Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

Senator Zimmer’s March 29 Newsletter

From the Desk of Senator Zimmer

One month ago, I knew absolutely nothing about SSB 1051/SF 394 (the Pesticide Bill) and during an early legislative forum, another local Senator stated, “This is only about labeling.” What we’re talking about is the use of the herbicide RoundUp and its active ingredient glyphosate. Since that first interaction, I have read numerous articles, attended a forum from pesticide expert Dr. Charles Benbrook, and spoken to many farmers/applicators. My conclusion is that the legislature should not run corporate interference for any Iowan who believes they have incurred cancer due to the use of pesticides, herbicides, or rodenticides. Iowa farmers must have access to glyphosate, but they need access to safer versions manufactured in Europe. Additionally, the EPA should lower the approved glyphosate human exposure limits to that of the European Food Safety Agency. Why should our farmers be treated less safely than their European counterparts?

(Kustin, Mary. (Feb 3, 2016). Americans at Greater Risk of Glyphosate Exposure than Europeans. News & Insights.)

School Funding Delay Crisis

Iowa Law requires the Legislature to finalize school funding in the first 30 days of the session. We are now on day 72. All of us received our property tax notices for FY26 which reflect a worst-case scenario because schools must anticipate zero new dollars. In the meantime, teaching contracts for the next school year remain at a standstill and staffing decisions are in limbo. WHAT ARE WE DOING? Contrary to Iowa’s Open Meeting/Sunshine Laws, there seems to be a common theme emerging from the Majority party this year: an aversion to transparency and accountability.

Over a month and a half ago, Senate Republicans passed SF 167, setting the rate for school funding growth at 2%. My colleagues and I argued on the floor at the time that the bill was insufficient and warned that, at 2%, nearly half of Iowa’s public-school districts could be forced to raise property taxes to cover costs. Senate Republicans didn’t listen.

Another factor affecting our schools is the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars flowing to the private school Education Savings Account (ESA)/voucher program. With the income eligibility cap coming off next school year, Iowans deserve transparency into where their tax dollars are going. State Auditor Rob Sands has asked repeatedly for access and has been told by Governor Reynolds to submit a request form. The Iowa Supreme Court has already ruled that the form is not a requirement. So here we go playing political games with Iowa taxpayer dollars.

Earlier this week, the Senate debated new limits and restrictions on Medicaid as Republican lawmakers sought to advance legislation that would likely serve as the beginning of the end for health insurance for 181,000 Iowans.

As we would with any other bill of this kind, my colleagues and I looked to a fiscal note from the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency (LSA) to get a better understanding of how much the new restrictions would cost and how many people would be affected. What we got was a reference to Arkansas and Georgia.

Despite repeated requests from LSA, the state Department of Health and Human Services refused to turn over information that could give better insight into the cost and severity of the new restrictions.

We finally got a look at the Department of Management’s five-year projections, and they show Gov. Reynolds is planning on spending more than the state takes in for each of the next five years. It took a Freedom of Information request and weeks of delays to get even that much information.

Delays and secrecy only serve to withhold critical information from the public. Iowans deserve transparency from their government.

Quick Updates

  • Medicaid restrictions: This week, Senate Republicans advanced SF 615, adding restrictions for Medicaid recipients in Iowa. The bill includes trigger language that says if the federal government does not approve Iowa’s request for a waiver to institute Medicaid restrictions – a likely outcome under the next Democratic president – Iowa’s 181,000 Medicaid expansion recipients would be stripped of their healthcare coverage. Make no mistake, SF 615 is an attempt to dismantle Medicaid expansion in the state of Iowa, putting healthcare access at risk for hundreds of thousands of Iowans.
  • Pesticide immunity passes: The Iowa Senate narrowly passed SF 394 this week, providing massive, foreign chemical corporations with immunity from legal action if their products cause harm – including cancer – to Iowans. Iowa is in the midst of an ongoing cancer crisis, and this bill would protect chemical companies instead of Iowa’s farmers.
  • Cell phones prohibited in Iowa schools: HF 782 mandates new guidelines for student electronic device use in schools. The bill requires school boards to adopt policies restricting student use of personal electronic devices during instructional time, with defined exceptions, by July 1, 2025. The Iowa Department of Education is required to provide guidance to schools and families by May 1, 2025. Each school must also revise and update their emergency plans, incorporating student electronic prohibitions.
  • Consumer protections on crypto scams: This week the Iowa Senate passed SF 449, adding consumer protections and stricter regulations to cryptocurrency kiosks (ATMs) in an effort to fight growing fraud concerns. The bill limits fees and transactions and requires consumer warnings to protect users against scams which have cost Iowans more than $20 million.
  • Add spring color to your yard: Spring is a great time to plant trees. Find great tips and resources on how to select, plant and keep trees healthy on the DNR webpage. Check out the State Forest Nursery for diverse, native seedlings.
  • Severe Weather Awareness: The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) and the National Weather Service (NWS) have joined together to promote Severe Weather Awareness Week this week, March 24-28, 2025. The purpose of Severe Weather Awareness Week is to encourage Iowans to take the necessary steps to be prepared in case of a weather emergency. You can learn more at https://ready.iowa.gov/.