Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • Sen Dem Leader appoints Jazmin Newton to redistricting panel

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  July 6, 2021

    Senate Democratic Leader appoints Jazmin Newton to redistricting panel

    Newton is an attorney, small business owner, community leader and social advocate.

    Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls today appointed attorney and community leader Jazmin Newton of Davenport to the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission.

    The Commission is responsible for conducting hearings to gather input from Iowans about new maps that will be drawn for legislative and Congressional districts later this year, based on updated information from the U.S. Census Bureau. 

     “Jazmin Newton is committed to free and fair elections,” Wahls said. “Iowa has the gold standard for ensuring that Iowans have fair maps for legislative and Congressional districts going into the 2022 elections. We should not allow politicians to undermine Iowa’s nonpartisan, independent system for redistricting.”

    Newton said she is enthusiastic about serving on the Commission.

     “I am committed to ensuring that Iowans have fair maps for legislative and Congressional districts,” Newton said. “The Iowa system is based on a simple principle: Politicians in Des Moines shouldn’t pick their voters. I look forward to serving on the commission and listening to the feedback of Iowans when the new maps are drawn.”

    Newton has been an active member of the Quad Cities community her entire life. She is currently the President of the League of Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council #10, Commissioner for the Bi-State Regional Commission, Commissioner for the Davenport Affirmative Action Commission, a Board Member on the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and also serves on the Board of Directors for Q2030.

    She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa, and she graduated cum laude from Northern Illinois University College of Law.

    Newton replaces Deidre DeJear on the Commission.

    END

  • Closing remarks by Senate Democratic Leader

    By Zach Wahls, Iowa Senate Democratic Leader

    As we wrap up the 2021 Legislative session, I want to thank my Democratic colleagues for the honor of leading our team.

    I want to take a moment to ask the chamber to join me in showing our appreciation to our smart, talented, caring and hard-working caucus staff.

    And a big “thank you” to the Secretary of the Senate and his staff, the Senate pages, all the hardworking staff at the Legislative Services Agencies, and the news media that cover us every day on behalf of our constituents.

    I want to congratulate Lois Brownell with the Secretary of the Senate’s office on her many years of dedicated service to the Iowa Senate. She will be missed by everyone in the Senate. Enjoy your retirement, Lois!

    Let’s give Lois and all the staff a big round of applause.

    Mr. President, this session was a missed opportunity. COVID-19 turned our world upside down and gave us all a new perspective. With this new perspective, we could have reimagined our social contract and responsibilities to each other. We could have boldly addressed all of the challenges Iowa faces, nearly all of which were exacerbated by COVID-19: a workforce shortage, a child care crisis, not enough good paying jobs, crumbling infrastructure, struggling rural hospitals, a lack of high-speed internet, systemic racial inequities, and maternal health challenges faced by Iowa moms and babies.

    With our Build Back Better plan, Iowa Democrats introduced more than two dozen bills to help Iowans get back on our feet and return life to normal as quickly and as safely as possible. Our plan would have positioned Iowa for long-term economic growth, provided relief for struggling families, helped small businesses safely reopen, and supported our dedicated, frontline health care workers who got us through the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Unfortunately, Governor Reynolds and the Republicans chose not to work with us on these proposals. Not a single one of our bills was given a public hearing. Instead, Iowa Republicans drilled holes in a sinking boat, pursuing a divisive, partisan agenda.

    Republican inaction on a host of issues will actively hurt working families. Instead of tax relief and relief checks for middle class households – like the ones President Biden and Democrats in Congress provided to the American people – Republicans enacted policies that will raise property taxes and cut social services.

    Instead of providing relief to Iowans who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, Governor Reynolds ripped the carpet out from under these workers, cutting off unemployment assistance while they looked for work.

    Instead of supporting public education and helping our students return safely to school, Governor Reynolds returned $95 million of federal funds – our tax dollars – back to Washington D.C. These are funds that should have been used to keep students safe from COVID-19 and improve the quality of public education.

    Instead of bringing new workers, businesses, and investment to Iowa, Republicans continue to make our state unwelcoming to others by codifying discrimination, picking on our kids, banning diversity, and protecting online harassment and sedition.

    Instead of doing more for families who need affordable child care or helping Iowa moms and babies who are facing maternal health challenges, Iowa Republicans are paving the way to ban abortion, even in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the life of the mother.

    And as our country grapples with the insurrection that took place in our nation’s capital on January 6, a day that will mar American history books for generations to come, Iowa Republicans passed one of the most severe and punitive voter suppression laws in the United States.

    I want to close this session by reminding everyone why we’re here, who we’re fighting for, and the challenges that we absolutely must address.

    Across our state, too many people have lost sight of a better future and can no longer see more opportunity for their children and grandchildren — and that was true before the pandemic hit. Too many Iowans feel disconnected from their local communities, and too many of our local communities are struggling as young Iowans are forced to move from our state due to lack of opportunity.

    As I talk with voters across my district and across the state, I see the same thing in big cities and small towns: a growing gap between the haves and the have nots; the powerful and the powerless; the well-connected and the disconnected. We need to remember that politics is about the fact that everyone — Democrat or Republican or Independent — wants their families to be happy, safe, and nearby. That means improving the quality of life in every Iowa community, because Iowa is strong only when our families are strong. Iowa thrives only when our middle class thrives. We are free only when Iowans have both liberty and justice. If you work hard, you should be able to provide for yourself and your family. These are the guiding principles of Iowa Senate Democrats, and I’m proud this caucus fought for those values every single day of this session.

  • Iowa Executive Branch launches investigation into Heritage Foundation allegations

    Senate Democratic Leader calls on Sen. Roby Smith to cooperate with investigation

    “The claims made recently by Heritage Action about their role in secretly pushing voter suppression legislation in Iowa and other states are disturbing. The allegations by Heritage Action are that they secretly wrote and lobbied for harmful legislation that Iowa legislators are claiming they authored.

    “Iowa is the first state that we got to work in, and we did it quickly and we did it quietly,” Jessica Anderson, executive director of Heritage Action, said during a recent meeting with supporters in Arizona. “We helped draft the bills. … Honestly, nobody even noticed. My team looked at each other, and we’re like, ‘it can’t be that easy.’”

    “It is good news that the Executive Director of the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board has opened an investigation into these allegations. Specifically, Executive Director Mike Marshall has requested that Jessica Anderson provide the Board with any contacts that she or other Heritage Action representatives made in Iowa. Marshall has also asked the office of Gov. Kim Reynolds to search its records for any such interactions, according to the Associated Press.

    “Today, I am calling on Senator Roby Smith, Chair of the Senate’s State Government Committee, to cooperate with the investigation by the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board. If asked, Sen. Smith should turn over any records of contacts with anyone affiliated with Heritage Action, including emails, letters, messaging memos and phone records.

    “Iowans deserve to know the facts about this case and whether any laws or rules have been broken.” 

    end

  • SF 342 is misguided criminal justice legislation

    State Senator and Veteran Law Enforcement Office Speaks Out Against Misguided Criminal Legislation

    DES MOINES – State Senator Kevin Kinney of rural Oxford spoke passionately this afternoon in the Iowa Senate against legislation that he says will do harm to Iowa communities.

    “Thirty-five years ago, I got into law enforcement to help people, to protect people,” said Kinney, who recently retired as a Lieutenant in the Investigations Division of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.

    During a speech during debate on Senate File 342, Kinney said that pieces the legislation are going to hurt people in our communities.

    “It doesn’t even make sense,” he said.

    Kinney is particularly concerned about new criminal penalties that could make it unsafe for the general public during traffic stops by officers operating unmarked vehicles.

    Here’s a link to Sen. Kinney’s speech and transcript: https://youtu.be/cc9n8cpMc2w

    end

  • Statement on Biden decision to support Iowa farmers

    Statement by Senators Kevin Kinney, Amanda Ragan and Jackie Smith on Biden Administration’s decision to support Iowa farmers

    Background: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has filed a motion to vacate three waivers given by the Trump administration to Sinclair Oil Corporation refineries that exempted them from biofuel blending mandates.

    “This decision by the Biden administration is good news for the renewable fuel industry and Iowa farmers who sell to them. It reverses a terrible decision by the Trump administration to support Big Oil and dampen demand for ethanol, biodiesel and other renewable fuels.

    “We need more policies at the state and federal levels to boost – not threaten – the economic well-being of rural communities. We must boost ethanol demand, help farmers and the biofuel industry, and jump-start the farm economy.”

    Senators Kinney, Ragan and Smith are members of the Iowa Senate’s Agriculture Committee.

    -end-

  • Oversight needed on rejection of federal COVID help

    Legislators request Oversight meeting on Reynolds rejection of $95 million in federal COVID help

    The top Democrats on the Iowa Legislature’s House and Senate Oversight Committees are requesting meetings to review the Reynolds Administration’s handling of Federal COVID relief funds. 

    In a joint letter to the House and Senate Oversight Committee chairs, the top Democrats on each committee, Senator Claire Celsi of West Des Moines and Representative Ruth Ann Gaines of Des Moines, write that they were “flabbergasted to discover that Governor Reynolds sent $95 million in COVID-19 testing funding back to the U.S. Federal Government instead of giving schools the option to use it for COVID-19 testing protocols in their districts.”

    For more information, contact Senator Claire Celsi, 515-554-6754.

    -end-

  • Federal investigation needed at Anamosa, DOC

    Axne, Iowa Lawmakers Request Federal Investigation into Anamosa, DOC

    Des Moines, Iowa — Today US Rep. Cindy Axne, Iowa House Minority Leader Todd Prichard, and Iowa Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls sent a letter to federal officials requesting an independent investigation into last month’s deadly assaults at the Anamosa State Penitentiary, as well as the increasing violence within Iowa’s correctional facilities.

    In the letter to the US Attorney General and US Secretary of Labor, the Iowa lawmakers outlined the ways in which Governor Reynolds and Iowa Department of Corrections have disregarded and dismissed several warning signs leading up to this tragedy. The signs include: rising violence, prison overcrowding, staff reductions and continued budget cuts.  As two inmates attempted to escape the Anamosa State Penitentiary on March 23, they violently killed correctional officer Robert McFarland and nurse Lorena Schulte. 

    Last year, the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration (I-OSHA) issued numerous warnings and serious violations to DOC for inadequate communication and prison staffing. One I-OSHA report warned Anamosa employees did not have reliable communication equipment or adequate staff for emergency responses. Instead of fixing the problems identified, the DOC began denying state inspectors access to facilities for fair and independent safety assessments. 

    “Last month’s attack at Anamosa highlights the risks facing our workers if adequate emergency procedures and other measures are not in place to protect them. We owe it to these employees and their families to seek an independent investigation that will uncover all of the facts of this tragic incident and ensure we have clear answers for what went wrong and what can be done to better protect Iowa’s workers,” said Representative Cindy Axne.

    “This terrible tragedy should never have happened. We know the Reynolds Administration ignored the warning signs for years, failed to take action, and even proposed denying additional safety inspections in our correctional facilities. It’s time for an independent investigation that’s completely outside the control of the Reynolds Administration,” said House Minority Leader Todd Prichard.  

    “The Governor’s reaction to last month’s tragic events is yet another example of her failed leadership. How can Iowans expect Republican leaders to keep our state safe if Republicans can’t even keep state workers safe? The Reynolds Administration should have immediately requested an independent, outside investigation. Because she was unwilling to do so, today, we are calling on the Federal government to intervene and take on that responsibility. Iowans need to know the truth about what is happening in our prisons,” said Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls. 

    ###

  • Statement on tragic deaths at the Anamosa State Penitentiary

    Statement by Sen. Todd Taylor, Ranking Member of the Justice System Appropriations Subcommittee

    “The death of two prison employees at the Anamosa State Penitentiary is a horrible tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, neighbors and co-workers. In addition to ensuring that justice is served, we must also ensure that state leaders address chronic understaffing and other systemic problems at our prisons before we have more deaths.”

    – end –

  • Fight to Keep Background Checks for Gun Purchases

    DES MOINES – On a party-line vote tonight, the Republican members of the Iowa Senate voted for legislation that will eliminate existing requirements for background checks for Iowa gun sales.

    The legislation, HF 756, does away with Iowa’s law requiring a background check in order to purchase a handgun. 

    If Governor Reynolds signs HF 756, Iowans will be able to purchase a firearm from a private seller without a background check and then carry it anywhere in public without any firearms training proficiency.

    Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls offered an amendment to require background checks.  It was defeated by Senate Republicans. 

    Video of his floor comments are available on Youtube at: https://youtu.be/8nBIPFUDc6A . 

    Transcript of Senator Wahl’s remarks on Senate Amendment 3092 to House File 756:

    I am offering this amendment today because Iowans support background checks.

    Iowans know that we are safer in our homes and communities because of background checks.

    My amendment would require background checks on all gun sales.

    There’s data to show that Iowa’s current system of background checks is working: 14,921 illegal sales have been blocked by the system in Iowa from 1998 to 2019.

    Let me repeat that: Because of Iowa’s current system requiring background checks, 14,921 illegal sales have been blocked between 1998 and 2019.

    If the system in Iowa isn’t broken, what are we doing here? 

    We know from other states that what legislative Republicans are proposing today does NOT work.

    In Missouri, Republicans repealed their law in 2007.  When Missouri repealed its purchase permit law requiring background checks, the state experienced an up to 27 percent increase in its firearm homicide rate and a 16 percent increase in its firearm suicide rate.

    Senate Amendment 3092 attempts to fix some of the biggest problems with this bill.

    If signed into law, there would be NO background checks whatsoever required for private sales.

    If signed into law, there would be NO requirement for a permit to carry a weapon in public.

    If signed into law, people without any type of firearms training will be allowed to carry in public.  So, a person can purchase a firearm from a private seller without a background check and then carry it anywhere in public without any firearms training or proficiency if this bill is adopted.

    If you support background checks, vote “yes.” If you oppose background checks, vote “no.”

    -end-

  • Statement on the latest REC estimates

    Statement by State Senator Joe Bolkcom, ranking member on Senate Appropriations Committee

    “The latest revenue estimates are more confirmation that the American Rescue Plan will bring much needed relief to Iowa businesses, workers, schools, local governments and other sectors of the economy. Help is on the way and Iowans know it! 

    “While Governor Reynolds and the Republican-controlled Legislature have taken a hands-off approach to boosting economic opportunities to Iowans during the pandemic, Senate Democrats are ready to build on the American Rescue Plan. At the state level, we can do more to ensure more efficient distribution of vaccines, provide more support for Iowa businesses, and protect the rights of workers hit hard by the pandemic.”