BW INSIGHTS

Government Relations Update - 05-04-2023

The 2023 Iowa Legislature adjourned sine die Thursday afternoon, capping a 116-day session. The final gavel fell at 12:04 PM in the Senate and at 12:33 PM in the House. The final week of session concluded with the passage of a few remaining policy bills, including property tax reform (HF 718). Governor Reynolds plans to sign the property tax... Read More

Iowa Supreme Court Addresses Iowa Housing Practices: What You Need to Know

A recent Iowa Supreme Court (the “Court”) case sheds light on illegal housing practices enumerated under the Des Moines Code of Ordinances, specifically in section 62-101, which provides that it shall be an illegal discriminatory housing practice to “[s]teer or channel a prospective buyer into or away from an area because of race, sex, sexual... Read More

How Business Entities Held In Trusts are Treated Under the Corporate Transparency Act

The Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) is a new law coming into effect January 1, 2024, that implements reporting requirements for limited liability companies (LLCs), corporations, and other business entities that have never had to report such information previously. BrownWinick attorney Brennan Block outlines the main components of the CTA in... Read More

2023 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 16 Summary

The 110th day of the legislative session has come and gone with no adjournment. Conjecture is adjournment “sine die” will likely occur sometime next week. The House has issued a lengthy debate calendar for next Monday May 1 - signaling the House’s intent to finish. The Senate debated each day this week and passed 44 bills. This despite the fact... Read More

The Corporate Transparency Act is Here: What You Need to Know

Much to the dismay of many corporate/transactional law practitioners like me, the burdensome business entity reporting requirements of the recently enacted Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) are here, and it would appear they are here to stay. Under the CTA, which became effective as of January 1, 2024, most business owners will face... Read More

2023 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 15 Summary

The Senate continued its confirmation of the Governor’s appointees this week. Erik Helland, a lawyer and former Republican state representative, was confirmed as the new Chairperson of the Iowa Utilities Board. Sarah Martz, the engineering director of utilities at Iowa State University was confirmed as a new Iowa Utilities Board member. The IUB... Read More

Patents vs. Trade Secrets: What You Should Know

A patent can be an excellent way to protect an invention. Machines, processes, compositions of matter, and manufactures can all be protected by a patent. Having a strong patent gives the patent owner a virtual monopoly on his or her invention for 20 years. Patents, however, are not the only way to protect an invention. Depending on the... Read More

2023 Iowa Legislative Session - Week 14 Summary

This week, the Senate focused on advancing a number of the Governor’s appointees through Committees, including: appointees to the Iowa Autism Council, the Department of Education Director, and appointees to the Iowa Higher Education Loan Authority through the Education Committee; appointees to the Board of Veterinary Medicine Board through the... Read More