Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • Legislators offer next steps to improve child welfare

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release: July 6, 2017


    Postponing Oversight until the next tragedy is NOT ACCEPTABLE

    Legislators fear more children under state care will suffer due to inaction by Republican leaders of the Legislature’s oversight committees.

    On June 5, the Iowa House and Senate Government Oversight Committees officially met to consider failures to protect children in state care. That meeting came in response to the horrific deaths of Natalie Finn and Sabrina Ray, and after months of public pressure and unofficial meetings organized by Senate Democrats.

    Following the June 5 meeting, State Senators Matt McCoy and Janet Petersen, members of the Senate Government Oversight Committee, sent the committee’s Republican co-chairs a letter outlining steps needed to better protect at-risk children.

    The following month, there has been no response.

    “Do the Iowa Legislature’s Republican leaders really plan to wait until another child dies before they take this issue seriously?” asked Senator McCoy. “The Oversight Committee’s job is to prepare fundamental, effective recommendations and reforms for passage during the next legislative session. So far, Republican legislators have only made things worse with deep cuts to human services.”

    The Iowa Department of Human Services recently announced that it had hired an out-of-state consultant to help review its child protective system. Senate Democrats believe Iowans deserve an independent review from the Government Oversight Committee.

    “The Department of Human Services shouldn’t be in charge of overseeing its own review,” said Senator Petersen. “It is clear the state of Iowa is not protecting our children when we have two unrelated situations where a child was adopted out of state foster care, isolated in an unregulated homeschool setting and starved to death. If that doesn’t warrant a Government Oversight investigation, I’m at a loss for what does.”

    Below are the steps McCoy and Petersen have suggested to ensure the safety of Iowa’s most vulnerable kids. They include:

    • Monthly Government Oversight meetings during the interim
    • Making sure all child protective workers can discuss concerns without retaliation
    • Addressing the problems that lead to thousands of reports of abuse going unchecked
    • Preventing further budget cuts to DHS child protective services
    • Requiring all foster care children to attend public or private schools
    • Requiring all homeschooled children to register yearly with the Department of Education and have an annual physical exam.

    A copy of the letter sent to the co-chairs of the Legislature’s State Government Oversight Committee is available at http://wp.me/a8aBRy-66c .

    ************************************

    Senator Matt McCoy and Senator Janet Petersen – Necessary Next Steps for Protecting Iowa Children

    At the first Joint Government Oversight Committee meeting held by the Republican legislative majorities, we learned the Iowa Department of Human Services is planning to hire an out-of-state consultant to help them review their own department after the horrific deaths of two Iowa girls who were adopted out of our state’s foster care system and starved to death in completely unregulated “homeschool” settings.

    It has been four weeks since the Government Oversight Committee adjourned.  We have yet to hear from the committee’s co-chairs Senator Breitbach and Rep. Kaufmann about plans for additional hearings.

    The Government Oversight Committee should continue to explore innovative solutions to prevent children from falling through the cracks in our system.

    Iowa children deserve the chance to grow up in safe and loving homes.  We can make that happen.

     

    Senator Matt McCoy and Senator Janet Petersen propose the following:

    • Monthly Government Oversight meetings during the interim to review the progress of the Department of Human Services (DHS) and to hear from the DHS review team, parent groups, frontline DHS workers, Department of Education, home schooling coordinators, patrol officers, Child Welfare Advisory Committee, Iowa Child Death Review Team and current and future vendors who hold contracts with DHS.
    • The Department’s review with an external partner they are hiring is not an autonomous process and should not replace the legislature’s need to review as well.

     

    We call on the newly appointed Department of Human Services Director, Jerry Foxhoven, to do the following:

    • Fix the system: Child protective workers do not have the ability to speak up about problems impacting the safety of our children, foster parents, and even themselves, without the risk of getting fired.  Ensure all child protective workers are protected to speak out and discuss problems openly without retaliation.  Employees shouldn’t have to worry about getting fired for speaking the truth about budget cuts, policies or problems.
    • Fix the system: Thousands of reports of abuse go unchecked because they are rejected at Iowa’s centralized intake center.  The centralized intake system takes away local relationships and knowledge that may be helpful on reported cases.
    • Fix the system: DHS is denying a larger numbers of abuse calls.  If a caregiver is not involved, the case is not accepted even though it may clearly be a case of abuse.  If not enough information is provided, it is denied.  It is unclear if criminal cases are referred to law enforcement.  Proper checks and balances – including tracking these rejected cases – are not in place.

     

    We call on Governor Reynolds to do the following immediately:

    • Protect our children: A thorough review of case plans to ensure we know where these kids are and get safety nets reestablished.
    • Protect our children: Child protective workers are overworked and carry unmanageable caseloads.  The department is dangerously understaffed.  Several Iowa counties don’t even have one caseworker.  Some case workers must cover multiple counties.  Governor Reynolds should transfer funds to ensure DHS child protective services do not suffer another funding blow.
    • Protect our children: Iowa’s law that removed any regulation on homeschooling has given bad parents the power to isolate abuse and starve children.  The department has no idea how many Iowa foster children are in these types of settings.  Immediately direct the Department of Human Services to require all foster care children to attend public or private school. IOWA KIDS MUST NOT FALL OFF THE RADAR.
    • Protect our children: All homeschool children should be registered annually with the Department of Education and get a physical exam turned in before school year begins.
    • Protect our children: Make sure Iowa’s foster care children are getting the same educational opportunities as other Iowa kids.  As Governor Reynolds stated back in 2016 in a letter to the editor, “In a knowledge-based, global economy, the careers of today and tomorrow demand stronger skills, including science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM.  All students need to finish high school ready for college or career training. This begins with regular attendance in school.”

    end

     

  • Latest state deficit figures show GOP budget is ‘out of whack’ and hurting Iowa families

    A statement from Senator Joe Bolkcom, ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee:

    “Iowa is not in a recession. Iowa is experiencing slow revenue growth because the policies of Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans are out of whack. Delaying tax refunds for Iowa families and other gimmicks will not solve this budget mess.

    “Republicans must stop showering tens of millions on large tax giveaways to out-of-state corporations.  These tax giveaways now top $500 million annually and are the fastest growing part of the state spending.
    “The really bad news is that Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans are balancing the budget on the backs of working Iowans. Senate Democrats will continue to oppose Republican-sponsored cuts to the services that Iowans depend on.  These cuts threaten public safety, the quality of education, and the safety net for seniors, children and vulnerable Iowans.
    “These cuts to services could have been avoided if Republican legislators and Governor Reynolds had delivered on their promises to increase family income by 25% and create more than 200,000 new jobs in Iowa.
    “So far, working Iowans have seen nothing but broken promises and horrible cuts to state services from Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans.”
    – end –

  • Bipartisan energy reforms can create jobs & boost economy

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  June 26, 2017

     

    DES MOINES – Senator Chaz Allen of Newton, a member of the Senate’s Commerce Committee and the Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee, has written a letter in response to Governor Kim Reynolds’s call for innovating the state’s energy policies.

    “One of the priorities we share is creating more jobs for Iowans through a more innovative state energy policy,” Allen wrote in the letter. “That’s because Iowa’s economic future is tied to improving and developing our energy resources. I believe Iowa’s economy – especially in our smaller towns and rural areas — will benefit by increasing the state’s commitment to clean energy production and transmission.”

    Allen said that he welcomed the new Governor’s promise to support bipartisan legislation to continue the momentum in Iowa that has produced thousands of jobs related to energy, including developments in the wind, solar, ethanol and biodiesel industries.

    In his letter, Allen specifically cited several successful job-creation projects in his Senate district, which includes portions of eastern Polk County and most of Jasper County. The projects include TPI Composites (a wind blade manufacturer), Trinity Structural Towers (a wind tower manufacturer) and REG (a bio diesel plant), all in Newton; and Facebook (a data center) in Altoona.

    Allen said one of the keys to expanding energy production in Iowa will be ensuring our state plays a bigger role in developing a skilled and innovative workforce to meet the demands of this new economy.

    “Our universities and community colleges have done a good job of meeting the needs of businesses and utilities that are moving to renewable energy production and manufacturing. We need to make sure that they can continue to help Iowans get the skills they need to fill jobs in the future,” he said.

    Allen concluded his letter by stating that “Iowans expect their Governor and legislators to take bold steps during the 2018 legislative session.  I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner to move Iowa forward to a vibrant, clean and secure energy future.”

  • Gov. Reynolds: Convince Pres. Trump to stop Iowa health care disaster

    June 21, 2017

    (Open letter from Senator Joe Bolkcom to Governor Kim Reynolds)

    Dear Governor Reynolds:

    Today, you will have an opportunity to speak one-on-one with President Trump in Cedar Rapids.

    I support your announced plan to raise the issue of Iowa’s failing individual insurance market.  However, that issue is only one part of Iowa’s health care problems.

    Governor Reynolds, you must be aware that the Republican-controlled U.S. Congress is rushing to send President Trump health care legislation.  This legislation will devastate Iowa families, Iowa health care providers, the State of Iowa’s budget, and the Iowa economy.

    That’s why Iowans are counting on you to convince President Trump to oppose this impending disaster.  Here are some of the reasons why the Republican health care bills are so bad for all Iowans:

    1. Proposed cuts to Medicaid expansion threaten health care for 150,000 Iowans.
    2. More Iowans will be living without health insurance. There will be more uninsured charity care, care that is less effective, more costly, and will increase everyone’s health care costs.
    3. Older Iowans, who make up an increasingly large share of Iowa’s population, will be hit especially hard by these changes.
    4. Cuts, caps or block granting federal Medicaid spending will cost the state of Iowa hundreds of millions of dollars.
    5. Health care providers will be paid less. It will be harder to recruit and keep qualified doctors, nurses and other caregivers, especially in Iowa’s small towns and rural communities.
    6. Health care is a large part of Iowa’s economy. Health care layoffs and wage cuts will hurt all sorts of Iowa businesses and weaken our economy.

    Iowa’s response must be bipartisan. That’s why at tomorrow’s meeting of the Legislative Council, I will propose that we create a special legislative interim committee to examine Iowa’s health care crisis and offer solutions.

    This committee would look at proposed Medicaid cuts, the collapse of the individual market, the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and the impact on the state budget.

    Governor Reynolds, please use your influence with President Trump to make sure Iowans can keep their health insurance, to protect rural hospitals and health care providers, and to prevent a devastating blow to Iowa’s economy.

    I hope you will return to Des Moines with some good news.  We need some right now.

     

    Signed,

    Joe Bolkcom

    State Senator

    PDF of letter to Gov Reynolds

     

  • Wednesday: Legislators host discussion about “Medicaid for All” proposal for Iowa

    For Immediate Release: June 20, 2017

     

    Legislators host discussion about “Medicaid for All” proposal for Iowa health insurance mess Wednesday at 6 PM

    (Des Moines)  State Senator  Matt McCoy and State Representative John Forbes invite the public to a public discussion of their “Medicaid for All” solution to Iowa’s health insurance mess.  The goal is to ensure that every Iowan has access to more affordable and reliable health insurance.

    The event will be held at Des Moines Central Library, 1000 Grand Avenue, from 6 PM to 8 PM on Wednesday, June 21.  The event will be livestreamed on Senator McCoy’s Faceboook page, https://www.facebook.com/senatormccoy/.

    The collapse of Iowa’s individual health-insurance market has drawn national attention.  Medica, the last insurer willing to provide individual health insurance policies in Iowa, has announced that a rate increase of an average of 43.5 percent is required for it to continue doing business in Iowa.

    The two legislators seek to allow Iowans on the individual market to purchase health insurance coverage through Medicaid.

    “Given the uncertainty in the individual insurance market, it’s absolutely necessary for Iowa to forge it’s own path to provide access to insurance to all Iowans. It is to critical economic development that self-employed individuals and small businesses have access to more affordable and reliable health insurance. This plan will do that,” said McCoy.

    “The gridlock in Washington, DC makes it imperative for states like Iowa to act independently in providing health insurance coverage. Iowans are practical and self-reliant, and we have the ability to implement this solution,” said Forbes.

    -end-

  • Des Moines to Host Largest Annual Gathering of Midwestern Lawmakers

    Iowa Senate New Release
    For Immediate Release:  June 15, 2017

    The state of Iowa will host the Midwest’s largest annual gathering of state and provincial legislators this summer in Des Moines.  On July 9-12, more than 500 lawmakers, staff, private sector representatives and guests representing 11 Midwestern states and 4 Canadian provinces will gather in Iowa’s capital city for the 72nd Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Legislative Conference (MLC) of The Council of State Governments (CSG).

    While providing the region’s legislators with an invaluable opportunity to learn from guest experts and each other in a nonpartisan setting, the MLC Annual Meeting serves as a forum for the exchange of information and ideas related to many of the critical public policy challenges facing states and provinces across the Midwest.

    The MLC Annual Meeting also provides a unique opportunity to showcase the host state of Iowa and the city of Des Moines to visiting policymakers representing much of the American heartland and Canada.

    A bipartisan team of Iowa legislators led by Senator Janet Petersen, 2017 Chair of the Midwestern Legislative Conference, is hard at work on plans for what promises to be an interesting and enjoyable event.  Featured guest speakers at the conference will include:

    • Isabel Wilkerson, author of the best-selling, award-winning “The Warmth of Other Suns”
    • Kenneth Quinn, former U.S. ambassador and president of the World Food Prize
    • Denise Kiernan, author of The New York Times best-seller, “The Girls of Atomic City”
    • Harry Enten, senior political writer and analyst for FiveThirtyEight

    The business program will also include guest presentations and discussions on a wide variety of topics, including health care, public safety, agriculture, education, economic development, state fiscal conditions, new uses of technology to improve government performance, and some of the key demographic trends shaping the future of the Midwestern region.

    Evening events will afford conference attendees the chance to visit some of Des Moines’ finest venues, including the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates, Living History Farms; and Iowa’s historic State Capitol.

    Participation in the 72nd Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Legislative Conference is open to private sector guests who register to attend.  For more information about the MLC Annual Meeting, or to register for the conference, please visit the CSG Midwest website at www.csgmidwest.org and click on the annual meeting tab.  Information about conference sponsorship opportunities is also available on the website or by calling CSG Midwest at 630/925-1922.

  • Senator Mathis responds to appointment of new DHS director

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  June 14, 2017

     

    Statement on appointment of new DHS director
    by Senator Liz Mathis, lead Democrat on the Senate Human Services Committee

    “The selection of Jerry Foxhoven is a positive step. Along with his work as executive director of the Neal & Bea Smith Legal Clinic at Drake, Jerry has been a facilitator or co-chair of several state task forces and work groups. His inclusive style will serve him well as he digs into the work that needs to be done with the department and the issues around the Medicaid to managed care transition.”

  • Quirmbach responds to tuition increase at Iowa’s state universities

    IOWA SENATE NEWS RELEASE
    State Senator Herman Quirmbach, 515-292-8984
    For Immediate Release: June 8, 2017

     

    State Senator Herman Quirmbach, ranking Democrat on the Senate Education Committee, said Republicans in charge of state government must reverse course to keep higher education affordable for Iowa families.

    Quirmbach’s comments follow today’s vote by the Board of Regents to increase tuition at Iowa’s three state universities this fall.  Previously, the Regents had approved a modest 2-percent increase for 2017-18, conditional on a matching 2-percent increase in state funding.  Instead, the Republican-controlled Legislature cut state funding by more than $30 million.

    With today’s action, the 2-percent tuition increase balloons to a 5-percent increase for most in-state undergraduates.  At ISU, instead of an increase of $142, next year’s tuition will rise by a whopping $358.

    “Affordable access to higher education is more than ever a critical piece in achieving a middle-class standard of living.  Our Republican-led state government has not done its part to keep the door to college open for average Iowans,” Quirmbach said.  “We must do everything we can to ensure that average kids are not priced out of an education or burdened with crushing student debt that prevents them from ever getting ahead.

    “Iowa businesses, too, depend on an increasingly skilled workforce,” said Quirmbach, noting that 68 percent of all Iowa jobs are expected to require education and training beyond high school by 2025.  “Making college unaffordable is the worst thing we can do to Iowa businesses when the number one problem facing those businesses is a critical shortage of qualified workers.”

     

    ###

     

  • McCoy statement to Oversight Committee on DHS and failure to protect abused children

    Iowa Senate News Release
    State Senator Matt McCoy: (515) 681-9327
    For Immediate Release: June 5, 2017

     

    Senator Matt McCoy: Opening Statement
    at Joint Government Oversight Meeting – June 5, 2017

     

    Thank you. Chairmen.

    On behalf of children who have fallen through the cracks at the Iowa Department of Human Services, I am grateful that you have decided to convene a Government Oversight Committee meeting to look into the staffing, general welfare practices, internal policies at DHS.

    I am also pleased that you are willing to exam elements of the Iowa homeschool options and the negative impact that they had on all three of the latest high profile cases.

    The horrific deaths of Natalie Finn and Sabrina Ray, and the beatings and abuse Malayia Knapp escaped, are only the most horrific examples. I have many more cases that need review.

    Last week, we learned of another case involving a brother and sister that were badly abused and mistreated. Justin and Crystal Winterthine suffered years of abuse at the hands of Mike and Laurie Winterthine. The children report living in a barn and only getting cow’s raw warm milk to drink with no other food, other than slices of bread once in a while.

    When Justin finally ran away at age 18, he weighed 85 pounds. An older sibling filed a complaint with DHS about Crystal, and the family was told to not do that (type of feeding, only milk), and she was allowed to stay in the home of her abusers.

    We have seen cases where babysitters dropped a child from three feet in the air into his crib and violently turned over the infant baby by his torso, legs and arms. DHS told mother Ellen Kirkpatrick that they would investigate this case and review it. They never followed up until I was able to get WHO-TV to do a story on the case. DHS opened an investigation the following day.

    How many more Iowa children are living in a hellish nightmare of abuse right now?

    Iowans are outraged. They can’t believe this is happening in our state, and they want it stopped.

    I’m as glad as I can be today that the Legislature’s Joint Government Oversight Committee is finally addressing this issue. I believe the Government Oversight Committee’s job is the following:

    • Examine why Iowa children under state care are suffering and dying.
    • Examine the impact of the $16 million cut to DHS field services by Governor Reynolds and House and Senate Republicans this spring.
    • Fix the problems and prevent future tragedies.
    • Examine Iowa’s homeschool loopholes that allow girls like Maylayia, Natalie, Sabrina, Justin and Crystal to be homeschooled without a single bit of accountability or oversight from adults. This isolates the victim and threatens our entire welfare system for children by removing an important safety net. That safety net is a school mandatory reporter and a hot lunch program for kids.

     

    Here are some numbers that show why the Iowa’s current system to prevent child abuse is stressed beyond its capacity:

    • 1,135 fewer people work for DHS today than when Governor Branstad\Reynolds assumed office in 2010.
    • Last year, 37,840 children and adults were assessed for abuse.
    • 36 percent of all assessments yielded a finding of abuse, indicating a need for child welfare case management.
    • Just 182 Iowa social workers do on-site assessments for abuse.
    • 56 Iowa counties have no assigned child investigators who actually live in that county.
    • As many as 20 to 70 cases are being assigned to single investigators. Some child protection workers work 60 hour weeks to handle their excessive caseloads.

     

    Those numbers tell the story of a system in crisis. Those numbers tell us there will be more tragedies if things don’t change.

    This spring, $8 million was cut from DHS field operations in legislation passed by Republicans and signed by the Governor. That legislation resulted in an additional $8 million cut in federal matching funds to DHS field services.

    According to DHS in memo released to me June 1, after review of available funds, it is estimated that field operations can afford an average of 64 fewer staff in FY18 than the level of staff employed on May 4, 2017. On May 4, field operations had 1,535 filled FTEs. The anticipated average level for FY18 is currently estimated at 1,471 FTEs.

    DHS will move approximately half of the overtime into salaries. DHS will allow attrition to reduce staffing. No Social Worker IIIs will be laid off. The memo does not address non- Social Worker IIIs and support staff that Social Worker IIIs rely on, including abuse hotline staff, clerical staff and more.

    During debate on the DHS budget, I asked Sen. Mark Costello, the floor manager, to explain how Iowa’s at-risk children would be impacted by this $16 million cut.

    He had no answer. Based on what I’ve learned from talking with DHS employees and reading the DHS budget, here are a few things that WILL happen:

    • Iowans who are worried a child may be in danger and who call the abuse hotline will wait longer to speak to someone.
    • The person they speak to will be under more pressure to end that call quickly in order to answer the next one.
    • In some cases, crucial information will fail to be communicated.
    • It will be less likely DHS will send a staffer out to contact that family.
    • If a staffer is sent out to investigate, that state worker’s time and attention will be stretched among an even heavier caseload.
    • It will be more likely that the overworked investigator will miss clues that indicate abuse is occurring.
    • If the investigator finds there is evidence of abuse, it will take longer for DHS to follow up.
    • If a child is adopted out of foster care, the number and thoroughness of DHS follow-up visits will be less than it is now.

     

    In short, the child protection system in our state is on track to becoming WORSE, not better. Children are falling through the cracks, and unfortunately, that euphemism means children are literally being killed by abuse, neglect and starvation.

    The social workers struggling to deal with this crisis are also victims. This system is desperately underfunded and in need of managers who will not allow the safety of Iowa children to be compromised.

    Yes, of course there should be an outside review of Iowa’s Department of Human Services, but we have seen this administration and its appointees make excuses for inexcusable results time and time again. That’s why there must also be in-depth, long-term and transparent legislative oversight as well.

    I want to work with my colleagues here today—Republicans, Democrats and Independents—to do whatever we must to reform and reinvest in Iowa’s child protection systems. It is our duty to help protect Iowa’s most vulnerable children.

  • Top Senate Democrat on tax committee invites Governor to support bipartisan tax reform

    Senator Pam Jochum

    For Immediate Release:  June 5, 2017

    DES MOINES — Senator Pam Jochum of Dubuque, the lead Democrat in the Iowa Senate on tax issues, has written a letter in response to Governor Kim Reynolds’s call for comprehensive tax reform.

    “Iowans deserve a tax system that is fair to everyone, not just the special interests,” Jochum said. “Because of the state’s cobbled together tax policies, many Iowans believe the system is rigged against them. Iowans deserve a tax system that works for all of us and increases prosperity for more Iowans.”

    Jochum wrote that she welcomes the Governor’s promise to support bipartisan legislation and then outlined four essential principles of truly bipartisan tax reform.

    In her letter, Jochum noted that:

    • “Tax reform must be fair…Iowa’s lowest income earners pay the largest portion of their income in taxes. Changes to Iowa’s tax system should address this situation and not make this problem worse.”
    • “Tax reform must make Iowa’s tax code more transparent so Iowa can show its true competitiveness to the nation…Our tax rates appear to be among the highest in the nation — but according to the Tax Foundation, the amount paid by Iowans through our tax system ranks Iowa in the middle of the pack.”
    • “Tax reform needs to take into account our current budget situation…We must not repeat the mistakes of Kansas, which passed massive tax cuts that have resulted in a continual budget crisis where schools are underfunded…”
    • “Tax reform needs to examine corporate tax credits…We must determine if these corporate tax credits a good return on the investment and benefit Iowans, not just those few businesses.”

    “True tax reform would be fair, transparent, affordable, and include reforms of corporate tax credits,” said Jochum.  “There is strong Democratic support for true tax reform.  If that’s Governor Reynolds’ goal, I say: ‘Bring it on!’”

     

    June 2 letter on bipartisan tax reform from Senator Jochum to Governor Reynolds