Capitol Comments

We are just wrapping up week 2 of the session. It was a short legislative work week because of the Martin Luther King Day of Service on Monday and the caucuses on Tuesday night. Thanks to all of you who volunteered on the MLK day of service this year and helped make a positive difference in your community. And thanks to all of you who attended the caucuses and who are closely involved in the democratic process in your voting precincts and neighborhoods.

Additionally, Wednesday …

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 …

Capitol Comments
The New Year means another legislative session is here

In 2014, I pledge to continue to listen to and work with constituents to offer a voice at the Capitol that is reflective of the values of the state that we love. I know that in 2014 we must focus on the middle class and work tirelessly, with each of you at my side, to create jobs and grow our economy, to advocate for hard-working families, to support and strengthen our education and to bring your …

Capitol Comment
New Strategies Sought to Improve Emergency Medical Services

As a member of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Study interim committee, I met with other Legislators for two days and heard public testimony from persons involved in the training programs, from the state agency that provides oversight of Iowa’s EMS, from trained professionals, and from EMS providers.

While we, as a committee, did not come together and decide upon one legislative direction, each of us came away with more insight into Iowa’s EMS operations and coverage. Representatives …

Capitol Comments
Iowa Health Insurance Marketplace Opens

Iowa is a national leader when it comes to health insurance coverage for our citizens. We worked successfully in recent years to ensure that all Iowa kids can see a doctor when they need to. Now we’re making sure that every Iowa adult also has access to quality affordable health care.

This was a top priority for the Legislature during the 2013 session. Our hard-fought bipartisan work led to the Iowa Health & Wellness Plan, which will begin providing health insurance …

Capitol Comments

Dear Friend, 

In addition to my teaching responsibilities which began again today, I will continue to do Legislative and constituent work. This fall, I will be working with my fellow legislators (four from the House and 5 from the Senate) on an interim study committee, the Emergency Medical Services Study Committee. Our charge will be to research the current status of Iowa’s emergency medical services (EMS), consult with stakeholders in conducting the study, and make recommendations to the Legislature – recommendations on policy and funding, …

Capitol Comments

New Fund to Boost Iowa’s Skilled Workforce

With Iowa facing a skilled worker shortage and most jobs now requiring training beyond high school, the Iowa Legislature took action this year to help many Iowans get the skills they need to land a good paying job and to help employers find and develop well-trained workers through the new Skilled Worker Job Creation Fund.

Available at each of Iowa’s 15 community colleges, including Kirkwood Community College (http://www.kirkwood.edu/), the new fund will help develop training and education programs that …

Capitol Comments
Affordable Health Care for More Iowans-Signed into Law

Expanding affordable health care for more working Iowans was a top priority during the 2013 session.

Our bipartisan work led to the Iowa Health & Wellness Plan. It’s Iowa’s approach to implementing the federal Affordable Care Act, which requires states to provide health care coverage to everyone below 138 percent of the federal poverty level (about $16,000 a year for a single person).

The goals of the Iowa Health & Wellness Plan include:

Making quality health care coverage available to …

Capitol Comments
School Funding & Educational Reform Signed into Law

Iowa schools will receive a significant boost in state funding, after agreement on education reform:

Schools will get a 2% increase in funding plus $57.1 million in one-time funding for a total of $133 million for the upcoming school year, and a 4%, or $128 million increase, for the next school year. The state will also pick up the total increase in school funding for the next two years, which means school funding will not raise local property …

Capitol Comments
Greetings!

After three weeks of working overtime, past the adjournment date, the Legislature adjourned on May 23rd, ending the 2013 session. Democrats and Republicans put politics aside and reached compromise on three issues that divided both parties much of the session and delayed the close of the session – commercial property taxes, education funding and reform, and expansion of health care access for Iowans.

In addtion to the bipartisian work, Iowa continues to be one of only a few with a balanced budget and more – …