While the state legislative session is scheduled to end May 3rd, one issue that could push that date back is flood recovery.

Governor Kim Reynolds announced a flood recovery advisory board this week and she called on lawmakers to appropriate funds to address the flooding that affected southwest Iowa in March. Those floods caused significant damage to roadways and bridges, and money for pending road repairs is not included in the Department of Transportation budget that already passed in the Senate and House committees. District 20 Representative Ray Sorensen (R) comments on the DOT budget,

“We’re kind of looking at reconciling where we’re at pre-flood damage, making sure that all the numbers match up (so) that we can get a budget passed and then going back over and saying, ‘How does the flood damage then fit in here? Where does it come out of? What funds do we have to use?’ You know that type of thing.”

Senate Democrats have proposed a $50 million flood relief and recovery package, while Reynolds has asked lawmakers to appropriate $15 million from the current fiscal year’s ending balance for flood control infrastructure repairs, and has asked for $10 million in the next fiscal year for workforce housing tax credits to speed up housing improvements in flooded areas.