Des Moines — Iowa Senate Democrats on Tuesday introduced a new package of legislation to ensure safety, support, and accountability in Iowa nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

The legislative package includes four bills that provide a comprehensive approach to address the crisis of abuse and neglect in Iowa long-term care. Taken together, these bills will improve care and expand options for Iowa seniors while ensuring facilities have the support needed to thrive.

“The stories we’ve been hearing about understaffing, abuse, neglect and an overall lack of accountability in Iowa nursing homes are devastating – and unacceptable,” Sen. Claire Celsi, D-West Des Moines, said. “Our state’s current approach to long term care is fundamentally broken and failing to protect Iowans. Today, we’re offering a comprehensive approach that will protect seniors and give Iowa families confidence in their long-term care decisions.” 

At the center of the package is Senate File 2304, which increases oversight and requires new transparency and accountability standards for long-term care facilities – ensuring regulators can adequately monitor nursing homes, enforce state law, and issue meaningful penalties for violations to help ensure residents are better protected. 

“Iowans deserve safe, high-quality care that allows them to live their best lives and age with dignity in our long-term care facilities, but also at home and in their communities.” Sen. Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, said. “Senate Democrats are introducing this comprehensive package of legislation to provide seniors with the safeguards, options, and accountability, no matter what kind of care they choose.”

Other elements of the package include legislation expanding alternatives to nursing-home care for Iowa seniors; increasing pay for direct-care workers to address staffing issues, and increasing the personal needs allowance provided to residential care facility residents through Medicaid. 

Iowa is one of the worst-performing nursing home states in the nation, and legislative action is essential to fix it. According to federal nursing home data, Iowa is responsible for more than 4 percent of the nation’s immediate jeopardy and life threatening situations, despite accounting for just 1 percent of the nation’s 65+ population. Ultimately, state agencies are responsible for enforcing nursing-home safety standards, but they are currently failing to do so – with tragic consequences as a result. 

The long-term care package is part of Senate Democrats’ Better Deal for Iowans agenda for 2024. Senate Democrats are listening to the needs of Iowans and introducing legislation to ensure accountability in our state government. Nowhere is accountability more urgent today than in Iowa nursing homes. 

More about the package:

Oversight, Transparency, and Accountability in Long-Term Care: SF 2304

• This bill creates a new Long Term Care Facility Safety Council, adding citizen review and input into the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing’s oversight of Iowa’s lowest performing care facilities. 
• The bill requires more regular facility inspections and stiffer penalties for violations, and hires 30 additional nursing home inspectors. 

Alternatives to Institutional Long-Term Care: SF 2306

• The bill launches a robust study of alternatives to institutional long-term care led by a group of advocates. The study will review innovative models for elder care in effect in other states and identify paths forward for Iowa 
• This bill invests in alternatives to institutional care, including home health care, adult day care, and dementia care specialists to enable Iowa seniors to stay at home. 
• The bill also expands the Return to Community pilot program to provide coordinated care for Iowans following hospitalization so they can return home, rather than enter and remain in an institutional care facility. 

Supporting the Direct Care Workforce: SF 2305

• This bill establishes a $15/hour minimum wage for direct-care workers that will rise to $20/hour over a period of years and then match inflation. Increasing the wage offered to direct care workers will help attract direct care workers to Iowa, and encourage younger Iowans to consider entering the profession. The minimum wage is contingent on Medicaid reimbursement rate increases.

Ensuring Independence and Self Care for Residents: SF 2303 

• The Iowa Medicaid program currently includes a $50/month personal needs allowance for long-term care residents who rely on Medicaid. That allowance has stayed the same for 20 years, despite rising costs of living. This bill raises the allowance to $85/month, allowing residents to purchase self-care items and live more independently in long term care facilities. 

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“Bill Northey was a champion for Iowa agriculture who served our state and nation with distinction,” Iowa state Sen. Tony Bisignano, D-Des Moines, said. “I join the Iowa farmers who worked alongside him in mourning his passing, and offer my condolences to his family.”

Bisignano serves as the ranking member on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

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Iowa state Sen. Nate Boulton released the following statement regarding Wednesday’s subcommittee hearing on Senate Study Bill 3158, Republican politicians’ latest union-busting legislation. 

“In 2017, Republicans used their political power to undercut Iowa workers and gut public-sector union rights,” Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines, said. “They slashed worker rights and changed the rules to rig union elections in favor of employers.”

“In the years since, union workers have repeatedly and overwhelmingly voted to keep their unions, overcoming the unfair rules stacked against them,” Boulton said. “But now, Republicans are pushing Senate Study Bill 3158, which allows employers to cancel union elections before they even happen. The agenda is obvious: eliminate workplace rights, limit wages and benefits, and bust unions.” 

“We fought against the Republican union-busting agenda in 2017, filling the Capitol with workers and debating the bill all through the night. We won’t let them make another anti-worker power grab without a fight,” Boulton said. “We know Iowans want higher wages, better workplace protections, and a higher quality of life – not weaker laws and fewer rights. Now is the time for Iowans to stand up and speak out against Republican politicians’ anti-worker agenda.”

Boulton serves on the Senate Workforce Committee.

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Des Moines — Iowa Senate Democrats on Tuesday introduced a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing reproductive freedom and access to abortion care in Iowa.

The amendment is the centerpiece of a new legislative package from Senate Democrats to protect, expand, and codify legal protections and reproductive healthcare options in the state.  

“Iowans prize their freedom – and that includes the freedom to plan and decide their reproductive future,” Senate Democratic Leader Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, said. “With this legislative package, we’re answering their call for reproductive freedom by guarding against extreme bans and destructive policies that endanger the health of Iowans.”

The amendment recognizes a fundamental right to reproductive freedom, and is modeled on successful, voter-approved measures added to state constitutions in Michigan and Ohio in recent years. 

“The majority of Iowans don’t want extremists in charge of our healthcare decisions,” Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines, said. “Reproductive freedom matters to Iowans, and those rights should be protected in our Constitution. Senate Democrats are united behind a constitutional amendment that protects our reproductive freedom and reflects the will of Iowans.”

Other elements of the package include legislation providing access to over-the-counter birth control; reinstating state support for family planning services; and expanding postpartum coverage under Medicaid to one year for new mothers and children. 

The amendment and legislative package is a key element in Senate Democrats’ Better Deal for Iowans agenda for 2024. Senate Democrats are fighting for the freedom of all Iowans to make their own choices and live their own lives without undue interference or restrictions from the government.

More about the package:

A Constitutional Right to Reproductive Freedom: Senate Joint Resolution 2001

• This resolution enshrines the fundamental right to reproductive freedom in Iowa’s State Constitution through a constitutional amendment. This includes the right to prenatal and childbirth care, postpartum care, contraception, abortion care, miscarriage management, and infertility care. Restrictions imposed by the state would be subject to strict scrutiny by the courts, the highest constitutional standard. 

Over-the-Counter Birth Control: Senate File 2141

• This bill permits pharmacists to order and dispense birth control without requiring a doctor’s prescription, increasing access to birth control and contraceptives across Iowa. 

Family Planning Services for Iowans: Senate File 2137

• This bill reinstates the State Family Planning program. Republicans defunded this program in 2017, drastically limiting the number of providers able to provide family-planning resources to low-income families.

Postpartum Medicaid Coverage: Senate File 57

• This bill provides postpartum coverage for pregnant Iowans for up to 12 months after pregnancy, up from the current 60-day requirement. This bill aligns with federal requirements, ensuring all eligible Iowans can access postpartum care.

Right to Contraception: Senate File 2135

• The legislation codifies Iowans’ right to access and obtain contraception and prohibits health providers from adopting limitations or requirements that would impede access to contraceptives. It also preempts any future state or local government restrictions on contraceptive access and authorizes enforcement for violations of the law.

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Des Moines — Iowa Senate Democrats on Thursday introduced legislation requiring the state of Iowa to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer EBT program. 

Summer EBT provides food aid during the summer months to children who qualify for free and reduced lunch during the school year. In 2024, it would provide $29 million in federal aid to provide food to 240,000 Iowa children. The legislation follows reports that Iowa has not yet applied for the program, despite rising food insecurity in the state.

Senate File 2039 was introduced Thursday, and is eligible for consideration immediately. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, and co-sponsored by all 16 members of the Senate Democratic caucus. Trone Garriott is the ranking member on the Senate Health & Human Services Committee. 

“Iowans are asking us as elected leaders to do the right thing. Feeding children is always the right thing,” Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines, said. “Our legislation will make sure that no opportunity is missed for Iowa kids.” 

Lawmakers must advance SF 2039 quickly In order to secure participation in the Summer EBT program. The state faces a Feb.15 deadline for providing program plans to the federal government. 

Senate Democrats invite their Republican colleagues to meet the urgency of the moment, join this effort to feed Iowa children, and reverse the decision by state agencies to not pursue the program. 

“SF 2039 is an opportunity for Democrats and Republicans to come together to address child hunger in Iowa,” Sen. Izaah Knox, D-Des Moines, said. “We’re asking our colleagues to meet the urgency of the moment and ensure families have the resources and the access to put food on the table this summer.” 

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Des Moines — Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Pam Jochum released the following statement regarding Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Condition of the State Address on Tuesday:

“Iowans are looking for opportunity and accountability – not more partisanship and culture war,” Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, said. “It’s time for Gov. Reynolds to offer an agenda for middle-class Iowans, not insiders and special interests.” 

“In 2024, Iowa Senate Democrats are offering a better deal for Iowans,” Jochum said. “We invite the governor to work with us on an agenda that increases opportunity, defends freedom, and holds the powerful accountable to working Iowans and middle-class families.” 

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Remarks as Delivered

Thank you, Madam President. 

Good morning, Madam President, good morning senators, staff, members of the press, and, of course, fellow Iowans: Welcome back to our Iowa Capitol and welcome to the 2024 Legislative Session. 

Before I begin, I too also want to offer my deepest condolences to the community of Perry, the family of Ahmir Jolliff, and all the families whose lives will never be the same after the tragedy at Perry High School. There is no pain like the pain of losing a child. 

In our grief, though, we must also ask tough questions and acknowledge hard truths. How do we tame violence in our country – violence that touched East High School here in Des Moines less than two years ago and now Perry? The truth is, we must address gun safety. We must find a solution to gun violence. 

No child – no child – should go to school fearing for their lives, but today, millions do. Gun safety should not be a partisan issue. Protecting kids should not be a partisan issue. It’s time for us, senators, to come together with real solutions, including increased support for our public schools and a meaningful investment in youth brain health services.

We’re convening here from every corner of Iowa, and bringing with us the priorities and perspectives of the Iowans and the communities we represent. 

Our duty over the next few months is to shape those perspectives into law that improve Iowans’ lives and make our state an even better place to live. To do it right, we must lead with our shared values and always remember who we’re working for. 

I know who I’m working for: I see them up and down Jackson Street in Dubuque when I’m out gardening or getting the mail. I see them catching the bus for work in the morning, and coming at night home bone-tired. My neighbors on Jackson Street often stop and tell me how they’re doing – and how $13 bucks an hour just doesn’t go far enough anymore. They talk about how hard it is to find childcare in their community and, of course, they’re also concerned about Iowa schools and access to healthcare. 

That’s what I hear about in my neighborhood, and it’s what I hear all across the state, too. As the Senate Democratic leader, I’ve put 16,000 miles on my little Chevy over the last few months. I’ve been from Villisca to La Motte to Fort Madison and beyond, meeting with Iowans and listening – listening – to their needs and concerns. 

Whether it’s been on the sidewalks in Dubuque or in the union hall in Keokuk or the library in Osage, Iowans are all saying the same thing: they’re fed up with culture wars and special interest giveaways. They’re tired of small and mean politics that divide us and deny us our rights. They’re worried about the future – for themselves and for their children.

Iowans want a better deal from their state government, and that’s exactly what Senate Democrats are fighting for in 2024.

Today, on the opening day of the ’24 legislative session, Senate Democrats pledge to the people of Iowa to lead with our shared values. We pledge to advance an agenda that lifts all of us up together. 

And we’re challenging the governor and our colleagues across the aisle to join us in that effort. 

For every item that comes across our desks this session, we’re going to ask three questions:

• Does it create more opportunity for Iowans?
• Does it ensure freedom for Iowans?
• Does it provide more accountability for Iowans?

If the answer is yes, Senate Democrats are ready to work with Republican colleagues to get it done. If the answer is no, we’re gonna fight like heck against it, and let the people of Iowa know why. 

In 2024, Senate Democrats are committed to expanding and ensuring opportunity for every family, every child, and every worker in our state.

Every family in every community deserves a fair shot at success, comfort, and opportunity to get ahead. That’s the Iowa we’re fighting for, and that’s what you’ll see reflected in the legislation that we support this year.

Every child should have access to a high-quality public education that prepares them for the life they want. That means adequate funding for our public schools, defending our Area Education Agencies against cuts to essential services for our children with special needs, and resisting the voucher law that favors the few over the many. 

Every worker deserves a chance to earn a paycheck that supports their family and respects their work. Costs are simply too high – especially for essentials like housing and childcare – and Iowans are looking to us for solutions. 

We have an opportunity to make life more affordable for Iowa families; to strengthen our public education while supporting students, teachers, parents and to protect and increase workers’ rights. We just need the will of a majority of senators in this chamber. 

In 2024, Senate Democrats will fight for the freedom of all Iowans to make their own choices and live their own lives without undue interference from their government. Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain. Iowans believe in our state motto, and Senate Democrats do, too.

We know that a strong majority of Iowans support safe, legal access to reproductive health, including abortion. Extreme bans like the one the Republican majority forced into law last year attack fundamental freedoms and endanger the health of Iowans. Senate Democrats have a plan to write reproductive freedom into our state constitution and expand access to birth control. We hope Republicans will listen to the majority of Iowans and join us in that effort. 

In 2024, Senate Democrats are going to stand up for the people of Iowa and make sure that politicians, government, and big business are held accountable to their needs.

Our state government belongs to the people. Our ancestors created this beautiful building as a monument to democracy. This capitol is not built for those of us on the inside of it – it was built for those on the outside of it. This government should work for middle-class and working Iowans – not self-serving politicians, influential interest groups, and out-of-state corporations. Senate Democrats will hold politicians accountable when they put donors and special interests ahead of regular folks. We will enforce checks and balances and resist efforts to silence the voices of Iowans in the operation of their government. We will fight back against corporate power and greed that comes at the expense of working Iowans.

We’ve heard a lot of talk about changes to the tax code – including potentially even eliminating the income tax altogether. Well, we’ve seen a lot of changes in the tax code already, and unfortunately, almost all of them have been giveaways to big corporations and the very wealthy. 

Our bottom line: we need middle-class tax relief that reaches Iowa families in Iowa communities – not more handouts and free passes for the wealthy and the powerful. And any tax cuts must be smart and sustainable and maintain our essential investments in the people of Iowa. 

Opportunity, freedom and accountability. That’s what Senate Democrats stand for, and that’s what we expect to see on our agenda in 2024. 

To my Republican colleagues, I sincerely look forward to working with you on that agenda. I’m proud of the relationships I’ve built across the aisle, and the compromises and progress that we have been able to make over the years. Together, we can govern in the best interest of every single Iowan. 

But let me end with this: if the majority chooses instead to go down the path of endless culture war, political grandstanding, and narrow special interest – we will hold you accountable – and so will the people of Iowa. The people of Iowa want a better deal. 

Thank you, Madam President.

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Des Moines — Iowa state Sen. Izaah Knox on Wednesday released the following statement on the need for cooperation to find solutions to food insecurity in Iowa. 

“I do not like that Iowa is not participating in the USDA’s 2024 Summer EBT program,” Sen. Izaah Knox, D-Des Moines, said. “Nevertheless, I agree that we must address Iowa’s food insecurity pandemic with adequate and sustainable solutions. I am glad that the Governor and her administration desire to address this issue, which impacts 1 in 13 Iowans, including nearly 69,000 children.” 

“As a professional in this space, I know that to solve complex problems like food insecurity, we must collaborate among all stakeholders, including those in need, community-based organizations doing the work, and those with resources,” Knox said. “Now is the time to take action to ensure every Iowa family who needs food gets it.”

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Des Moines — Iowa state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott released the following statement in response to the news that Gov. Kim Reynolds’ administration will reject the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2024 Summer EBT program, which provides food aid for hungry kids. 

“We are in a food insecurity crisis, with record numbers of Iowans seeking help from food pantries. It is shocking that in a time of great need our Governor would refuse millions of federal dollars that would go directly to feed hundreds of thousands of Iowa Children,” Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines, said. “Governor Reynolds knows this is a shameful decision that will hurt struggling Iowa families – that’s why she announced it with a cowardly press release full of excuses on the Friday before Christmas.”

“Iowans believe in opportunity for every Iowa kid – including healthy meals during summer breaks,” Trone Garriott said. “There’s still time for the state to reverse course, and I encourage Iowans to tell the governor to do the right thing.”

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Iowa Senate Democrats on Thursday called on the Senate Oversight Committee to conduct a bipartisan investigation into Iowa’s nursing home crisis.

Sen. Claire Celsi, D-West Des Moines and the ranking member on the oversight committee, formally requested the investigation in a Dec. 14 letter to committee Chairwoman Amy Sinclair.

“Iowans want and deserve full accountability and transparency from Legislators and Governor Reynolds,” Celsi wrote in the letter. “As Ranking Member of the Senate Oversight Committee, I hereby request an official meeting of the committee so we can publicly discuss the nursing home crisis, investigate its causes, and find solutions that address the problems. This is a matter of life and death for impacted Iowans.”

According to federal data, Iowa is responsible for 3 percent of the nation’s nursing facility citations, and 4.1 percent of the nation’s immediate jeopardy and life-threatening situations — despite accounting for just 1 percent of the nation’s 65+ population. On a per capita basis, Iowa is one of the worst states in the nation for nursing home care.

The scale, scope and tragic consequences of the breakdown in Iowa’s current long-term care system has been detailed in numerous press reports and confirmed by advocates and experts over the past year. Now, it’s up to the Legislature to do something about it. 

Celsi delivered her request to Sinclair’s office on Thursday. 

“There’s nothing partisan about accountability for nursing home operators or the wellbeing of elderly Iowans,” Celsi said. “Democrats and Republicans must come together now to investigate our nursing home crisis and collaborate on solutions that protect vulnerable Iowans in every Iowa community.” 

“The evidence is undeniable: we need reform that ensures accountability for bad actors while ensuring success for high-quality facilities,” Celsi said. “Iowa seniors deserve nothing less.”

What Advocates are Saying

“I’ve been paying attention to elder care issues in Iowa since before I was elected to the Senate. What we need now is accountability and adequate staffing – not excuses and studies. Older Iowans cared for us, raised us, and built our communities. And all of us, sooner or later, will be older Iowans, too. Iowans are not receiving the care they need in our state, and legislators have a responsibility to act.”

– Iowa state Sen. Senator Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, and member of the Iowa Commission on Aging.

“Stories of neglect and abuse of residents in Iowa nursing homes have been written for several decades. Tragically, the stories being written today are worse than ever – stories of resident death, sexual assault, and total failure of too many facilities to deal humanely with vulnerable older Iowans. The outrage in Iowa is growing, and elected leaders at the Iowa Capitol need to respond by expressing genuine concern, asking important questions, and taking long overdue action.” 

– John Hale, Iowa senior advocate

“As the former Director of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals responsible for overseeing the inspections of nursing homes, it is shocking that Iowa now ranks 49th among states in nursing home inspectors, and that the state has resorted to using extraordinarily costly private contractors to address its self-created problem. Timely surveys of this mostly for-profit industry lag behind, and, worse yet, serious resident complaints have gone and continue to go unanswered. The health, safety, and welfare of Iowa’s vulnerable seniors has been put at risk.  It’s past time for a change!” 

– Dean Lerner, Iowa senior advocate

“As a former long-term care facility surveyor, I find it appalling that oversight for the health and safety of facility residents is so lackadaisical. Elderly Iowans deserve respect, dignity, and care. Becoming old does not make an individual a second-class citizen.” 

– Mary Weaver, former nursing home inspector

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