Senator Donahue's March 14 Newsletter

From the Desk of Senator Donahue

It was a week filled with debate – mostly non-cons – which is what our schedules will mostly look like over the next few weeks to dispose of the bills that the GOP leadership in the Senate have decided to put through this year. Then we will begin our work on the house files coming from the other chamber.

Here are the events around town this weekend and upcoming week:

We have some more special birthdays in district this week. I won’t share how special and BIG these birthdays are, but if you happen to know anybody on the list, make sure you wish them a very happy birthday week.

Virgil	Mihm
Amy	Ealy
Mary	Smith
Thomas	Lynch
Kathleen	Matias
Kamber	Boeckmann
Kecia	Coffield
David	Hedrick
Kamal	Ramanathan
Paul	Nicks
Kerry	Patrick
Patricia	Wilson
Lorne	Royster
Jay	Schroeder
Lisa	Kelly
Sarah	Blazek
Jeffery	Evans

Halfway Through

We have officially reached the half-way point of the 2025 legislative session. Last Friday marked both the end of Week 8 and the end of the first Funnel Week.

Funnel Week is a self-imposed deadline designed winnow the pool of legislation up for consideration during a given year. At the end of the first funnel week, policy bills introduced in the Senate need to have advanced through a Senate committee in order to still be eligible for consideration the rest of session (the same goes for House bills in House committees).

There are exceptions to the Funnel Week deadlines – tax and budget bills, for example – but this is the process for most legislation.

Unfortunately, many of the bills proposed by my colleagues and I failed to advance beyond the funnel deadline. The majority party didn’t even give the bills a hearing. However, there are still a few good, bipartisan bills in the mix. And even though there a few bad bills out there still running, a bunch of harmful legislation failed to advance. Here’s a brief rundown (this list is not comprehensive):

Bipartisan Bills Moving Ahead

Ban cell phone usage in schools (SF 370/HF 782)
Helping individuals with disabilities to work and keep their healthcare (HSB 241)
Expanding parental leave for adoptive parents & state employees (HSB 78)
Child sexual abuse prevention (Erin’s Law) (SF 172)
Expanded cancer and health care coverage for firefighters (HSB 266)
Hands free driving (HF 827)
Prohibiting use of bots for ticket purchases (SF 146)
Lead service lines disclosed at selling (SF 425/HF 442)
Ability to combat bird flu outbreaks/animal disease faster (SF 522)
Radon protections and free radon tests (HF 82, HF 700, HF 707)
Increased privacy protections for victims of domestic assault (HF 397/SF 457)
Expand services available in Veterans Trust Fund (SF 252/HF 534)
Whistleblower protections for private sector employees (SF 308)
Stopping corporations from silencing whistleblowers (HF 472)

Bad Bills Still Alive

Low public school funding that reduces opportunities (SF 167)
Stripped Civil Rights from Iowans (SF 418)
Immunity for pesticide companies giving people cancer (SF 394)
Requires public schools to provide false information to kids on pregnancy (SF 175/HF 391)
Allow school and public librarians to be put in jail (HF 521)
State encouragement for elective high school course on bible (SF 510/HF 448)
Restricting STI vaccines from Iowa’s youth (SF 304/HF 384)
More red tape for public union recertification elections (SF 472)
Taking away unemployment benefits for short-term workers (SF 466)
$1 billion in new tax breaks for corporations at the expense of workers (SF 504)
Conspiracy theory on chemicals in the air (HF 191)

Good News: These Bills Are Dead

Prohibition of mRNA vaccines – almost all COVID vaccines (SF 360)
Prohibition on state use of contact tracing, ordering isolation, quarantine, or treatment for infected persons, and expanding exemptions to school vaccinations (SF 406)
Make it harder to access vaccines (HF 712)
Disqualification from unemployment upon receiving severance (SSB 1110)
Expands the sexual orientation instruction and survey ban to K-12 (HSB 84)
Expands the ability to carry a gun into a school (HF 621)
Repeals the voter approved Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund (SJR 6)
Criminalizing homelessness (SSB 1195/ HSB 286)

Where is school funding?

In Iowa, the Legislature is required by law to set and pass a basic public school funding rate (SSA) within 30 days of the governor’s budget release. This year, that date was February 13. Today is March 14 and the Legislature has still not done its job for Iowa’s public schools, which creates budget uncertainty for local school districts.

SF 167 set a 2% SSA rate and was passed by the Senate last month. The House set a slightly higher 2.25% SSA rate and also included several other investments. Republican majorities in the House and Senate should prioritize finding a compromise between their two positions and give our local schools the time they need to submit their budgets in March and finalize their budgets by April 15. Delays create uncertainty and can force schools to make conservative estimates or last-minute adjustments.

Districts must issue teacher contracts by April 30. Without a set SSA, schools may be unsure about hiring, salary adjustments, or potential layoffs. Without timely SSA, districts may need to make cuts, increase property taxes, or use reserves to cover costs, impacting the quality of education.

Quick Updates

Iowa’s Revenues Drop Again: The three-person Revenue Estimating Conference panel met this week to estimate Iowa’s current fiscal year and next fiscal year’s revenues. The new revenue estimate for our current fiscal year (FY2025) shows a decline of $621 from the previous fiscal year (FY2024). The new revenue estimate for the next fiscal year (FY2026) is $626 million less than our current fiscal year. Soon, the Legislature’s work will be focusing on the budget. We will need to take into account that we have seen a $1.2 billion drop in revenues in two years. This week’s REC projections confirm that, for the foreseeable future, Iowa will spend more money than it takes in and dip into the state’s reserves to cover the difference.
National School Breakfast Week: In Iowa, an estimated 19.6 million school breakfast meals were served during the 2023-24 school year. Access to a healthy breakfast is necessary for Iowa students to start their school day, ready to learn. This week’s National School Breakfast Week highlighted the importance of these first-of-the-day school meals and how they fuel students for success each day. Senate Democrats introduced a bill this session, SF 58, that would have required schools to provide free breakfast and lunch for students.
Erin’s Law advances in the Senate: SF 172 requires schools to teach age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention education. It was named after Erin Merryn, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, who has advocated for the law across the country. Currently, 38 states have adopted this law that mandates schools educate students about recognizing, avoiding, and reporting abuse, as well as empowering them with tools to protect themselves. More information about this law and other resources is found at https://www.erinslaw.org/erins-law/.
State Plan for Aging: Iowa Health and Human Service’s Division of Aging & Disability Services in inviting public review and comment on their draft State Plan on Aging. The plan outlines key aging issues, goals, and strategies to enhance quality of life, support caregivers, and promote age-friendly communities. It addresses critical concerns such as elder abuse prevention, caregiver support, food insecurity, social isolation, and access to essential services. The plan is intended to ensure that resources remain accessible, effective, and sustainable for those in greatest need. You can attend the virtual public comment session on March 26 at 10:00 a.m. or visit the HHS website to review the draft plan and share your feedback.
Iowa Kids Garden Day: Staff with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Farm, Food and Enterprise Development are launching the first Iowa Kids Garden Day on May 21 celebrating and encouraging community efforts to grow, eat, and learn in on-site gardens. K-12 school district staff, early care and education providers, families, and community groups are invited to participate anytime throughout the month of May. Registration is now open.
Farm to Table at Iowa’s Schools: The Iowa Dept of Agriculturehaslaunched the Choose Iowa Food Purchasing Pilot Program for Schools, aiming to connect Iowa schools with Choose Iowa members to encourage school food service programs to buy more ingredients and serve more products sourced from local farmers and small businesses. Applications will be accepted through the Choose Iowa website.
Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving: The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) is partnering with Iowa law enforcement March 13-21 to remind drivers: Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. Through the Decide to Ride program, Doll Distributing is offering a $10 Uber voucher to encourage Iowans to plan ahead and make safe choices. GTSB supports the effort by raising awareness. In March 2024, 26 people died in traffic crashes on Iowa roads; 38% of those involved impaired driving.
100 Years and Counting: The Iowa DNR and Pheasants Forever are celebrating 100 years of pheasant hunting in the Hawkeye State. The first season was held Oct. 20-22, 1925, when 13 counties in north central Iowa were opened to pheasant hunting. Hunters were allowed a three-rooster limit, for a half-day of hunting. An estimated 75,000 hunters participated. Hunters can commemorate the 100th anniversary by purchasing a hard card featuring Iowa Pheasants Forever Print of the Year when they purchase their 2025 hunting and fishing licenses. Information on places to hunt, the annual roadside survey results, and more is available online by clicking the 100 Years of Pheasant Hunting graphic at www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey.

Iowa Senate Democrats