Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • Statement on deferred confirmation vote for DHS Director

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  March 7, 2018

    Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen on deferred confirmation vote for DHS Director

    “We made a reasonable request today to delay the confirmation vote on Jerry Foxhoven until we can fully assess his leadership at the Iowa Department of Human Services.

    “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. This is particularly concerning because Governor Reynolds promised in her Condition of the State address this year that Jerry Foxhoven and other new members of her team would:

    • Resolve issues for caregivers ‘in a timely manner and ensure on-time payments.’
    • Reach patients in ‘new and innovative ways to individualize their care.’
    • ‘Make it right.’

    “There’s no evidence today that she has kept those promises or has a plan for addressing the concerns of Medicaid recipients, health care providers and Iowa taxpayers.

    “In addition, Senate Democrats have concerns related to:

    • Plans to turn the Iowa State Training School for Boys in Eldora into a correctional facility.
    • Foxhoven failing to raise red flags about the impact of mid-year budget cuts on critical services provided by the Department of Human Services.
    • Doubts about the state’s ability to ensure the health and safety of vulnerable Iowa children.”

    -end-

     

  • 3 Senate Republican tax plan claims that don’t add up

    • Claim #1: “Iowans are getting a $1,000 average tax cut.”
      • This claim only counts the Iowans who are getting a tax cut under the proposal. It ignores the nearly one-third of Iowans who either get no benefit or will actually see a tax increase.
      • Over 20 percent of Iowans – one out of five – with incomes over $30,000 will see an average tax increase of nearly $1,000 with this legislation.
      • On average, Iowans with incomes under $250,000 will receive a tax cut of less than $500 – less than half of what Republicans claim.
    • Claim #2: “This bill gets rid of giveaways to internet companies like Google and Facebook.”
      • The bill specifically says the changes don’t apply to companies already doing business in Iowa. That means Facebook, Microsoft, Google and Apple are still eligible to receive tax incentives under the program.
    • Claim #3: “This bill cuts back on tax credits.”
      • The only credits that are eliminated immediately are the solar energy system tax credit and the ethanol promotion tax credit.
        • The solar system tax credit has been successfully used by Iowa businesses and farmers to save money in their operation as they try to remain competitive. This credit has also helped support businesses employing over 700 across the state.
      • The bill does make minor changes to the state’s research activities credit program, but those changes are essentially just to restore the program to what its intent was under reforms passed by Democrats in 2010.
      • The bill cuts back the High Quality Jobs program and says it will be repealed in the future. We have seen in the past that these sunsets can easily be ignored.
      • Also, the overall business tax incentive cap remains the same. This means the state can replace one tax giveaway program with another in the future.
    • The bill cuts corporate income taxes by more than 50 percent. However, those cuts would go almost exclusively to Iowa largest corporations. Half of Iowa’s smaller corporations will actually see a tax increase.
    • Cuts in state spending on many programs will result in an increase in property taxes.
      • More school districts will be subject to the “budget guarantee” and will rely on property tax increases to balance their budgets. Public safety and mental health service shortfalls will fall back onto local governments who are reliant on property taxes. And Senate Republicans have already started the process to get rid of the commercial property tax backfill, shifting even more costs for local services onto property taxpayers.

    Bottom line:

    • Contrary to the claims of Senate Republicans, their tax plan is NOT fair to many Iowans, it does NOT make Iowa more competitive with other states, and it certainly does NOT take into account the ongoing budget crisis.
    • Iowans understand that the tax plan offered by Senate Republicans must be viewed in light of disastrous tax-cut plans approved in Kansas and Oklahoma, which have resulted in massive cuts to education, public safety and other vital services.
    • Iowans also see that this plan by Iowa Senate Republicans will further hamper efforts to train more Iowans for the jobs of tomorrow, to increase family income and to help create more opportunities for our children and grandchildren.

  • Senator Petersen’s prepared remarks on SF 2281

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  February 28, 2018

     

    Senator Petersen’s prepared remarks on SF 2281,
    extreme abortion restrictions

    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.

    It has been a rough two years for Iowa women with Republicans in power.

    Last year, every Republican in the Iowa Senate sponsored and voted for a bill that nearly destroyed Iowa’s Family Planning Network.

    Republicans forced Iowa women to find new health care providers.

    Republicans banned many of the state’s most highly qualified providers from participating in their GOP Family Planning program.

    Republican senators banned Iowa women from seeking medical care from doctors, clinics and hospitals while they continue to go to them or send their own family members to them as part of their health insurance plan that Iowa taxpayer’s cover.

    Republican Senators and staff were found guilty of creating a toxic work environment for former communications director Kirsten Anderson, which resulted in a $1.75 million settlement innocent taxpayers paid.

    On top of that – Republican senators charged taxpayers millions of dollars more for their GOP Family Planning bill that provides less care to fewer women.

    So now, Senate Republicans are back for more – forcing motherhood on Iowa women.

    This bill is dangerous.

    This bill is unconstitutional.

    This bill devalues Iowa women.

    This bill impacts every girl and every woman in our state from the time they get their period to the time they take their last breath.

    This bill puts a 6-week ban on abortion.

    The only exception to this medical ban is if a woman’s life is at stake.

    THE ONLY EXCEPTION IS TO PREVENT DEATH.

    There are no other provisions in IOWA CODE that say an Iowan cannot access medical care UNLESS it is to prevent death –

    Iowans in prison have more medical rights than Iowa women and girls would have under this bill.

    Even a corpse in Iowa would have more rights than women and girls are given under this legislation.

    Even livestock in Iowa have more health care rights than this bill gives to Iowa women and girls.

    It is hard to believe we are even having this debate on a piece of legislation that devalues the bodies and decision-making skills of Iowa women and girls.

    Imagine if we included men in the Republican’s new definition of MEDICAL EMERGENCY, saying the fate of male reproductive organs didn’t matter unless you were dying.

    This bill tells Iowa women and girls that forced pregnancy is more important than their health and well-being.

    This bill puts forced pregnancy ahead of helping women and girls take care of their bodies.

    This bill doesn’t just impact women, it impacts girls.

    There are no age restrictions in this legislation.

    There is no exception for a 9-year-old Iowa girl who is the victim of rape.

    Under the Republican bill – you would force a child rape victim to have a baby no matter how young she is.

    That is unfathomable.

    Senate Republicans refused to take up legislation to give victims of child sexual abuse more time to go after their perpetrators for civil damages – a bill that could have prevented serial perpetrators from raping more children.

    Yet, in this bill Senate Republicans have no problem going after Iowa doctors – by threatening to put them in prison – for terminating a pregnancy if they believe is in the best interest of the child.

    Why do Senate Republicans have it out for Iowa doctors?

    Apparently the only doctors Senate Republicans trust are COMPANY DOCTORS that keep workers from accessing decent workers compensation for injuries on the job.

    Going after doctors who provide women’s health care is shameful.

    What doctor would want to practice in a state that threatens to put them in prison for doing what is in the best interest of her patient????

    This bill is a direct attack on women’s health care across our state.

    If this bill were to become law, our state may lose its only residency program for OB/GYNs at the University of Iowa – a highly successful program where one-third of the OBG residency graduates remain in Iowa to practice.

    Even if it is able to keep its residency program, it will be a logistical nightmare to ensure our future doctors get the training they need to graduate.

    If there are no places to train future doctors in Iowa on how to safely do an abortion procedure – where will the UI send its residents?

    They will have to go out of state.

    That brings extra costs, extra time and extra headaches for residents.

    What will that equate to for our state?

    It will mean fewer OB/GYN students choosing University of Iowa as a place where they would like to attend medical school.

    It will mean fewer OB/GYNs choosing to practice in Iowa.

    Iowa is already ranked next to last in the nation for OBG physicians per capita with 2/3 of Iowa counties not having a single OBG physician.

    (Iowa is only ahead of Arkansas)

    When you lose doctors in rural Iowa, maternal health care outcomes suffer.

    Iowa is already dangerously low in our number of OB/GYNs.

    I don’t think any of us want our state to be known as a place with poor birth outcomes, more high-risk pregnancies and unhealthy births that result in long-term health issues.

    Our state should be the safest place in the country to have a baby – not the most dangerous place to have a baby.

    A study published last September in the journal of Health Affairs found that 1 in 10 rural counties had lost their OB-GYN wards in the past 10 years.

    Iowa women and girls deserve access to the best medical care possible.

    Iowa woman and girls deserve the ability to take care of their bodies without politicians interfering with their decisions.

    We are already seeing dangerous results of the GOP Family Planning bill that is costing taxpayers millions of dollars more – and resulting in less care for women and less access to family planning.

    This bill – which is unconstitutional – will once again charge Iowa taxpayers with a huge bill.  You’ve already charged them more than $3 million with last year’s GOP Family Planning Bill and $1.75 million to cover the costs of the Senate Republican sexual harassment lawsuit.  And now you are at it again with this bill, which will tie up our underfunded and understaffed court system and cost Iowa taxpayers millions of dollars.

    This bill will not make our state a safe place to have a baby.  In fact, it will do the opposite.

    This bill won’t just impact the Iowa women and girls who are forced into motherhood – it will affect all women and girls needing access to OB/GYNs and safe, accessible reproductive health care services in Iowa.

    This bill is dangerous.  This bill is unconstitutional.

    Tell Iowa women and girls that you believe in them.

    Tell Iowa women and girls you care about their ability to take care of their own bodies.

    Tell Iowa women and girls you don’t believe it is right to inject your power into the most private decision-making moments of their lives.

    Please VOTE NO.

    Your political power doesn’t belong inside an Iowa girl’s uterus or the uterus any Iowa woman.

    – end –

  • Nonpartisan analysis confirms GOP tax plan is ‘fiscally irresponsible’

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  February 27, 2018

     

    Bill is scheduled to be debated in the Iowa Senate
    on Wednesday, Feb. 28

    DES MOINES — Senator Pam Jochum of Dubuque, the lead Democrat in the Iowa Senate on tax issues, responded today to the release of a nonpartisan analysis of a tax plan released by Senate Republicans:

    “The tax plan recently released by Iowa Senate Republicans is more fiscally irresponsible than many Iowans imagined, according to a nonpartisan analysis released today.

    “Contrary to the claims of Senate Republicans, their tax plan is NOT fair to many Iowans, it does NOT make Iowa more competitive with other states, and it certainly does NOT take into account the ongoing budget crisis.

    “Iowans understand that the tax plan offered by Senate Republicans must be viewed in light of disastrous tax-cut plans approved in Kansas and Oklahoma, which have resulted in massive cuts to education, public safety and other vital services.

    “Iowans also see that the plan by Iowa Senate Republicans will further hamper efforts to train more Iowans for the jobs of tomorrow, to increase family incomes and to help create more opportunities for our children and grandchildren.”

     – End –

     

    The nonpartisan fiscal analysis is available here:  https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/FN/925227.pdf

  • Iowa tax bill needs closer look


    Last week, Republicans who control the Iowa Senate came out with a 130-page, $1 billion tax plan. Much like what happens in Washington D.C., we’ve seen no spreadsheets to give us a sense of the financial impact the proposal will have on Iowans and our state.

    In addition, most Iowans have no idea what’s in SF 2383 because it’s being rushed through before taxpayers can get up to speed and have their say.

    This proposal could wreck Iowa’s economy the way a similar plan wrecked Kansas. Forbes describes the ongoing crisis Kansas has faced in recent years because of fiscal mismanagement.

    WATCH – Democratic state senators speak out on the extreme Kansas-style tax plan being proposed for Iowa.

    Democrats in the Iowa Senate are willing to work on a bipartisan tax plan that:

    • Is fair to all Iowans.
    • Takes into account our current budget situation.
    • Reins in corporate tax credits that don’t work or are too expensive.
    • Makes Iowa’s tax laws easier to understand.

    SF 2383 is expected to come up for a vote by the full Senate this week.

    If you’re concerned, please contact your state senator. Call the Senate switchboard at 515-281-3371 or get your senator’s email and phone number at www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find.

  • Democrats denounce secret meeting on Medicaid problems

    News Release
    For Immediate Release: February 21, 2018

     

    DES MOINES — 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.

    The four legislators – Senators Amanda Ragan and Liz Mathis and Representatives Lisa Heddens and Beth Wessel-Kroeschell – were reacting to plans by Iowa Medicaid Director Michael Randol to hold a closed-door meeting with Medicaid providers on Thursday, February 22.

    The stated purpose of the meeting is to identify and discuss payment issues that Iowa health care providers are having with privatized Medicaid.

    Here’s a joint statement from the four Democratic legislators:

    “This meeting should be open to the public because problems with Medicaid affect all Iowa taxpayers, more than 600,000 Medicaid members and healthcare providers across the state.

    “Hundreds of hospitals, nursing homes and other Iowa healthcare providers face financial jeopardy because of Medicaid privatization. This issue affects Iowans in every county.

    “If there’s going to be a bipartisan solution to this problem, more – not fewer – Iowans should be at the table for the discussion.”

     Requests by legislators to attend the meeting have been denied.

    The four legislators also renewed their concerns about a proposal by the Reynolds Administration to eliminate much of the oversight for the privatized Medicaid program.

    Sen. Ragan and Rep. Heddens are ranking members of their respective Health and Human Services Appropriations subcommittees, and Sen. Mathis and Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell are ranking members of their respective Human Resources committees.

    -end-

  • Senate Democrat responds to Senate GOP tax plan

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  February 21, 2018

     

    DES MOINES — Senator Pam Jochum of Dubuque, the lead Democrat in the Iowa Senate on tax issues, responded to a tax plan released today by Senate Republicans.

    Although the proposal from the Senate Republicans leaves many unanswered questions, Jochum provided this initial response:

    “The tax plan offered by Senate Republicans today must be viewed in light of disastrous tax-cut plans approved in Kansas and Oklahoma, which have resulted in massive cuts to education, public safety and other vital services. In fact, Kansas abandoned failed trickle-down tax cuts and Oklahoma’s Republican Governor is actually proposing higher taxes to dig her state out a fiscal mess.”

    Today, Jochum renewed her offer to work in a bipartisan manner on a tax plan that meets these principles:

    • Tax reform must be fair. Iowa’s tax system has a number of tax brackets in an attempt make the income tax system progressive so that those with lower incomes pay at lower rates. However, according to the Iowa Policy Project, when all state and local taxes are accounted for, Iowa’s lowest income earners pay the largest portion of their income in taxes. Changes to Iowa’s tax system should address this situation and not make this problem worse.

     

    • Tax reform must make Iowa’s tax code more transparent so Iowa can show its true competitiveness to the nation. Iowa’s tax code has become a confusing collection of credits, deductions and exemptions that has left the state with high tax rates that do not accurately reflect the cost of living and doing business in Iowa. Our tax rates appear to be among the highest in the nation — but according to the Tax Foundation, the amount paid by Iowans through our tax system ranks Iowa in the middle of the pack.

     

    • Tax reform needs to take into account our current budget situation. We just completed a legislative session where funding was slashed for nearly every part of state government, and there is no sign the situation will be improving next year. We must not repeat the mistakes of Kansas, which passed massive tax cuts that have resulted in a continual budget crisis where schools are underfunded and has forced the state to balance the budget by stealing from road funds and raising other taxes.

     

    • Tax reform needs to examine corporate tax credits. We have cut state funding for vital state programs that serve some of our youngest and most vulnerable Iowans. So far corporate tax credits have been exempt from these cuts. We must determine if these corporate tax credits a good return on the investment and benefit Iowans, not just those few businesses.

     

    – end –

  • Senate Democrat responds to Governor’s new tax plan

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  February 13, 2018

     

    DES MOINES — Senator Pam Jochum of Dubuque, the lead Democrat in the Iowa Senate on tax issues, responded to Governor Kim Reynolds’s tax plan.

    Although the news release from the Governor’s office leaves many unanswered questions, Jochum raised two red flags about the plan:

    • “This plan does not touch corporate tax credits, which is the fastest-growing part of the state budget. That’s a big, big mistake and it’s unfair to working families.”
    • “Any tax cut plan for Iowa must be viewed in light of disastrous tax-cut plans approved in Kansas and Oklahoma, which have resulted in massive cuts to education, public safety, health care and other vital services. In fact, Kansas abandoned failed trickle-down tax cuts and Oklahoma’s Republican Governor is actually proposing higher taxes to dig her state out a fiscal mess in the wake of massive tax cuts.”

    Last June, Jochum wrote a letter to Reynolds, offering to work with the Governor on a bipartisan tax plan.

    “During your inaugural speech, you signaled that you planned to build on your experiences in the Iowa Senate and how you want to work together to make Iowa a better place. After a session marked by extreme legislation pushed through in a partisan manner, that will be a welcome change,” Jochum wrote to the Governor.

    Even though the Governor never responded to the letter or reached out to Senate Democrats for their ideas, Jochum renewed her offer today to work in a bipartisan manner on a tax plan that meets these principles:

    1. Tax reform must be fair. Iowa’s tax system has a number of tax brackets in an attempt make the income tax system progressive so that those with lower incomes pay at lower rates. However, according to the Iowa Policy Project, when all state and local taxes are accounted for, Iowa’s lowest income earners pay the largest portion of their income in taxes. Changes to Iowa’s tax system should address this situation and not make this problem worse.
    2. Tax reform must make Iowa’s tax code more transparent so Iowa can show its true competitiveness to the nation. Iowa’s tax code has become a confusing collection of credits, deductions and exemptions that has left the state with high tax rates that do not accurately reflect the cost of living and doing business in Iowa. Our tax rates appear to be among the highest in the nation — but according to the Tax Foundation, the amount paid by Iowans through our tax system ranks Iowa in the middle of the pack.
    3. Tax reform needs to take into account our current budget situation. We just completed a legislative session where funding was slashed for nearly every part of state government, and there is no sign the situation will be improving next year. We must not repeat the mistakes of Kansas, which passed massive tax cuts that have resulted in a continual budget crisis where schools are underfunded and has forced the state to balance the budget by stealing from road funds and raising other taxes.
    4. Tax reform needs to examine corporate tax credits. We have cut state funding for vital state programs that serve some of our youngest and most vulnerable Iowans. So far corporate tax credits have been exempt from these cuts. We must determine if these corporate tax credits a good return on the investment and benefit Iowans, not just those few businesses.

    – End –

  • Republican Senators reject proposal to ensure students don’t pay price for harassment judgment

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  February 8, 2018


    DES MOINES – 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 Herman Quirmbach of Ames offered an amendment today to a budget bill (Senate File 2117) that would have reduced the size of mid-year budget cuts proposed by Senate Republicans and restored $1.75 million to the state’s community colleges.

    The $1.75 million mirrors the amount of a settlement reached last year between Iowa Senate Republican leaders and Kirsten Anderson, a former Senate Republican staffer who was sexually harassed over a period of years at the Capitol. Instead of taking her seriously, Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix of Shell Rock fired Anderson seven hours after she filed a harassment complaint with Republican leaders.

    “We’ve heard from many Iowans who are not happy about paying the $1.75 million settlement,” Quirmbach said. “Today, I gave Republican Senators a choice. If they believed that that Iowa community college students should NOT pay for the bad behavior of the Senate Republican caucus, they could have voted YES! Instead, all 29 Republican Senators voted to keep community college students on the hook for the $1.75 million settlement against Senate Republicans.

    “Community college students and other taxpayers expect more from their leaders.”

    – end –

  • Restoring rights to working Iowans

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For immediate release: February 7, 2018

     

    (Des Moines) State Senator Nate Boulton, the ranking member of the Senate Labor and Business Committee, is sponsoring two bills to restore rights to working Iowans.

    “A year ago, Iowa Republicans took away rights and benefits from many Iowan workers,” Boulton said.  “As a result, Iowa is now a less attractive state to work compared to other states. Hardworking people have choices. By passing this legislation, Iowa can show workers that Iowa is a state where we respect workers and that we are the right place to build a good future for their families.”

    Senator Nate Boulton has proposed two bills, Senate File 2185 and Senate File 2186, to restore and improve the rights of Iowa workers.

    “Iowa’s shortage of skilled workers is the number one reason our state doesn’t produce enough good paying jobs,” Boulton said.  “We need to convince skilled Iowans to stay in Iowa and to attract skilled workers from other states.  To do that, we must show working people that their voices will be heard, their needs will be considered, and that they will be respected in the workplace.”

    Senate File 2185 would allow injured Iowa employees to choose their own doctors.

    “Under current law, an injured Iowa worker receiving workers compensation must be treated by a doctor chosen by their employer,” Boulton said.  “This is an obvious conflict of interest.”

    Senate File 2186 restores the collective bargaining rights abruptly taken away from several hundred thousand Iowa workers last year.  These rights were first approved in the early 1970s by Republican Governor Robert Ray and a Republican-controlled state legislature. Since that legislation is more than 40 years old, Boulton’s legislation expands those rights so teachers can bargain issues such as class size, so police and firefighters can negotiate on issues like safety equipment and so all workers can negotiate on health insurance.

    “We need teachers, nurses, firefighters, corrections officers and other Iowa workers to have a say in the workplace,” Boulton said.  “They should be able to point out problems and advocate for improvements.”

    Boulton said approving his proposed legislation would be the first two steps towards improving Iowa’s national image in a way that would help grow the state’s economy.

    For more information, contact Senator Boulton at 515-669-4259.

     

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