Capitol Comments
Expanding Broadband Access to More Iowans

As technology demands high-speed internet access, the House Commerce Committee unanimously approved a new plan to expand broadband internet access to more Iowans. While the plan is still being developed, legislators and the Governor are working together to find new ways to get more Iowa communities on-line with increasing internet speeds.

The bill, House Study Bill 515, includes a property tax exemption that would apply to new installation of broadband infrastructure completed on or after July 1, 2014, through December …

Capitol Comments

We’re just wrapping up Week 3 of the legislative session with committee meetings, subcommittee meetings and more meetings being held throughout the day to hammer out issues and get the “surviving” bills ready for debate on the House Floor. Each bill gets a lot of scrutiny from legislators, lobbyists and the public before it becomes law. This arduous process helps to ensure that legislators foresee and understand the impacts, intended and unintended, that each bill has on Iowans – limiting the likelihood that bad …

Capitol Comments
Lawmakers Pledge to Work Together to Grow Middle Class

When the 2014 Legislative Session opened this week we, legislators, pledged to work together to build a strong middle class, support Iowa education, adequately fund our mental health and health care systems, repair and maintain our roads and bridges, and protect our Iowa natural resources.

We outlined this year’s priorities that would provide more economic security to Iowa families. These priorities include expanding job training and apprenticeships so Iowans can get the skills they need to land …