thought and consideration goes into making these kinds of decisions," said Rep. Amy Nielsen, a Democrat and the former mayor of North Liberty. "These decisions are driven by the people of the communities that live there. So for the state to come in and take away the right of communities to decide how their values systems, what they want to make a priority in their communities — I believe it’s an overreach. And I believe it’s not our place.”

Republicans argue the bill simply clarifies what's in existing code. They say counties were exceeding their authority by passing minimum wage increases.

But Democrats said it sometimes takes local governments to lead on critical issues.

"Many of you in here believe the minimum wage should be set by the state," said Rep. Mary Mascher, D-Iowa City. "Well, guess what? So do I. But when the state fails to act, the local counties see an opportunity and a responsibility to their own citizens to do so. And that’s what the people in Linn and Johnson and Wapello and Polk County did."

Republicans argued the change won't require individual businesses to lower their wages, but they no longer would be required to pay higher rates approved by their county boards of supervisors.

“There’s nothing in this bill that pre-empts any employer from raising the wages of any employee in the state of Iowa," Landon said.

Rep. Brian Meyer, D-Des Moines, offered an amendment that would have grandfathered in those counties that have already raised their wages and another that would have raised the state's minimum wage to $10.75 over two years. Neither measure was adopted.

If the goal is to avoid a patchwork of varying county wages, he said, raising the statewide minimum to $10.75 would accomplish that goal while continuing to support Iowa workers.

In addition to preventing cities and counties from setting their own minimum wages, the bill also would prohibit them from requiring things like paid family leave, implementing a soda tax or banning the use of plastic bags.

Stripped from the bill was language to protect landlords who don't want to rent to those who use federal housing vouchers, such as participants in the federal Section 8 program that helps the poor.

Also removed: a provision that would have blocked local governments from passing stronger civil rights protections than those detailed in the Iowa Civil Rights Act.