Early Outlook on 2022 State Legislature Activity

Share:

1/31/2022

State Legislature Activity January marks the beginning of legislation sessions in the states, and AEM is hitting the road to meet with legislators and advocate on behalf of the equipment manufacturing industry.

As is customary in election years, this year’s sessions will be shorter, to allow legislators to return to their districts to campaign ahead of the 2022 elections. Most states will end their sessions by early May, and a few, like Texas, won’t meet for a regular session at all this year. Despite the shorter sessions, state legislators still aim to accomplish a lot. Still flush with cash from various federal measures, such as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and from better-than-expected tax revenues, many states face massive budgetary surpluses. Over the next few months, AEM’s Advocacy Team will be out in state capitals, meeting with key state legislators and executives to educate them on the important role equipment manufacturers play in their communities.  

Activity Around the States 

We are seeing a lot of early action surrounding AEM’s policies in our focus states. AEM is educating lawmakers in Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio on the importance of infrastructure investment, workforce development programs and a tax structure that provides long-term stability for the manufacturing industry.

Iowa

Gov. Reynolds’ tax bills were introduced last week. The Senate (SSB 3044) and House (HSB 551) bills are identical. If passed, the new flat personal income tax of 4% will save taxpayers over $1.58 billion in 2026. The corporate tax rate would also decline over time and settle on a flat rate of 5.5%. Other important reforms include an elimination of state taxes on retirement income in tax year 2023, elimination of capital gains taxes on stocks held as part of an employee stock ownership program (ESOP) upon retirement, and the elimination of taxes on cash rent income for farmers who retire from farming and rely on cash rent revenue as their retirement income. 

Kentucky

The 2022 Kentucky session is moving at a faster pace than usual. Last Friday marked day 13 of the 60-day session and the General Assembly has already passed a budget out of the House and voted to override vetoes from Gov. Andy Beshear. The House budgets are already moving forward as the House passed its transportation and executive branch (general government spending) budgets out of committee and then off the House floor Thursday. Kentucky Rep. Sal Santoro (R) said House Bill 241, the transportation budget, is the “beginning to the end of underfunding transportation in Kentucky.”

Missouri

On January 20, Missouri Gov. Mike Parsons gave his annual State of the State address and reinforced his commitment to many of AEM’s core policy priorities. Gov. Parsons reiterated his focus to shore up the state’s workforce with increased investment in the states technical and community’s schools. Governor Parsons also called for an additional $400 million towards broadband expansion projects statewide, connecting 75,000 households expand access to rural areas and underserved urban areas, and update and expand wireless networks across the state. We look forward to engaging with the Governor and legislators over the coming weeks. 

Ohio

Lieutenant Gov. Jon Husted recently announced a $3 million grant to The Ohio State University to develop broadband curriculum. This funding is focused on workforce development to help expand broadband service and 5G coverage throughout rural Ohio. His  announcement represents another project related to broadband expansion that builds upon efforts by Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Husted to expand and enhance high-speed internet access for businesses and families throughout Ohio.

For more information about AEM’s state advocacy efforts or to learn how to get involved, contact AEM’s Stephanie See at ssee@aem.org and Malcom Richards at mrichards@aem.org.

For more news and information impacting equipment manufacturers, subscribe to the AEM Industry Advisor

 

Advocacy & Legislation, AEM Updates

For more AEM news and updates, subscribe to the AEM Industry Advisor.

Related Articles

AEM Applauds FTC Rule That Takes Aim at Fraud on Behalf of Exhibitors

Scammers who impersonate businesses and government entities are the target of a newly passed rule from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The Government and Business...

A Balancing Act: Preserving Farmland While Embracing Development

South Carolina has experienced the largest population growth in the nation over the last five years. Amidst this recent uptick in population and urban development, the South...

AEM Advances Pro-Manufacturing Policy Agenda in 2024

The 2.3 million men and women of the equipment manufacturing industry make the equipment that builds, powers, and feeds the world. Everywhere you look, equipment manufacturers...

AEM Advocates for the Dairy Industry at the Wisconsin Capitol

During the past 40 years, Wisconsin has lost more than 40,000 dairy farms. Small and medium dairy farmers throughout the state are struggling to stay afloat with environmental...

AEM Talks Alternative-Powered Equipment With Canadian Ag & Transport Deputy Ministers

On Feb. 21, at the Canadian Agriculture and Food Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, AEM Ag Sector Chair Bill Hurley, AGCO, Yannick Montagano, Kubota and AEM staff met with Deputy...

View all Advocacy & Legislation