Blog | Iowa Senate Democrats

The Dirty Dozen – Speak up this week to stop more harm to Iowans

8 years ago by ContentAdmin · Blog, Official

Friday marks the “first funnel” under legislative rules, which is a first procedural hurdle that will stop some legislative proposals for the year. If we can stop bad bills this week, it will reduce the damage that could be done later.

McCoy: Oversight needed to address failures at Iowa DHS & shortcomings in Iowa law

8 years ago by ContentAdmin · Blog, Issues, News releases, Official, Post includes video, Safer communities

Iowa children are falling through the cracks and government policies may be part of the problem, according to members of the House and Senate Government Oversight Committee. Natalie Finn is a 16-year old Des Moines girl who died after she was tortured and starved by her parents. Malayia Knapp, another Des Moines resident, was beaten, starved, and imprisoned by her adoptive parents.

Negative Consequences for Iowans from the New Public Sector Employment Law

8 years ago by ContentAdmin · Blog, Issues, Official, Working families

A new law, exclusively drafted and implemented by Republican legislators and the Branstad-Reynolds administration, strips away a wide range of rights from public workers in Iowa. Some comments in debate and since enactment have led to misunderstandings, but it is important that the true impact of the law is understood.

Seven weeks into legislative session, Republicans still breaking promises to create jobs, grow incomes

8 years ago by ContentAdmin · Blog, Issues, Jobs & Economy, News releases, Official, Working families

“In 2009, Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds promised to create 200,000 jobs in five years,” said Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids. “After more than 6 years, Iowa has gained less than 126,000 jobs, slower than the rate of job growth in the country as a whole. Instead of working on legislation to create jobs, Republicans are pursuing a partisan agenda that ignores the best interests of hard-working Iowans.”

Senate Leader: Anti-worker legislation hurts working Iowans and their families

8 years ago by ContentAdmin · Blog, Issues, News releases, Official, Working families

An overwhelming majority of Iowans who packed the Capitol, attended rallies and overflowing local meetings, and filled legislative voicemail and email inboxes were in opposition to Senate File 213/House File 291. “Their message was clear: This bill hurts working Iowans and their families,” he said.

SF213 – Prepared remarks by Sen. Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City

8 years ago by ContentAdmin · Blog, Issues, Official, Working families

Iowa’s collective bargaining law has worked to foster good worker-management relations across Iowa for the past 40 years. This bill will disrupt that balance and undermine the morale and productivity of every public employee in the state.

SF213 – Prepared remarks by Sen. Tod Bowman of Maquoketa

8 years ago by ContentAdmin · Blog, Issues, News releases, Official, Working families

Since this bill was introduced, I have received and answered hundreds of emails from my constituents; talked with hundreds of constituents on the street and on the phone; even met last week with a group of six school superintendents. I have also read the bill and talked with my Senate colleagues about the details of the legislation. The bottom line is this: I can’t find a single reason why this bill would be good for the people of Iowa.

SF213 – Prepared remarks by Sen. Amanda Ragan of Mason City

8 years ago by ContentAdmin · Blog, Issues, News releases, Official, Working families

This bill has nothing to do with making working conditions better for public employees; nothing to do with preserving the quality of services we enjoy; nothing to do with preserving a pathway to the middle class for others.

SF213 – Prepared remarks by Senator Nate Boulton, lead Democrat on Senate Labor Committee

8 years ago by ContentAdmin · Blog, Issues, Official, Working families

This amendment is our last chance to stop this freight train that is barreling towards our public workers. We’ve finally arrived at the point of no return on this. We have reached a point of potentially blowing up the system of reason and compromise that has served our state well for decades.

Boulton: Iowans need more health security, not less

8 years ago by ContentAdmin · Blog, Health care, Issues, Official, Working families

“We will fight this attempt to take way health care security of hundreds of thousands of Iowa workers,” said State Senator Nate Boulton of Des Moines, lead Democrats on the Senate Labor Committee. “One of the most dangerous provisions of this anti-worker legislation would wipe out hundreds of health insurance plans for Iowa, teachers, correctional officers, EMTs, snow plow drivers, nurses and others who answer the call to serve our communities. That’s wrong.”

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