A public forum will provide information on a statewide Energy Plan and get feedback from Iowans. Working groups have been formed around four areas to provide input, review data and help shape the goals and strategies of the plan for:
•    Economic Development & Energy Careers
•    Iowa’s Energy Resources
•    Transportation & Infrastructure
•    Energy Efficiency & Conservation

Our region’s forum will include an informational presentation with project team members available for one-on-one and group discussions. It will be Wednesday, April 13, 6:00 to 8:00 pm art Kirkwood Community College Training & Outreach Center, 3375 Armar Dr., Marion.

For more information or to submit comments, go towww.iowaenergyplan.org.

Iowa Needs Privitization Oversight Protections

The Iowa House has not taken up Medicaid oversight legislation, not even the bill sent from the Democratic-controlled Senate – a bill that would ensure that Iowa’s health care safety net remains strong when the Branstad-Reynolds Medicaid privatization plan is rolled out on April 1.

If your parent, spouse or child has a severe disability, chances are they’ll be on Medicaid.  Most Medicaid dollars help our elderly and Iowans with disabilities. A bill to protect them (SF 2213), with tough oversight and accountability, won bipartisan approval in the Senate, but was not taken up in the House.

The Iowa House will have another chance to provide Managed Care Organization (MCO) accountability with a new bill from the Senate’s Government Oversight Committee.  SF 2305 seeks to safeguard the interests of Medicaid members, encourage participation of health care providers, and ensure tax dollars of hard-working Iowans are spent properly and wisely.   This means investments in a better Medicaid  system—not just profits for the private out-of-state MCOs running it—with a fund to finance improvements, a patient-centered approach to care, comprehensive reviews of the programs and more.

Legislative Fiscal Responsibility

More budget work begins next week.  And, as usual, the Iowa Legislature is working in a bipartisan manner this session to balance the state budget responsibly.

The latest update on Iowa’s financial outlook reaffirms the effectiveness of our careful budget-making strategy, which allows us to strengthen Iowa families and communities with strategic investments in education, health care and the economy.

We use a cautious and nonpartisan approach to determine how much revenue is available by following the revenue estimates of a nonpartisan panel of experts, the Revenue Estimating Conference (REC) and we are provided nonpartisan accounting, statistics and projections by our Legislative Services Agency (LSA). Using LSA and the REC panel’s recent projections, we are working on finalizing the FY17 state budget, which runs from July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017.

Under Iowa law, we cannot budget for more than 99 percent of available revenue.  Each year, at least 1 percent of the state budget goes into savings accounts, including a cash reserve fund and an economic emergency fund.  These are reserves to help us get by in extremely hard times – recessions or natural disasters.  We expect to end the fiscal year with these accounts full, along with an additional surplus.

State Supplemental Aid to Schools- Inadequate

On Wednesday, I stood with school leaders, students, and parents and opposed a deal reached by House Republican leaders that will shortchange public schools again next year.
After a year-long delay, the Iowa House Majority reached an agreement to provide a limited increase in basic public school funding at 2.25%.  The Senate had approved 4% earlier in the session, and the House earlier passed 2%, creating the need for a conference committee to reach a compromise.

This is too little too late.  6 years of stagnant state investment in our public schools has already brought negative consequences for our schools, including teacher layoffs, higher class sizes, outdated technology, and old textbooks for kids.

House Republicans were two years behind in setting basic funding for public schools, often called State Supplemental Aid or Allowable Growth.  While over 400 days late, the deal reached this week means schools will get just a 2.25% increase next year.  Many school leaders have already said the deal does not provide enough to keep up with rising costs.  115 school districts (one in three) will be forced to meet budget shortfalls only by raising local property taxes.

I believe it’s time (6 years past time ) that our public schools should again be the top priority of the Iowa Legislature.

While the school funding issue is resolved for the upcoming school year, the school funding deadline has already passed for the 2017-2018 school year and Republican leaders say they are unlikely to bring the bill up before adjourning for the year.

Preschool- A Good Investment in Iowa’s Future

High-quality preschool is a critical investment in our future workforce and economy, not just a way to support working parents with child care needs.

Studies show the long-term value of high-quality preschool for children, families and communities. Preschool kids are:
•    25 percent less likely to drop out of school.
•    40 percent less likely to become a teen parent.
•    50 percent less likely to need special education.
•    60 percent less likely to never attend college.
•    70 percent less likely to be arrested for a violent crime.

More than 75 percent of Iowa children younger than 6, have both parents in the workforce. In Iowa, this creates a uniquely high need for quality child care and preschool. Yet our investment in these early years has been minimal. For every dollar spent on the education and development of school-aged kids, Iowa invests only 18 cents in children between birth and age five.

SF 2296, approved by the Senate, encourages communities to expand preschool offerings, eliminate waiting lists and reach out to those least likely to attend. It also ensures help with transportation costs.

To take part in the bill’s three-year incentive program, school districts must develop and implement a plan to enroll more eligible students in preschool by collaborating with families, early care providers and community organizations. The extra money, which participating school districts receive, will go toward the costs of expansion that include outreach, renovations and facility expenses.

This bill is now being considered by the Iowa House.  I am supporting its passage.

A Small Victory

We did have a small but mighty victory this week – my bill, HF2119 (SF2196) passed unanimously in the House!  The bill modifies Iowa college’s teacher preparation reading literacy requirements so that prospective teachers be given additional training and content dealing with their future students who may have reading and literacy difficulties – including dyslexia.

I would like add a big thank-you to Decoding Dyslexia and the many constituents who contacted me and other legislators about the need for this in our teacher preparation programs.

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FIRST Tech Challenge North, Super-Regional Championship

Creative and innovative students in grades 7-12 are competing with robots they’ve designed, built and programmed. This exciting program entices kids to “think like scientists and engineers”, teaches them to experiment and overcome obstacles, helps make the skills they are learning – like math and science – tangible, accessible and real, and builds self-esteem and confidence.”

Ankeny team DICE, is showing me the 3D printer they’re using to make dice which they then give away to passersby. The team built and programmed the printer themselves. Team coach, Robert Merrill looks on as members Matt Brucker and Emmy Farrell explain how the printer works. Cool!

Kennedy High School team, Cougarbots: Bethany Smeed, Alex Young, Thomas Smeed, Wesley Pearson, Sara Rosenthal, Kameron Hossein, Max Slater and Daniel Lovig. Go Cougarbots!

Who said kilts were just for St Paddy’s Day?!

Kennedy High School Chemistry teacher, Mrs. Vargas, is in her second year teaching as she hails from a bio-lab background. She’s devoting hours of after-school time to the team – and loving every minute of it. Because that’s what educators do.

Let the Games Begin! This was a real “cliff-hanger”

Le Mars team, Geared Up, didn’t qualify for this round of the competition, but they were asked to attend and represent Rockwell-Collins at the VIP booth. Seniors, Jacob Beyer and Gabe Jensen led us on a tour, explaining what each team was working on and how the judging works. One of their coaches, Tracy Winger, (And of course, no FTC photo album would be complete without a pic of Rebecca Whitaker, FIRST Tech Challenge Affiliate Partner.)

                                                     Visit to the Freedom Foundation

The Freedom Foundation serves many needs of active duty, reserve and honorably discharged military veterans. Last year, they served hundreds of meals, helped secure emergency lodging and assisted with home mortgages, gave away gently used clothing, and even helped with employment programs. “Empower, not enable” is their motto as they serve veterans who have often been left behind. I didn’t know about the Freedom Foundation until recently but am glad to learn about this local safety net for our veterans.
To contribute: http://www.usfreedomfoundation.org/

Executive Director Charles Elias presented me with their t-shirt inscribed with the saying, “Freedom isn’t Free.” I salute my new friend, whose family has lost so many to the wars our nation fought – the Battle of the Bulge, Pearl Harbor, Normandy invasion and Iwo Jima. This is a shirt I will wear humbly and proudly.

The food pantry serves veterans and their families and relies heavily on corporate and individual monetary and food donations.

The Foundation’s VP, Jan Bloomhall’s uncle is a veteran and Jan’s always had a heart to serve. She – and all of the “staff” – works countless hours in a volunteer capacity.

Chuck and I visit with Vietnam veteran Doug Adamson, one of the original founders of the Iowa Veterans Welcome Center, which morphed into the Freedom Foundation.
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The League of Women Voters hosted a legislative forum last Saturday at Mercy Medical Center. Many of the participants’ questions dealt with adequately funding education, water quality, mental health system, and Medicaid privatization. These happen to be my top concerns for the remaining days of the Session.
I’m appreciative of this opportunity to hear from constituents.

The priority issues at the second legislative forum – the United Labor Alliance – were similar to the first: school funding, tax coupling, Medicaid oversight, minimum wage and water quality.

I really appreciate all the valuable ideas and participation by concerned citizens in Saturday’s forums. The input is critical for determining and supporting our efforts in the legislature.

Rathbun Regional Water Association CEO, John Glenn (yes, that’s really his name: ) spoke with me about a proposal to phase out sales tax on residential tap water because bottled water sold in retail stores is not taxed.

We also discussed the quality of drinking water, water sources in Iowa – including aquifers, deep & shallow wells, rivers and lakes – and water contaminates such as nitrates and phosphorus.

John is also a farmer and we discussed the use of various types of fertilizers, their bonding characteristics, nutrient run-off, scientific advances in the application process and soil-fixing additives and plants.

This in-depth conversation gives me additional hope, knowing that more and more Iowans are concentrating on and learning about our water quality issues.

Jeff Morgan, IA Vocational Rehab Services Councelor, discussed employment opportunities for those with a disability. Last year, Iowans with disabilities served by IVRS have an estimated income of $47.1 million annually. Approximately 96% of successful VR job candidates remain in Iowa working, paying taxes, and contributing to their communities.

This is certainly a program deserving increased state and federal funding. I discovered that, not only is there a waiting list for these services, but the counselors in the Iowa City area have caseloads averaging more than 130 clients. A valuable program that, for every dollar spent, not only improves the lives of those with disabilities, it also generates an additional $7 for the Iowa economy.

Cedar Rapidian Gregg Stark of the Iowa Water Trails Association spoke with me about water quality issues. Gregg is the editor/photographer of IWTA’s newsletter, which is packed with information for those interested in creating, sustaining, or simply enjoying our Iowa water trails. Learn more about this resource here:http://iowawatertrails.org/

Gregg is a true conservationist, concerned about Iowa’s waterways. Before we parted, he quoted a bit of Winston Churchill, “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing – after they’ve tried everything else.” I hope that Iowa will disprove Winston, and do the right thing soon to improve our water quality.

Legislators were invited to attend a meeting Tuesday with Fred Van Liew, Restorative Practices Coordinator at the Portland Center for Restorative Justice. Mr. Van Liew first explained that Restorative Justice is a system of criminal justice that focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large.

A number of studies of restorative practices (restitution, mediation, family group conferences, victim impact panels) indicate that recidivism decreases. With costs of corrections encroaching on other funding needs, with little to show for it in terms of citizen satisfaction or lowered recidivism, a more innovative approach is needed.

Restorative justice has proven to be cost-effective.

At the Rally for Compassionate Cannabis on the steps of the Iowa Capitol. Republican Diane Larson from Waterloo was here, advocating for her daughter. Cannabis oil could eliminate the side effects found in many other medications and alleviate the symptoms of many illnesses experienced by Iowans of all political stripes. I am proud to stand with my Republican colleague, Peter Cownie, who sponsored the bill in the House.
I believe that a majority of House members would pass this legislation if leadership would bring it to a vote. 67% of Iowa voters believe that a comprehensive Medical Cannabis program should be passed this Session. If you agree, please ask Speaker Linda Upmeyer, and the Ways and Means Chair, Representative Tom Sands, to move the bill for debate and passage.

Three startling statistics:
* 21% of low-income children were chronically absent in kindergarten as opposed to 5% of their more affluent peers
* By age three, higher income kids hear 30 million more words than lower income kids
* 34 percent of children entering kindergarten lack the basic language skills needed to learn how to read

I met with Rochelle Naylor, constituent Laura Columbus and Karla Twedt-Ball, members of the Iowa Grade Level Reading Coalition, who are investing their time helping Iowa students become reading proficient at grade level – regardless of their social and economic backgrounds.

They are asking that the legislature:
* fund the now-mandatory summer reading programs
* expand preschool opportunities for low-income children
* implement the 1st Five Healthy Mental Development Initiative statewide to increase access to developmental health and family resources

I strongly support these initiatives and their community collaborations and partnerships that enhance reading for Iowa’s students.

Phillip Garland and Carrie Rodriguez, attorneys at Garland & Rodriquez in Garner, Iowa, spoke with me about the dearth of lawyers in our rural communities. Phil has a general practice in “downtown” Garland; in fact, one of the few areas of practice they don’t handle is workers compensation. Even in small communities, you need two attorneys, as each side of a dispute must be represented in court. Phil was fortunate to hire Carrie eight months ago. With very small populations in our rural towns, it is difficult to recruit and retain local attorneys.

Amanda Pins of Hiawatha was one of many purple-clothed visitors at the Capitol Wednesday. They are here for the annual Alzheimer’s Association Day at the Hill, and I very much appreciate their advocacy. Nearly 70,000 Iowans suffer from the disease, and that number is expected to grow. Amanda is here on behalf of her mother, who began to exhibit symptoms 10 years ago, and is now needing full-time care at a nursing home. She spoke about funding for Alzheimer’s research, and the critical need for care-givers training, whether it be family members or nursing care staff. Most of us have witnessed a loved one struggle with this debilitating disease. Thank-you to Amanda and the Alzheimer’s Association for fighting for this cause!

As Susan and I went for a ten-minute walk in the Capitol to stretch our legs before debate began Wednesday, she asked me why I chose to serve as a state representative – particularly after the tremendously disappointing school funding fight. Then, we happened to run into Richard Bice who was at the Capitol advocating for Alzheimer’s Disease funding. Richard and I stood on the stage together at the last Alzheimer’s Walk in Cedar Rapids, sharing our personal stories of how the dreadful disease had affected our loved ones. Giving a voice to important issues, like Alzheimer’s funding, reminds me of one good reason – a big enough reason – to be at the statehouse. Thank-you, Richard, for sharing your story and for your persistent advocacy!
Learn about upcoming Alzheimer’s Walks here: http://act.alz.org/site/PageServer?pagename=walk_homepage

It’s said that those with a personal story are the best advocates of proposed legislation. If that’s true, my physician – Dr. David Knutson – has many stories, including mine, about the effects of harmful radiation in tanning beds. I have a skin condition, partly from doing construction work without protecting my skin from the sun’s rays, and partly from my use of tanning beds.

Dr. Knutson pointed out that the World Health Organization moved tanning beds from minimal cancer-causing risk to moderate. Skin cancer is the most common cancer, with melanoma accounting for more than 73,000 cases in 2015. Even more astonishing, melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common for young people 15-29 years old. Learn more here:http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-melanoma/index

I remain hopeful that the Iowa legislature will pass a bill to restrict tanning bed use to adults only.

Linn-Mar PTO was in the building! It was so uplifting to meet these parents who traveled from Linn County to ask the legislature to adequately fund public education. They were even able to watch and listen to some of the debate Wednesday afternoon. Although the legislature’s funding will not be adequate to curb cuts in the Linn-Mar School District budget – or most other school districts – it’s going to take parents working alongside educators to advocate for their children. Thank-you: Doug White, Cara Lausen, Derek Jensen, Angie Lawrence, Kara Larson, and Becca Louison!

Holly Mateer, Rehabilitation Supervisor at Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services in Cedar Rapids, was excited to share the successes of various job training programs in the Corridor. After learning that more local businesses are partnering with IVRS and hiring those with dis-ABILITIES, I got pretty pumped also! It’s time we as a society look beyond any perceived “handicap” and realize the tremendous value of integrating our businesses with more diverse abilities. http://www.ivrs.iowa.gov/ContactUs/cedarrapids.html

A tremendous shout-out to these top employer partners of Iowa Voc Rehab Services in the Corridor:

Hy-Vee, Inc
Walmart
McDonald’s
UnityPoint Health
Casey’s General Store
Pizza Ranch
Menards Inc
Fareway Food Stores
Walgreens
Goodwill Industries
T.J.Maxx
Burger King
Hardee’s
Kmart
Mercy Medical Systems
University of Iowa
U.S. Post Office
Kwik Star
Pizza Hut
Tyson Foods
Kelly Services
Wendy’s
Sam’s Club
U.S. Military
Applebee’s
Wells Fargo
Winnebago Industries
FedEx
Home Depot
Dollar General
Target
Great River Health Systems
Securitas Security Systems
Veterans Health Administration

Continue Reading the Statehouse News

Bakken Pipeline Approved by Utilities Board
July 4th State Park Campsite Reservations Open Soon
Police and Fire Fighters Allowed Residency Flexibility
Open Meetings Definition Expanded
Iowa Gold Star Military Museum-WWI Exhibit

To read the rest of my Statehouse News go to:http://iowahouse.org/StatehouseNews/3-25-16