Middle Class Priorities
This week, in the Legislature, we hit the “funnel” or first self-imposed deadline – a process used to narrow the number of bills still eligible for debate. While there are a few exceptions for tax and budget bills, any bill that has not cleared a House or Senate Committee this week is dead for the year.
The good news is that some of the bills needed to build a stronger middle class are still alive. In education, we’re working on plans to expand preschool to more four year olds and we have made significant progress on a bill to reduce/prevent school bullying.
Legislation to raise the minimum wage for 180,000 Iowans was approved in the Senate and in the House we will continue working on a bi-partisan bill to connect more Iowans to high speed internet, expand renewable energy, and to continue the growth of Iowa’s skilled workforce.
Although there was good legislation that died in the “funnel”, there is also good news, as some divisive bills died along with them. You expect us to put aside politics and find common sense solutions to the challenges we face and I am committed to following that path.
Blame Iowa Teachers?
The special bi-partisan conference committee appointed to sort out the differences between the House and Senate on school funding is in a stalemate. The Governor and Republicans insist on a 1.25% increase in basic state aid for schools next year while school leaders, teachers, students and parents are pushing for at least 4%.
Instead of trying to resolve the school funding issue quickly, Republicans on the committee came up with a new excuse to underfund schools this week: blame teachers. In hearings this week, some said that they refuse to increase state aid above 1.25% because they believe Iowa teachers are all overpaid. The fact is, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Iowa certified teachers fall below the national average and receive annually about $13,000 less than fellow teachers in other states.
This troubling development, in the public education funding debate, reveals a significant difference in our priorities.
Stemming the Growth of Synthetic Drug Sales
We are working to protect kids from new, dangerous synthetic drugs developed by manufacturers to skirt Iowa’s drug laws. HF279, which I co-sponsored in the House, was modeled after a Cedar Rapids ordinance used to combat the problem locally. After attending a presentation about the dangers of these synthetic drugs, and speaking with a mother who lost her son due to problems attributed to the use of these substances, I was determined to work with other legislators to address the statewide problem. After amendments, HF279 passed out of the Public Safety Committee this week and now moves to the floor of the House for consideration.
Legislature Moves Bill to Stop Bullying
The House Education Committee has approved a bill that makes improvements to Iowa’s anti-bullying law and a similar bill has moved forward in the Senate. Below are some of the changes being considered this year to protect students.
Mentoring Program
The bill sets up a mentoring program to train and engage student leaders in bystander strategies, a program first started at West High in Sioux City. Current law includes bullying by electronic means, but the bill now adds social networking sites where the majority of bullying occurs.
Parental Notification
A notification procedure for parents and guardians of students directly involved in bullying is set up. An exception is given if the student would be further subjected to rejection, abuse, or neglect by way of that notification.
Authority Off School Grounds
Currently a school can investigate bullying off of school grounds, but the bill provides further clarifications on when and how that can happen. It also allows a student to open enroll in another district and participate in sports right away if they are victim of bullying.
School Climate and Bullying Workgroup
A School Climate and Bullying Workgroup is created to provide recommendations on best practices, training and resources. Multiple education groups and parents would be a part of the working group.
Helping Iowans with Disabilities Live Independently
The U.S. Congress passed a bill in December called the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act). The ABLE Act allows people with disabilities to establish tax-free savings trusts where money can be deposited to pay for future disability-related expenses that help them maintain their health, independence and quality of life.
The trust can be used for such expenses as modifications to a home to enhance independent living, specialized health and dental care, education and transportation. These trusts are even more attractive because people with disabilities can save up to $100,000 in their account without losing eligibility for other services, including Social Security benefits. To be eligible, the disabling condition must have occurred prior to age 26.
Under current federal gift tax limitations, as much as $14,000 can be deposited annually. Donors will be able to deduct deposits from income tax calculations, and any gains are protected from income taxes. Each state must create its own program before its residents can establish ABLE savings accounts.
The Iowa legislature is working to be sure that Iowa is ready to implement the program as soon as federal rules are finalized. Iowa’s program will be modeled after the College Savings Iowa 529 program and administered by the State Treasurer. You can track progress of the Senate bill, SSB 1210, which was approved by the Human Resources Committee this week, as it moves through the Legislative process at www.legis.iowa.gov.
Learn more about the ABLE Act and the benefits of an ABLE account from the National Disabilities Institute at www.realeconomicimpact.org/
Payroll Debit Cards Must be Fair for Iowa Workers
Imagine it’s payday, and you get your pay for the week. It’s on a “payroll card” (similar to a debit card) instead of a check or direct deposit. You didn’t have a choice in receiving your pay this way. You try to retrieve your money from the payroll card, and you discover you’re being charged a fee to receive your hard-earned pay.
Legislators recently heard from Iowans who came to the Statehouse to tell their stories. We learned that many Iowans don’t have a choice in how they are paid and may incur high fees when paid by payroll card.
Nobody should have to pay a fee to collect their own wages. That’s why legislation aimed at clarifying the law regarding payroll cards is moving forward.
SSB 1004 requires an employee to voluntarily agree to payment via a payroll card. The agreement must be in writing, and the employee must have the option to withdraw all the wages due in a pay period without incurring a fee. The bill also requires the employer to keep the records of consent and to provide another payment method if an employee requests it at a later time.
Fuel Pumps and Iowans with Disabilities
Iowans rely on their vehicles to get to work, pick up groceries, drive kids to school and more. This includes Iowans living with disabilities. That is why the Senate Agriculture Committee voted to strengthen the state law for assistance with fuel pumps at Iowa gas stations.
People with a disability can find it difficult or impossible to gas up their vehicles if they are unable to exit their vehicle next to a pump, or use the controls, the hose, or the nozzle of a fuel pump. They may not be able to get their gas at self-service stations, and may be forced to drive long distances to use full-service stations, where fuel is more expensive.
The federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), authored by Iowa’s very own U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, gave civil rights protections to people with disabilities. To ensure access to fuel for all Iowans, SF 251 requires Iowa gas stations to comply with the ADA. In addition, gas stations must offer refueling assistance to a disabled customer upon request. This includes posting signs and installing a call button near pumps to alert employees that assistance is requested.
The bill mandates these changes if a new gas station is built or remodeled and provides an income tax credit to partially defray the costs of compliance.
This Week in Pictures
I spent 23 hours in an airport or on a plane to attend a 1 1/2 day conference, but it was worth it. The Policy Academy on Next Generation Education Systems had an array of credentialed presenters on the agenda. Each contributed ideas on diverse education topics and policies. The group consisted of state senators and representatives, teachers, superintendents, regents, college professors, directors of depts. of education, and directors of assessment groups.
Shown here is Wisconsin’s 2007 State Teacher of the Year, Terry Kaldhusdal, addressing the importance of clear and consistent standards for his students.
Throughout the conference, I identified additional key focuses occurring in our education systems that legislatures will need to support as we develop policy and make funding decisions that affect our schools.
Some of these positive shifts are:
* greater focus on fewer topics in the curriculum
* closing gaps created by change (supporting what we already started)
* creating coherence between curriculum and assessment
* learning with deeper understanding and a staircase of complexity
* thinking and solving problems together and applying what is learned
* having uniform standards
No matter what a legislator’s level of comprehension of the “shifts” in education, it remains our key responsibility to ensure that students graduate with the knowledge and skills required to be successful in today’s complex world by supporting and funding public education at all levels.
Linn-Mar Community Schools Superintendent, Katie Mulholland; Board member, Tina Patterson; and Deputy Superintendent, Dirk Halupnik, shared their disturbing general fund budget projections if school supplemental aid is set at 1.25% by the legislature, and as demanded by the governor. Even with annual enrollment growth of 100 students, Linn-Mar continues on a downward economic spiral that will create the necessity for property tax increases, cuts in personnel, courses and other opportunities for students. Just looking at the financial figures, it is clear that 4% is required over the next several years just to keep the district solvent. If you want Iowa’s schools to continue to improve student achievement, it is critical that they be funded at 4%. Please contact Governor Branstad during business hours, and help him realize the harm that 1.25% will undoubtedly create. 515-281-5211
Subcommittee meetings for my two Dyslexia bills: HF 325 & HF 326. I’ve been astonished at the number of emails I’ve received from parents across the state who have children diagnosed with dyslexia and are finding it difficult to get the appropriate remediation. These emails indicate that more awareness and more training is needed in our schools. Both bills moved to the full House Education Committee. More information on dyslexia here: http://eida.org/
Second year Des Moines University Podiatry School students, Kelsey Millonig, Chris Hogue and Brady Stewart, spoke with me about legislative issues facing their future profession. While the state transitions to external managed care organizations operating the Iowa Medicaid program, there may be some services no longer covered. One of the concerns these students have is the elimination of payment for “optional services” (re: podiatry) under a new care provider system. We discussed how critical a specialist’s work is for those with, for example, diabetes.
I enjoyed visiting with these students who are going to be awesome advocates for the whole health of their patients!
HSB 178 – my radon bill, requiring testing for radon in our public schools – cleared the next hurdle, and passed out of Local Government. This is the result of at least three year’s work on the part of many stakeholders, and it is now eligible to go before the full House for a vote.
I was on the sub-committee for HF 462, which was drafted by my colleague, Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell. HF 462 provides a waiver of eligibility requirements to receive a high school equivalency diploma, if the Dept of Education determines that a waiver is in the best interest of the student. At present, a student must be 18 years of age, not currently enrolled in a secondary school for six months, and then not eligible to receive a high school equivalency diploma until their class has graduated.
There are lots of scenarios where talented and accelerated students could be permitted to advance their careers without unnecessary delays.
The bill passed out of sub-committee, 3-0 but amendments are being prepared with the assistance of the DOE to find a workable process for this waiver.
Several Early Childhood Iowa board members and local community directors met with legislators to discuss flexibility in the use of funding to improve the quality of life in Iowa for young children and their families, in need of assistance. With the decreases in state funding over the last five years, the local ECI boards need to stretch this sparse funding in creative ways to address children’s health needs, preparedness to succeed in schools and improve the home environments in which these children, age 0-5, live. It’s clear that the legislature needs to take action this year on removing some restrictions on the use of monies, and provide additional funding for ECI.
Visiting with Josie Rudolphi, 2nd year PhD student at U of I School of Public Health. We discussed community-supported agriculture, increased poverty resulting in reduced access to nutritional foods, organic farming and grocers offering locally grown foods. After graduation, Josie plans on a career teaching safe farming practices with immigrants and new farmers. Great “field” of study, Josie!
Linn County Solid Waste Agency Executive Director, Karmin McShane, and Communications Director, Joe Horaney, spoke with me about a bill (SF 224) which will allow landfills with methane systems that produce energy to accept yard waste. At present, the LInn County landfill produces enough energy from methane capture to provide electricity for over 1,300 homes! Based on a case study, SF 224 would: reduce greenhouse gas emissions by generating renewable energy vs. composting; decrease operational costs by $2 million; while increasing overall tons of waste by 3.5%, there’d be an exponential increase in number of homes powered by renewable energy. Good for the environment – good for the pocket book.
Best way to start the day…with a prayer! Susan and I were truly blessed to have friends, Ann and Bob Bromley, visit us at the Capitol. Bob is a retired pastor, and he opened the House and Senate with a prayer. (After listening to a legislator give a lengthy point of personal privilege in the Senate, Bob jokingly asked why pastors are only given one minute to speak. At least I think he was joking :- )
Legislature Moves Bill to Stop Bullying
The House Education Committee has approved a bill that makes improvements to Iowa’s anti-bullying law and a similar bill has moved forward in the Senate. Below are some of the changes being considered this year to protect students.
Mentoring Program
The bill sets up a mentoring program to train and engage student leaders in bystander strategies, a program first started at West High in Sioux City. Current law includes bullying by electronic means, but the bill now adds social networking sites where the majority of bullying occurs.
Parental Notification
A notification procedure for parents and guardians of students directly involved in bullying is set up. An exception is given if the student would be further subjected to rejection, abuse, or neglect by way of that notification.
Authority Off School Grounds
Currently a school can investigate bullying off of school grounds, but the bill provides further clarifications on when and how that can happen. It also allows a student to open enroll in another district and participate in sports right away if they are victim of bullying.
School Climate and Bullying Workgroup
A School Climate and Bullying Workgroup is created to provide recommendations on best practices, training and resources. Multiple education groups and parents would be a part of the working group.
Beware of Scam Targeting Iowa Taxpayers
Lawmakers in the House and Senate are working to stop bullying in schools this year.
The Iowa Department of Revenue warned of a new scam targeting taxpayers in the state. Taxpayers receive an automated phone call from a number, 515-281-3114, that appears to be a Department of Revenue number. The taxpayer is told that they may be eligible for a refund in an attempt to steal bank account or other personal information.
The Department of Revenue stressed they do not make these types of automated calls. The phone number is displayed to try and convince taxpayers the call is legitimate.
These calls or similar types of calls can be reported to the Department of Revenue or the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. The Department of Revenue can be contacted athttps://tax.iowa.gov/identity-
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