Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • Republican no-shows for Tuition Task Force meeting hamper efforts to make college more affordable for Iowa students

    July 25, 2017

    The Board of Regents Tuition Task Force has canceled its July 27th meeting due to a lack of participation by Republican legislators and members of the Reynolds Administration.

    According to the Board of Regents’ web site, the task force was “established to facilitate public discussion regarding the issue of tuition at Iowa’s public universities.  The task force will examine the core issues and strategies central to the process of setting tuition at the three Regent Universities and welcomes input from legislative and business stakeholders, university representatives, and the public.”

    The July 27th meeting would have been the first of four public meetings on future tuition policy.  The Board of Regents announced the meeting was canceled due to lack of participation.  Confirmed participants included the members of the taskforce, Iowa Workforce Development, and Democratic members of the Iowa House and Senate.

    “I’m disappointed that Republican legislators, Governor Reynolds’ office, and other Reynolds state agencies failed to indicate any interest in participating in tomorrow’s Regents’ Tuition Task Force meeting,” said Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Education Committee.  “Republican legislators especially need to participate because their budget cuts to the state universities this year have caused steep tuition increases, more than double what the Board of Regents had initially planned.  These late increases have slammed Iowa’s college students and their parents.”

    The remaining meetings on student tuition and fees are scheduled to be held at college campuses when the majority of students won’t be there:  August 7 at the University of Northern Iowa; August 9 at Iowa State University; and, August 14 at the University of Iowa.

    “All the meetings should be rescheduled to days when students are actually on campus,” said Quirmbach.  “That way we can hear from the people we are counting on to be the next generation of Iowa innovators and leaders.  Student voices need to be heard—and listened to!”

    -end-

     

     

  • July 25 Senate informational meeting on Public Retirement Systems

    TUESDAY, JULY 25

    9:30 AM, Room 22, Iowa Capitol

    This meeting is open to the public and will be LIVESTREAMED at www.facebook.com/IowaSenateDemocrats

     

    Here is the agenda prepared by Sen. Charles Schneider
    (a West Des Moines Republican):

     

    PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEMS SENATE INFORMATION MEETING

    Tuesday, July 25, 2017

    9:30 a.m. Room 22

    State Capitol, Des Moines, Iowa

     

    MEMBERS

    Charles Schneider, Chair                     Michael Breitbach

    Jeff Danielson                                        Mark S. Lofgren

    Matt McCoy

     

     

    9:30 a.m.         Introductions

     

    9:45 a.m.         Donna Mueller, CEO IPERS

    • Update on IPERS experience study
    • Unfunded liability issues

     

    10:45 a.m.       Len Gilroy and Anthony Randazzo, Pension Integrity Project at the Reason Foundation

    • Analysis of IPERS’ economic assumptions
    • Overview of the IPERS portfolio

     

    11:30   a.m.     Participant Discussion

    • Future Meetings and topics

     

    12:00   p.m.     Adjourn

     

  • Governor should urge Ernst, Grassley to oppose health care harmful changes

    July 18, 2017

    The top two Democratic State Senators on the Iowa Senate’s healthcare budget and policy committees are urging Governor Kim Reynolds to contact U.S. Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley about the threat that healthcare legislation pending in the U.S. Senate poses to Iowa families, health care providers and rural communities.

    The joint letter notes that Iowa Democrats and Republicans worked together in 2011 to “expand Medicaid to cover 150,000 working Iowans who did not earn enough to purchase insurance on the open market.”

    The successful Iowa Medicaid expansion has improved healthcare for thousands of Iowans, reduced costly charity care at rural and urban hospitals, and saved Iowa health care jobs.

    The State Senators warned Reynolds that the proposal currently being debated in the U.S. Senate would devastate Iowa’s success.  They wrote:

    “The cost of unpaid charity care in Iowa could again reach the billion-dollar-a-year level it had reached before the Medicaid expansion.  This would increase the price of health insurance generally and be especially harmful to hospitals and health care providers in Iowa’s rural communities.  If Medicaid is cut significantly, rural health care providers could be forced to close.  That would have a devastating effect on patient access to health care and would be a major blow to the continued viability of Iowa’s small towns.

    “In addition, some 72,000 Iowans on the individual market may soon be unable to buy health insurance at any price. You’ve stated that your administration is working on a stop-gap proposal to fix this problem for 2018.  We want to remind you of the urgent need to resolve this issue as soon as possible.  Iowa’s U.S. Senators must work with the Trump Administration to immediately eliminate the health care insecurity haunting these Iowa families.”

    In the letter, Senators Ragan and Mathis also urged the Governor  to “stand up for Iowa the way other Republican and Democratic Governors have stood up for their states.”  As examples, the senators cited statements by the Republican Governors of Nevada, Ohio, and Vermont that are critical of the proposal before the U.S. Senate.

    The senators ended their letter by stating:

    “Governor Reynolds, we urge you to speak up in defense of Iowa families, Iowa health care providers, Iowa jobs, and the state budget.  Specifically, we urge you to contact Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst as soon as possible.  Encourage them to speak out publicly against health care changes that would devastate Iowans and the Iowa economy.”

     

    Text of the letter is below

    July 18, 2017

    Dear Governor Reynolds,

    We write to urge you to join other Republican and Democratic Governors in speaking out against the healthcare bill currently being debated in the US Senate.

    In 2011, with bipartisan support and the participation of Governor Branstad and yourself, the Iowa Legislature voted to expand Medicaid to cover 150,000 working Iowans who did not earn enough to purchase insurance on the open market.

    Iowa’s Medicaid expansion improved the health of working Iowans, reduced the cost of charity care at Iowa’s hospitals, and increased the number of health care jobs across Iowa.   The state of Iowa will pay no more than 10 percent of the overall cost.  The benefits to Iowans are obvious and continue even though Medicaid has been privatized.

    Governor Reynolds, we know you are certainly aware that the United States Senate is debating legislation that would negatively affect Medicaid expansion.  The cost of unpaid charity care in Iowa could again reach the billion-dollar-a-year level it had reached before the Medicaid expansion.  This would increase the price of health insurance generally and be especially harmful to hospitals and health care providers in Iowa’s rural communities.  If Medicaid is cut significantly, rural health care providers could be forced to close.  That would have a devastating effect on patient access to health care and would be a major blow to the continued viability of Iowa’s small towns.

    In addition, some 72,000 Iowans on the individual market may soon be unable to buy health insurance at any price. You’ve stated that your administration is working on a stop-gap proposal to fix this problem for 2018.  We want to remind you of the urgent need to resolve this issue as soon as possible.  Iowa’s U.S. Senators must work with the Trump Administration to immediately eliminate the health care insecurity haunting these Iowa families.

    That’s why we ask you to stand up for Iowa the way other Republican and Democratic Governors have stood up for their states. Here are a few examples:

    Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval has said Medicaid expansion has been “a winner for the people of our state.”

    Ohio Governor John Kasich has said that he has “deep concerns with the details of the U.S. Senate’s plan to fix America’s health care system and the resources needed to help our most vulnerable.”

    Vermont Governor Phil Scott said this about the Republican Senate changes to Medicaid: “Even a small tweak could have a devastating impact on us as a state.”

    Governor Reynolds, we urge you to speak up in defense of Iowa families, Iowa health care providers, Iowa jobs, and the state budget.  Specifically, we urge you to contact Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst as soon as possible.  Encourage them to speak out publicly against health care changes that would devastate Iowans and the Iowa economy.

    Sincerely,

    Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City
    Ranking Member, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee

    Senator Liz Mathis of Robins
    Ranking Member, Human Resources Committee

    -30-

     

  • 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-

  • 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.”

     

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