Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • Retired child abuse investigator says DHS cuts would endanger children and vulnerable adults

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release: January 25, 2017

     

    Bill Dickey, retired DHS investigator; Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City; Sue Vogel, recent retiree from Independence Mental Health Institution; and, Kathy Butler, recent retiree from Woodward Resource Center.

    Statement by Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City

    “Iowans across the state are worried that Republican budget cuts will endanger vulnerable Iowans, children and dependent adults.

    “Cutting the number of people looking out for children at risk is a mistake. We should not cut services to our most vulnerable Iowans.”

     

    Statement by Bill Dickey, retired DHS investigator

    I’m here to oppose mid-year cuts to Iowa’s human services budget, cuts that will be permanent. Those cuts would endanger children and adults who need our help. I say this based on my experience working for the Iowa Department of Human Services for 34 years. As a social worker at DHS, I was a caseworker, a supervisor of caseworkers, and finally as an investigator on cases involving children and adults, until I retired in 2014.

    The job of a caseworker is to protect people who are at risk of being harmed or abused. The most important thing a caseworker has to offer is their time and attention. That’s why the number of people each caseworker is assigned is so important. The number of cases a worker can handle depends on many factors, including the community, the type of case and other services available.

    The basic job, however, is the same everywhere: When you are the caseworker for a foster child, like I was, your job is to be that child’s advocate. That child needs someone dedicated to keeping them safe and able to thrive. That someone is the caseworker and sometimes it’s the child’s only resource.

    My ability to do right by the children I was responsible for depended, in part, on how many cases I had. When I started for the State of Iowa, my caseload was 15 to 20. After 15 years, the average caseload had grown to more like 35.  Remember, this was for both beginners and experienced caseworkers alike.

    Then two things happened. One, we had several tragic cases that got a lot of media attention, such as the Shelby Duis case. The other was the election of Governor Vilsack. Governor Vilsack took an interest and provided the money; caseloads declined. This allowed for caseworkers like me to spend more time and attention on each case we were given and do what was best for the child.

    And that’s really the most important thing we had to offer at-risk children, our time and our attention. When Governor Branstad returned to office, caseloads increased, which benefited no one.

    I finished my career working as an investigator. During that time, I looked into some very, very sad and tragic cases. Sometimes I saw situations where things could have gone differently. A little more time could have made the outcome easier on the child or senior I was assisting. The toughest cases are complex and difficult and the solutions are never easy. If you’ve got 30 or 35 or even 40 cases, that’s just asking for trouble.

    That’s why I’m opposed to these permanent human services budget cuts. They will put children and adults who need our help in danger.

    I’m telling legislators today: “Don’t do it. Don’t hurt these children and adults who need our help the most.”

    end

     

     

     

  • Let’s create more jobs with solar energy

    Fourteen Senate Democrats want to grow Iowa’s economy with an initiative to increase our investment in one of our most successful incentives: Iowa’s solar energy tax credit.

    Between 2012 and 2016, the credit has led to more than 2,500 solar energy projects. An investment of about $16 million in state funds has generated more than $130 million in private investment, while creating more than 1,000 jobs throughout Iowa.

    Senate File 97 would create hundreds of new jobs and millions in additional investment. Learn more about Iowa’s Solar Energy System Tax Credit at http://programs-taxcredit.iowa.gov/Solar/Dashboard/External.

  • Pre-session listening tour: Mason City, Waterloo, Davenport, DeWitt, Ottumwa, Anamosa

    Legislative Democrats are holding six listening sessions to begin our 2017 outreach. We’ll be stopping Jan. 3-6 in Mason City, Waterloo, Davenport, DeWitt, Ottumwa and Anamosa. Throughout the year, we hope to meet with Iowans across our state.

    We want to hear local concerns and share a positive vision for good jobs with good benefits, good schools, better health, and real public safety.

    • Mason City, Tuesday, January 3, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., at the Mason City Public Library, 225 2nd Street SE.
    • Waterloo, Tuesday, January 3, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., at the Waterloo Public Library, 415 Commercial Street.
    • Davenport, Thursday, January 5, from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m., at the Village Inn, 1919 N. Harrison Street.
    • DeWitt, Thursday, January 5, from 11:00 a.m. to noon, at the Frances Banta Waggoner Library, 505 10th Street.
    • Ottumwa, Thursday, January 5, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Hotel Ottumwa’s Iowa Room, 107 2nd Street E.
    • Anamosa, Friday, January 6, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m., at Grounds & Goodies, 112 E. Main Street.

    Complete details are available for each event at www.senate.iowa.gov/democrats/events.

  • Ragan: Continue oversight until Medicaid problems are truly fixed

     

    Opening Comments for the December 13 meeting of the Iowa Legislature’s Health Policy Oversight Committee meeting by Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City, Senate Committee Co-Chair*

     

    In Iowa, privatized health care for the poor and severely disabled is moving forward faster, with less planning, than in any other state.  This affects the health care of one in six Iowans.

    At this meeting of the Iowa Legislature’s Health Policy Oversight Committee, it is our job to ask “How’s it going?”

    That is the question we need to keep asking Iowa families and Iowa health care providers.

    The answers so far are pretty consistent.  Various basic problems continue and aren’t being fixed.   Some examples are:

    • Providers have told us they are not being paid in a timely manner, or are being paid the incorrect amount.
    • Many Iowans still can’t get the services they need without jumping through unnecessary administrative hoops.
    • Are there STILL problems with prior authorizations?
    • Is information from IME and the MCOs still hard to get, inconsistent, or incorrect?
    • Are Iowa’s local health care providers paying much more in administration costs? Yes they are, and yet the MCOs responsible for those cost increases are getting a raise.

    Any savings from privatized Medicaid are vaporous at best, especially as the MCOs consistently complain they are losing lots of money.

    The right thing to do is to fix these problems.  That argument should move us to action, especially when you consider this: Each and every Iowan, except for the wealthiest among us, is just an accident away from needing the long-term health care Medicaid provides.

    That’s why intensive, on-going oversight of privatized Medicaid is absolutely essential.  That oversight must continue until these serious, recorded, persistent problems are fixed.

    Iowans depend on us to ask tough questions, to insist on straight answers, and to make sure the State of Iowa’s efforts result in the most positive health care programs and outcomes possible.

    That’s exactly what I hope we can do today.  Thank you.

    -end-

    * Video of the meeting is available here: https://www.facebook.com/IowaSenateDemocrats/  

     

  • Democrats release committee assignments for 2017 session

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For immediate release: December 9, 2016

     

    (Des Moines) Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg has released the committee assignments for the Democratic members of the Iowa Senate for the 201­7 session of the Iowa Legislature.

     

    “A lot of groundwork is done during committee meetings, where there are opportunities for open discussion and bipartisan work,” Hogg said.  “I’m disappointed Senate Republicans have eliminated the Economic Growth Committee, but we will look for ways to stand up for good jobs, good benefits and strong community schools across the state.”

     

    The two-year 87th General Assembly will begin on Monday, January 9, 2017.

     

    The committee list is below, is attached, and  can also be found at: www.senate.iowa.gov/democrats/2017-committee-assignments.

     

     

    Senate Democrats Committee Assignments:
    87th General Assembly

    www.senate.iowa.gov/democrats/2017-committee-assignments/

     

     

    Agriculture Committee

     

    Appropriations Committee

     

    Commerce Committee

     

    Education Committee

     

    Ethics Committee

     

    Government Oversight Committee

     

    Human Resources Committee

     

    Judiciary Committee

     

    Labor and Business Relations Committee

     

    Local Government Committee

     

    Natural Resources Committee

     

    Rules and Administration Committee

     

    State Government Committee

     

    Transportation Committee

     

    Veterans Committee

     

    Ways and Means Committee

     

    Administration and Regulation Appropriations Subcommittee

     

    Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee

    Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee

     

    Education Appropriations Subcommittee

     

    Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee

     

    Justice System Appropriations Subcommittee

     

    Transportation and Infrastructure Appropriations Subcommittee

     

    Administrative Rules Review Committee

     

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  • Hogg elected leader of Senate Democrats

    The new Iowa Senate Democratic leadership includes (from left) State Senators Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City (assistant leader), Rita Hart of Wheatland (assistant leader), Bill Dotzler of Waterloo (assistant leader), Liz Mathis of Robins (assistant leader), Amanda Ragan of Mason City (Senate Democratic Whip), Matt McCoy of Des Moines (assistant leader), Herman Quirmbach of Ames (assistant leader) and Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids (Senate Democratic Leader).
    The new Iowa Senate Democratic leadership includes (from left) State Senators Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City (assistant leader), Rita Hart of Wheatland (assistant leader), Bill Dotzler of Waterloo (assistant leader), Liz Mathis of Robins (assistant leader), Amanda Ragan of Mason City (Senate Democratic Whip), Matt McCoy of Des Moines (assistant leader), Herman Quirmbach of Ames (assistant leader) and Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids (Senate Democratic Leader).

    Iowa Senate News Release

    For immediate release: November 19, 2016

    Hogg elected leader of Senate Democrats

    [Des Moines] At a Statehouse meeting Nov. 19, Democratic members of the Iowa Senate unanimously elected State Senator Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids to serve as the Iowa Senate’s Democratic Leader.

    Senator Hogg released the following statement:

     

    “I’m honored my Senate Democratic colleagues selected me as their leader in this difficult time. During the 2017 legislative session, we will stand up for Iowans who need state government to work for all of us. One reason Iowa is such a great state is our dedicated public employees—teachers, corrections officers, state troopers, DOT workers, DHS workers, DNR workers, city and county staff, and many others—who work hard every day to help Iowans.

    “We will stand up for working people who seek higher wages and better benefits, for families who need strong schools and affordable college and job training, for small business owners who need skilled workers and a level playing field, for seniors who need help to stay in their own homes, for veterans who need health care, for city residents and farmers looking for clean water and clean energy solutions, and for vulnerable Iowans who need a safety net to maintain their health and dignity.

    “In contrast to most other states, Iowa’s state budget is in good shape. We want to keep it that way, and will try to prevent Governor Branstad and legislative Republicans from repeating the sort of mistakes that bankrupted Kansas, undermining their schools, health care and economy.”

     

    Senator Hogg is in his third term in the Iowa Senate, after serving two terms in the Iowa House. He currently chairs the Government Oversight Committee, is vice-chair of the Judiciary Committee, and serves on the Appropriations, Education and Ways & Means committees. Following the devastating floods and tornadoes of 2008, Senator Hogg chaired a special Rebuild Iowa Committee focused on helping communities recover.

    A fourth generation Iowan, Rob Hogg is a lawyer in private practice in Cedar Rapids. He and his wife, Kate, have three children and are members of Christ Episcopal Church.

    Senate Democrats also elected Amanda Ragan of Mason City as Senate Democratic Whip, and six assistant leaders: Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City, Bill Dotzler of Waterloo, Rita Hart of Wheatland, Liz Mathis of Robins, Matt McCoy of Des Moines and Herman Quirmbach of Ames.

    In addition, the meeting was the first for newly elected State Senator Nate Boulton of Des Moines.

    The 2017 session of the 87th Iowa General Assembly will convene on Monday, January 9, 2017.

     

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    The new Iowa Senate Democratic leadership includes (from left) State Senators Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City (assistant leader), Rita Hart of Wheatland (assistant leader), Bill Dotzler of Waterloo (assistant leader), Liz Mathis of Robins (assistant leader), Amanda Ragan of Mason City (Senate Democratic Whip), Matt McCoy of Des Moines (assistant leader), Herman Quirmbach of Ames (assistant leader) and Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids (Senate Democratic Leader).
    The new Iowa Senate Democratic leadership includes (from left) State Senators Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City (assistant leader), Rita Hart of Wheatland (assistant leader), Bill Dotzler of Waterloo (assistant leader), Liz Mathis of Robins (assistant leader), Amanda Ragan of Mason City (Senate Democratic Whip), Matt McCoy of Des Moines (assistant leader), Herman Quirmbach of Ames (assistant leader) and Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids (Senate Democratic Leader).