The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled that Governor Terry Branstad’s line-item veto of  $8.6-million designated by the legislature to keep some 36 Iowa Workforce Development field offices open is unconstitutional. A group of legislators and the  largest state employee union challenged the veto.

 The attorney representing the governor argued that the legislature did not clearly define what constituted a field office in the provision of the bill that tied the money to the offices. The Iowa Supreme Court ruling said that field office was properly defined in another section of the bill.

Branstad’s lawyer argued if the item veto was ruled unconstitutional, then the entire budget item had to be thrown out. The Iowa Supreme Court agreed in its ruling, and said since the governor did not approve of the restrictions placed on the money created by the Iowa Legislature, the whole item funding Workforce Development does not become law.

The High Court says the remaining portions of the budget bill do remain in place.

See the entire ruling here: IWD ruling PDF