Iowa is often described as the Insurance Capital of the United States. The finance and insurance industries account for 14% of our gross domestic product, second only to agriculture. Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Legislature have encouraged this success by freeing Iowans from over-regulation and championing private – public partnerships in diverse areas such as affordable housing, broadband expansion and health care. Despite this success, Iowa’s future security may be threatened by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) based outside our state.
These well-meaning organizations often provide advice and uniform laws ready for legislators to enact. However, NGOs receive little oversight or public scrutiny, and their seemingly benign proposals may lead to excessive and needless restrictive government regulations. These regulations include rules promoting environmental, social and governance issues, or diversity, equity and inclusion processes designed to support a DEI based culture.
The Buckeye Institute, a conservative policy think tank, recently released a study urging our legislators to protect us by prohibiting the automatic production of new rules drafted by national or international NGOs before they receive public scrutiny and legislative oversight. The study encourages Iowa Legislators to demand more transparency and accountability from NGOs by requiring them to file annual reports disclosing their sources of income, the identities and salaries of their chief staffers, conflicts of interest and their detailed meeting minutes.
Elected officials should always retain oversight of the rule making process and never allow the automatic adoption of NGO drafted rules. Legislators should retain the ability to modify national proposals. Public involvement should be encouraged to provide more comprehensive input prior to rule adoption. These reforms will encourage accountability and ensure the interests of Iowans are protected.
In conclusion, requiring greater transparency and greater accountability from NGOs is not only prudent but essential. This just seems like common sense.
