Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

Senator Staed’s March 14 Newsletter

League of Women Voters Legislative Forum

  • When: this Saturday, 10 am – 11:30 am
  • Where: Kirkwood Regional Center, Boyson Road, Hiawatha

All Linn County legislators are invited. Hope you can join me!

I’m getting a lot of emails about the chaos at the National level. It’s wonderful to have constituents more aware and involved in the Democratic process, including protests and resistance to injustice.   Please consider calling members of the Congressional delegation in Iowa to voice your opinions and concerns:

  • Rep. Feenstra: (202) 225-4426
  • Rep. Hinson: (202) 225-2911
  • Rep. Miller-Meeks: (202) 225-6576
  • Rep. Nunn: (202) 225-5476
  • Sen. Ernst: (202) 224-3254
  • Sen. Grassley: (202) 224-3744

Learn more about how your calls are making a difference: https://5calls.org/

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 to 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.

This Week in Pictures & How I Voted

Interfaith Alliance of Iowa ‘s monthly “lunch and learn” was on water quality. Libby Slappey welcomed guest speaker Michael Schmidt of the Iowa Environmental Council. IEC filed a petition with EPA seeking emergency action to address our drinking water concerns in NE Iowa. Michael is a staff attorney, and he provided background for water quality concerns, what led to the petition and what we can do as citizens.

Policies IEC advocates for that the legislature can and should include: increase funding for farming conservation programs; securing funds for watershed planning, project coordination, water monitoring, and assessment; and improving wastewater treatment to reduce existing pollution.

Coffee and conversation – discussing bills that made it through funnel week.

12 bills voted on Monday in the Senate:

  • SF 42 expressly authorizes counties to use emergency medical services trust (EMST) funds on emergency medical service provider wages. EMSTs hold revenue collected from local option income surtaxes or property taxes dedicated exclusively to emergency medical service. [YES vote]
  • SF75 requires all counties with a regents institution to use single member districts (Plan 3) instead of at-large representation (Plan 1) or hybrid (Plan 2) for county supervisors. [NO vote; It’s an attempt at political gerrymandering and takes local control away yet again.]
  • SF 93 changes the makeup of a county commission of Veteran Affairs. The bill allows an Iowa resident who is a current or former member of the Iowa National Guard or an Iowa Unit of the Reserve Forces to serve on the county commission of veteran’s affair, which is prohibited under current law. [YES vote]
  • SF277 is an effort to clean up the chronic absenteeism bill Republican lawmakers passed last year. The bill requires the Department of Education Director to develop, in consultation with the Iowa County Attorneys Association, a model policy that county attorneys can use to determine whether and to what extent to enforce the compulsory education law. It also eliminates the required sending of a certified letter (large cost) to parents and instead allows schools to send absentee notices by ordinary mail, email, or give the notice in person. SF277 changes the required intervention meeting and now will only be required if the school determines that the child’s absences are negatively affecting the child’s academic progress. [YES vote. Republicans were messing with local control big time when they passed the absenteeism bill last year. Democrats had explained during debate last year, how this would play out, but the GOP passed it anyway. This bill fixes some of the issues. However, Democrats offered an amendment to further “fix” the bill but was turned down.]
  • SF 295 Wallace Building and Adjacent Parking Structure Disposal [NO vote; concerned with the lack of foresight in selling property/parking on Capitol grounds.]
  • SF 308 establishes whistleblower protections for private-sector employees in Iowa. The bill protects private-sector employees from several specific adverse actions by their employer in the event the employee discloses information about unsafe or illegal practices to the General Assembly. [YES vote]
  • SF 377 clarifies that motor carriers can implement the use of safety equipment and other technologies with all drivers regardless of their employment status. Requiring the use of the safety features does not change the employment status. If a person is an independent contractor, they will remain an independent contractor under this legislation. [YES vote]
  • SF 393 This Postconviction Relief Discovery bill is a dangerous rollback of fundamental legal protections that will make it significantly harder for wrongfully convicted Iowans to prove their innocence. [NO vote. Defendants will need to provide detailed requests outlining exactly what they want, how they propose to get it, the reasons they think it exists, and provide notice to anyone even tangentially affected by the discovery. Any affected person must have the opportunity to object. It severely limits attorney-client privilege for the defendants’ previous attorneys. In relation to the victim, the defendant must show that all discovery sought is absolutely necessary to prove their innocence for anything they could be charged with.]
  • SF 397 increases penalties for assaults on certain occupations and adds juvenile detention officers and Dept. of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing employees to the list of those protected under the bill [YES vote]
  • SF 413 Membership and meeting requirements for state bank boards of directors. The bill proposes to simply require that three of the board members must be residents of Iowa [YES vote]
  • SF 472 changes to Public Union Recertification Elections [Hell NO vote; it creates unnecessary financial burdens on our school districts for recert. This is another union busting bill.]
  • SF 512 strips courts of their ability to fairly assess longstanding statutes of limitations [NO vote; the bill erodes Iowans’ access to justice]

One bill discussed in Monday’s Appropriations Committee, SF222. This is the Workforce Department bill with two divisions.

The first division is code clean up; the second deals with definition of “taxable wages” as it relates to amount of money Iowa businesses pay into the state’s unemployment insurance system. Currently, if an employee works in two states their employer must pay into the UI system based on combined wages. The bill eliminates wages earned in another state. It doesn’t change what an employee may draw. [YES vote]

Iowa Flood Center Engineer Alan Doran explaining the sensors for water level, soil humidity, temperature and wind speed. This is important work for flood monitoring and mitigation. Check out their neat flood mapping here: https://ifis.iowafloodcenter.org/ifis/. Greatly appreciative of the research conducted by the U of I Flood Center.

Representative Tracy Ehlert and I visiting with HACAP Executive Director Jane Drapeaux and Early Childhood Programs Director Christi Snitker Regan about the Governor’s Governor’s Early Childhood and PreK bill.

HACAP provides many resources for our communities. Learn how you can donate/volunteer here: https://www.hacap.org/

9 bills passed in the Senate Tuesday:

  • SF 137 allows officers who have completed out-of-state two- or four-year degrees in accredited educational institutions approved by the academy to take the short course at the academy. Currently, only in-state degrees qualify for the short course. [YES vote]
  • SF 153 – allows 18- to 20-year-olds to apply for a hazardous materials (HAZMAT) endorsement on their commercial driver’s license (CDL) for intrastate travel. In addition to passing a CDL driving test, drivers are required to pass a Department of Transportation written exam covering hazardous materials. Current law allows 18- to 20-year-olds to haul fertilizers, petroleum, and pesticides to farm customers within a 100-mile radius of their business. [YES vote]
  • SF174 allows a juvenile court to place a child in a supervised apartment living arrangement in addition to the current options of group care or family foster care. [YES vote]
  • SF 176 – Online school extracurricular activities [YES vote. This is a step toward ensuring equal access to opportunities for all students, regardless of their learning environment. If the online school providing the educational instruction does not offer extracurricular activities, this legislation enables students to engage in activities such as sports, clubs, and arts programs at their local public school. This bill recognizes the importance of a well-rounded education, which includes social, physical, and creative development, and ensures that online students are not excluded from these enriching experiences simply because of their mode of learning. By fostering inclusivity, the bill promotes a sense of community and connection, allowing online students to build relationships and develop skills outside the classroom.]
  • SF 253 – Creates a lifetime fur harvester license for a resident of Iowa who is a veteran or on active duty who was disabled in the line of duty. [YES vote. This is a significant gesture of appreciation for the sacrifices these individuals have made in service to their country. By providing them with the opportunity to a lifetime fur harvester license without the burden of annual license fees, we acknowledge the challenges disabled veterans face while also promoting their mental and physical well-being. Also, this is Sen. Donahue’s bill, but a Republican filed it because they don’t pass any legislation under a Democrat’s name.]
  • SF 296 – Creates an exemption from the practice of veterinary medicine to allow emergency medical providers to diagnose and treat police service dogs to the extent needed to stabilize their condition when they have been severely injured in the line of duty. [YES vote]
  • SF 314 – Requires the Real Estate Commission to alter application forms to include an indicator of whether the applicant is applying for a license effective upon commission approval or active upon current license expiration. [YES vote]
  • SF 319 – “Patient’s Right to Save Act,” would empower patients to seek discounted cash prices for health care services, and receive credit from insurance carriers for seeking lower cost services, [YES vote]
  • SF 427– Relates to licensure for professional land surveyors. It requires an applicant to have successfully passed an examination specific to the laws of this state. [YES vote]

Jemma Bullock and Jordan Humphrey are with the Iowa Queer Student Alliance which formed a few years ago in response to some anti-LGBTQ+ legislature. Despite the ongoing attack against their rights, these young people remain committed to the cause and hopeful for a brighter future.

I will do all that I can to support them and their rights.

Enjoyed talking with Paul Bagby, Iowa Professional Firefighters Cedar Rapids Local 11 President, about contract negotiations and cancer insurance coverage. So appreciative of our firefighters who put their lives on the line to save lives.

Once again, I served on the sub-committee for SF545, a bill implementing battery stewardship plans. The bill passed through the Natural Resources and Environment Committee but because there is an expenditure attached, it also must pass through the Appropriations Committee. Batteries are linked to hundreds of waste fires and it’s time we got them out of landfills.

9 bills passed in the Senate Wednesday:

  • SF 603 – The Iowa Workforce Development bill [YES vote, code cleanup bill.]
  • SF 266 – Establishes Gift Card Fraud as a type of theft [YES vote]
  • SF 305 – Controlled Substances Update Act [YES vote. This is the annual Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL) update so that Iowa code conforms with federal regulations].
  • SF 384 – Railway crossings closures. [YES vote. The bill requires a railway corporation to give notice of a public railway crossing closing for repairs or upgrades to the government entity that has jurisdiction over the crossing.]
  • SF 392 – THC Open Container Laws [YES vote. The bill adds otherwise lawful THC beverages to the prohibition on having open alcoholic beverage containers while operating a vehicle.]
  • SF 395– Illegal Gaming by Account Sharing or Proxy Betting [YES vote. The bill criminalizes account sharing and proxy betting by adding them to the prohibited practices constituting illegal gaming.]
  • SF 461– Adding Grooming to the Sex Offender Registry [YES vote. In Iowa law, “grooming” is defined as a person knowingly performing an act (including through a third party, online, or written communication) to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice a child (under 18) to commit or engage in unlawful sexual activity]
  • SF 462 – Duplicative Firearm Background Notification [YES vote. The bill repeals Iowa code 724.31A, which has two functions. It sets the procedure for a court to alert the National Instant Criminal Background Check System database that a person has been prohibited from acquiring a firearm. It also sets the procedure for someone to reacquire firearm rights after they are no longer a prohibited person. Per the Department of Public Safety and FBI, this section is duplicative and is causing failures of FBI audits of our national database inputs.]
  • SF 566 – Court Debt Study Bill [YES vote. The bill creates a study committee to produce a legislative proposal to overhaul the administration of the court debt system. The state court administrator will chair and may appoint members with relevant expertise]

Great to visit with constituents, Bob Mitchell and Sheryl Jahnel, about SF412. Bob and Sheryl are both in the real estate business and have been working on this bill for a few years. It provides a definition for “rent” and changes eviction notice requirements.

A change I certainly support is getting rid of the requirement for an evicted tenant’s belongings to be left on the curb for 24 hours.

What do you think?

Mandie Hamor has a story to share. Yes, it’s one of resilience and determination but it’s also one of getting connected with the right people to help in time of need.

Four years ago, Mandie was a young mom of a child with severe disabilities. Thank goodness she got connected with Allison Cortez, a family support specialist for FaDSS (Family Development and Self-Sufficiency). Allison helped Mandie navigate the system, getting the supports she and her son needed to be successful. Flash forward four years, and Allison is now attending Kirkwood Community College, on her way to becoming a social worker so she can pass it on, helping others as she was helped.

FaDSS is an evidence-based program focusing on long-term change for low-income families. Amber Martin Mercil, Program Manager for Four Oaks Cornerstone, spoke with me about the work they are doing through FaDSS to increase employment and help families get safe and affordable housing.

Thank you to Amber and her team: Marissa Trevino, Macaylah Estrada, Annie Feldstein, Raven Estrada, Kayla Peters and Allison Cortez for the incredible work they do supporting families like Mandie’s. Best wish to Mandie in her future career!

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.