The video posted on Iowa Starting Line is a serious matter for Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix to discuss with his family, his fellow Senate Republicans and Governor Reynolds. Because this involves Senator Dix and a lobbyist, there will be questions about the impact of this relationship on legislation.
What’s to blame? A Republican agenda that grossly underfunds our local schools; turns Iowa’s respected, state-run Medicaid safety net into a national disaster; weakens rights of workers and drives down wages; and showers out-of-state corporations with an all-you-can-eat buffet of tax cuts and tax credits.
We made a reasonable request today to delay the confirmation vote on Jerry Foxhoven until we can fully assess his leadership at DHS. First, there’s no need to rush this important decision. The deadline to deal with confirmations isn’t until April 15. Second, there are too many unresolved problems with the privatization of Medicaid services by the Reynolds Administration.
I believe every Iowa woman in our state should have the FREEDOM to care for her body without government intervening. I believe every Iowa woman should have the FREEDOM to decide if and when she wants to be a parent. Unfortunately, that is becoming nearly impossible with Republicans in control of the Iowa Senate.
Four key Democratic state legislators today denounced plans by officials with Governor Kim Reynolds’s Administration to have a closed-door meeting to discuss the failed Medicaid privatization experiment.
Although the proposal from the Senate Republicans leaves many unanswered questions, Senator Pam Jochum of Dubuque, the lead Democrat in the Iowa Senate on tax issues, renewed her offer to work in a bipartisan manner on a tax plan.
Senator Pam Jochum of Dubuque, lead Democrat in the Iowa Senate on tax issues, responded to Governor Kim Reynolds’s newly released tax plan. Senator Jochum noted that the plan does not address corporate tax credits — the fastest-growing part of the state budget — and raises other concerns.
All 29 Republican State Senators today rejected a proposal to ensure that community college students aren’t on the hook for a sexual harassment judgment against Republican Senators and staff.
Senator Nate Boulton, ranking member of the Labor & Business Committee, introduced two workers’ rights bills. SF 2185 would allow injured Iowa employees to choose their own doctors. SF 2186 restores the collective bargaining rights abruptly taken away from several hundred thousand Iowa workers last year.
State Senator Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids has introduced comprehensive water solutions legislation that would, if enacted, provide a 15-year framework to clean up Iowa’s water and safeguard against flood and drought damage across the state.