Honoring Our Veterans on Memorial Day

Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day was created to remember soldiers who had died in the Civil War.  While the northern states and southern states continued honoring their fallen soldiers separately for many years, Memorial Day was changed after World War I to honor any American who had died in any war.  Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday in 1968.

Memorial Day arrives on Monday, so it’s a good time to again remember our veterans and active service men and …

Keeping Iowa’s Mental Health Institutes Open

Earlier this year, the Governor proposed the closing two of Iowa’s four Mental Health Institutes (MHI) without legislative input or approval.  Already, some employees have received termination notices and patients are no longer being accepted at the MHI’s.

The Clarinda MHI provides a full range of diagnostic and treatment services through its Acute Psychiatric Program.  The institute’s gero-psychiatric program provides nursing home beds for persons with mental illnesses.  In addition, the Mt. Pleasant MHI provides active inpatient treatment to adults through …

Capitol Comments

Session in Overtime

The 2015 Legislative session is officially in overtime.  While lawmakers aren’t getting paid any more, we’ll be meeting until we get our work completed for the year.

The only bills that we are required to pass, every year, are those dealing with the state budget.  Nearly all of the budget plans are now on the table, but House Republicans are still resisting any compromise on an overall budget agreement with the Senate and Governor.

The budget plan agreed to by the Senate, led by …

Statehouse News

From the Capitol to You

Thursday, April 30, was scheduled as the last day of the 2015 Session.

The clerks are going home, but legislators will continue to meet.  Spouse-clerks are allowed to stay and work with their legislator, but without pay, so Susan will continue in her critical role.

Even after the remaining policy bills on the House calendar are debated in the House, much more remains to be done.  One of the primary functions of the Iowa Legislature is to set the budget for the …

Schools Forced to Raise Class Size & Property Taxes

With no end in sight to the school funding crisis, Iowa Superintendents said that at least 298 teachers will receive pink slips this month and another 405 school positions will go unfilled next year. With about half of superintendents reporting so far, 2/3 of those school districts will also be forced to raise property taxes next year.

Last week, Iowa school districts were compelled by law to certify their budget for the upcoming school year without knowing how …

Capitol Comments

The final 2015 legislative forum hosted by the League of Women Voters is scheduled for

Saturday, April 18, 10:30 – 11:45 AM

Mercy Medical Center, 701 10th Street SE, Cedar Rapids
Hallagan Education room

I hope you can attend. This is an important opportunity for you to ask Linn County legislators about issues important to you, including adequate funding for schools and mental health reforms.  Please join me!

Students, parents and educators from across Des Moines held handmade signs and posters at the Statehouse today to visit with legislators …

Capitol Comments

Public Forum

A Community Discussion on: “Where is Iowa’s Mental Health Care Going?”

Sunday, April 12th at 3:00 pm

Lovely Lane United Methodist Church –  Intersection of Wenig Road & 42nd St. NE

Panel participants:  Senator Liz Mathis, Representative Dave Heaton, Linn County Supervisor Ben Rodgers, Kent Jackson of Unity Point Mental Health and Dan Strellner, President of Abbe, Inc.

This forum is Co-Sponsored by Lovely Lane United Methodist Church, Representative Art Staed and the League of Women Voters.

School Funding Delay Slows Budget Process

We have completed our thirteenth week …

Capitol Comments

Public Forum

A Community Discussion on: “Where is Iowa’s Mental Health Care Going?”

Sunday, April 12th at 3:00 pm

Lovely Lane United Methodist Church –  Intersection of Wenig Road & 42nd St. NE

Panel participants:  Senator Liz Mathis, Representative Dave Heaton, Linn County Supervisor Ben Rodgers, Kent Jackson of Unity Point Mental Health and Dan Strellner, President of Abbe, Inc.

This forum is Co-Sponsored by Lovely Lane United Methodist Church, Representative Art Staed and the League of Women Voters.

“We Will Meet You Half-Way”

Democratic Legislators offered a compromise this week …

Action on the Floor

Another busy week in the Iowa House with continued subcommittee work, budget appropriations testimony and full debate on dozens of bills that have made their way to the floor for consideration by the 100 members.  Debate on a single bill, HF 549, lasting one and a half days!  HF 549 is an act relating to collective bargaining arbitration proceedings involving employees of school districts and area education agencies.  The long debate on HF 549 was justifiable as it would impact the quality …