Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • Perpetrators must pay for bad behavior – not Iowa taxpayers

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release: January 24, 2018

     

    DES MOINES — A group of Senators introduced legislation today to ensure that state employees – not all Iowa taxpayers – would be financially responsible for egregious and illegal workplace behavior.

    “Iowans are disgusted by the harassment, discrimination and retaliation against Kirsten Anderson and other legislative staff by some Republican Senators and staff members,” said Senator Tod Bowman of Maquoketa, the legislation’s main sponsor. “Most Iowans can’t believe they’re on the hook for $1.75 million because of the misconduct and mismanagement of some Republican Senators. Especially in a tight budget year, this money should be put towards our kids’ education, job training programs or mental health care. Taxpayers expect more from their leaders.”

    The legislation is proposed in the wake of a jury decision last year to award $2.25 million to former Senate Republican staffer Kirsten Anderson in a sexual harassment lawsuit she brought against Iowa Senate Republicans. Anderson was fired in May 2013, just seven hours after filing a complaint alleging a sexually hostile work environment. Subsequently, Anderson agreed to a reduced award of $1.75 million to avoid a lengthy appeal process.

    Under current law, Iowa taxpayers must pay for such awards, and there’s no recourse for state officials to recoup that money from offending state employees.

    The legislation introduced today – which is sponsored by all 20 Democratic State Senators and independent Senator David Johnson – would allow the plaintiff to receive an award from the state but would require the Iowa Attorney General to recover the amount of the award from offending state employees.

    The legislation applies to state employment cases, which includes hostile work environment cases involving sexual harassment, race, religion, age or disability.

    “This proposed legislation is part of the national conversation about preventing sexual harassment in the workplace,” Bowman said. “We must send a message to legislators and other state employees who harass their co-workers or subordinates that their conduct will not be tolerated and that they will be held responsible for their illegal behavior.”

    “This legislation is another important step in our efforts to improve the workplace culture in the Iowa Senate and our commitment to making sure the Statehouse is a safe and healthy environment.”

    – end –

     

  • Senators introduce bill to end privatized Medicaid

    All 20 Democrats and the one Independent in the Iowa Senate have introduced SF 2058, a bill to end privatized Medicaid and put Iowans back in control of a state-run system that provides affordable health care to more than 560,000 citizens.

    Since April 2016, when Iowa Medicaid was turned over to out-of-state companies, constituents have complained about the obstacles they face getting care and services.

    Hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers – especially in Iowa’s small towns and rural areas – agree that the privatized system is not working. They aren’t being properly reimbursed for the care they provide. They face red tape and bureaucratic nightmares. Many are in financial jeopardy, and some have even been forced to close their doors.

    The state keeps giving private, out-of-state companies more of your tax dollars to run Medicaid. In fact, Governor Reynolds just agreed to give them another $130 million. Yet things continue to get worse.

    This is not how health care for sick, injured and disabled Iowans is supposed to work. Privatized Medicaid is not saving taxpayer dollars. Iowans are not getting healthier. The entire system is in shambles.

    For the health and safety of our citizens, let’s put Iowans back in control of Medicaid.

  • Democrats call on Statehouse Republicans to ‘put Iowans back in control of Medicaid’

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release: December 15, 2017

     

    DES MOINES — Iowa’s Democratic state legislators are asking Governor Kim Reynolds and Republican lawmakers to work together during the 2018 session to end Iowa’s failed Medicaid privatization experiment.

    “We do our best work when we work in a bipartisan fashion” to expand access to affordable health care for many Iowans, Democratic legislators wrote in a letter emailed today to the Governor and every Republican lawmaker.

    “For the past 20 months, constituents of all ages have been bombarding Governor Reynolds and Republican and Democratic legislators with real problems caused by Medicaid privatization,” Democrats wrote. “There is clear evidence that Iowans have died as a result of life-sustaining services being cut off to extremely vulnerable individuals.”

    The letter also stresses the “financial jeopardy” that Medicaid privatization has imposed on hospitals, nursing homes and other Iowa health care providers, especially in Iowa’s small towns and rural areas.

    Democratic lawmakers noted that “privatization is not saving money for Iowa’s taxpayers, and it is not resulting in healthier Iowans. Under Medicaid privatization, the state of Iowa keeps giving the private, out-of-state companies more and more money, while giving Iowa taxpayers less and less.”

    Medicaid is a health care safety net that is administered by the states and funded through a federal-state partnership. Roughly 70 percent of Medicaid expenses are for the care of our very poor elderly and severely disabled Iowans. In 2015, the Branstad/Reynolds Administration announced that the state employees running the program would be replaced by for-profit Medicaid managers.

    Despite widespread opposition and repeated delays, large, out-of-state companies took over care of the majority of Iowans receiving Medicaid services on April 1, 2016. As of today, three of the four companies initially hired to manage the program have abandoned the project. When AmeriHealth Caritas quit the state last month, the health care of 215,000 Iowans was disrupted.

    Governor Reynolds has promised that more managed care organizations are being recruited to replace those that left.

    In today’s letter, Democratic lawmakers propose a different approach: “When Connecticut realized its privatized Medicaid was not working, state leaders made the decision to go back to a publicly managed Medicaid system. Connecticut is now seeing much better results with their new model. They are saving money and improving care.”

    The letter concludes with this plea:

    “More than ever before, we all know that privatized Medicaid is not working for Iowa. For the health and safety of so many, will you work with us to put Iowans back in control of Medicaid? We can and should do better for Iowans. Watching our health care system collapse is not an option.”

     

    -end-

  • Governor Reynolds’ claim to balance budget ‘without cuts to education’ is astoundingly false

    Sept. 21, 2017

    Statement by Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames, Ranking Member of the Senate Education Committee

    “Reynolds apparently wants to forget about the nearly 250,000 students who attend Iowa’s colleges and universities, but they really took it on the chin from her budget.  SF 130 resulted in $4.75 million being cut from the community colleges, $9.24 million cut from the University of Iowa, $8.99 million from Iowa State, and $2.52 million from UNI.  Private college students ducked any cut for FY2017, but they lost $2.8 million from their Iowa Tuition Grant scholarship fund for this school year.

    “As a direct result of Reynolds’ education cuts, Regents university students this fall got a ‘welcome back’ surprise of a steep tuition hike.  At ISU, the increase was two and a half times what students had initially been told.

    “Bad enough that Reynolds would levy a ‘tuition tax increase’ on students and their families, but then to fib about it and pretend it didn’t happen is just dishonest.  Iowans deserve better.”

    end

  • Quirmbach: GOP’s “tuition tax” will hurt students and weaken Iowa’s economy

    For Immediate Release: Sept. 7, 2017

    State Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames, the Ranking Member of the Senate Education Committee, released a statement in response to today’s meeting of Tuition Task Force with the Iowa Board of Regents:

    “In a series of meetings, Iowans overwhelmingly urged the Board of Regents not to impose years of sharp tuition increases on Iowa students and their families.

    “Let’s be clear.  During the 2017 session, Republicans balanced the state budget by cutting university funding, forcing a tuition increase this year of more than twice what the Board of Regents had proposed.  Now, instead of ending huge giveaways to out-of-state corporations, Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans hope a steep, multi-year ‘tuition tax’ on Iowa students will balance Iowa’s busted state budget.

    “However, making college much more costly for Iowa students will only make things worse.  Iowa is in a downward spiral.  Our state’s lack of skilled workers prevents strong economic growth.  The lack of economic growth creates a budget deficit.  Republicans cut education to balance the budget.  Those cuts worsen our skilled worker shortage.

    “The Republican plan to balance the budget through a ‘tuition tax’ on Iowa families will hurt Iowa’s economy and should be rejected.”

     

    -End-

  • Republican no-shows for Tuition Task Force meeting hamper efforts to make college more affordable for Iowa students

    July 25, 2017

    The Board of Regents Tuition Task Force has canceled its July 27th meeting due to a lack of participation by Republican legislators and members of the Reynolds Administration.

    According to the Board of Regents’ web site, the task force was “established to facilitate public discussion regarding the issue of tuition at Iowa’s public universities.  The task force will examine the core issues and strategies central to the process of setting tuition at the three Regent Universities and welcomes input from legislative and business stakeholders, university representatives, and the public.”

    The July 27th meeting would have been the first of four public meetings on future tuition policy.  The Board of Regents announced the meeting was canceled due to lack of participation.  Confirmed participants included the members of the taskforce, Iowa Workforce Development, and Democratic members of the Iowa House and Senate.

    “I’m disappointed that Republican legislators, Governor Reynolds’ office, and other Reynolds state agencies failed to indicate any interest in participating in tomorrow’s Regents’ Tuition Task Force meeting,” said Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Education Committee.  “Republican legislators especially need to participate because their budget cuts to the state universities this year have caused steep tuition increases, more than double what the Board of Regents had initially planned.  These late increases have slammed Iowa’s college students and their parents.”

    The remaining meetings on student tuition and fees are scheduled to be held at college campuses when the majority of students won’t be there:  August 7 at the University of Northern Iowa; August 9 at Iowa State University; and, August 14 at the University of Iowa.

    “All the meetings should be rescheduled to days when students are actually on campus,” said Quirmbach.  “That way we can hear from the people we are counting on to be the next generation of Iowa innovators and leaders.  Student voices need to be heard—and listened to!”

    -end-

     

     

  • Quirmbach responds to tuition increase at Iowa’s state universities

    IOWA SENATE NEWS RELEASE
    State Senator Herman Quirmbach, 515-292-8984
    For Immediate Release: June 8, 2017

     

    State Senator Herman Quirmbach, ranking Democrat on the Senate Education Committee, said Republicans in charge of state government must reverse course to keep higher education affordable for Iowa families.

    Quirmbach’s comments follow today’s vote by the Board of Regents to increase tuition at Iowa’s three state universities this fall.  Previously, the Regents had approved a modest 2-percent increase for 2017-18, conditional on a matching 2-percent increase in state funding.  Instead, the Republican-controlled Legislature cut state funding by more than $30 million.

    With today’s action, the 2-percent tuition increase balloons to a 5-percent increase for most in-state undergraduates.  At ISU, instead of an increase of $142, next year’s tuition will rise by a whopping $358.

    “Affordable access to higher education is more than ever a critical piece in achieving a middle-class standard of living.  Our Republican-led state government has not done its part to keep the door to college open for average Iowans,” Quirmbach said.  “We must do everything we can to ensure that average kids are not priced out of an education or burdened with crushing student debt that prevents them from ever getting ahead.

    “Iowa businesses, too, depend on an increasingly skilled workforce,” said Quirmbach, noting that 68 percent of all Iowa jobs are expected to require education and training beyond high school by 2025.  “Making college unaffordable is the worst thing we can do to Iowa businesses when the number one problem facing those businesses is a critical shortage of qualified workers.”

     

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  • Superintendent Survey: Continued Underfunding Will Result in Higher Class Sizes, Teacher Layoffs in Iowa Schools


    Iowa Legislature News Release
    January 19, 2017 

     

    DES MOINES – A new survey of Iowa Superintendents has found that about 2/3 of them will be forced to raise class size, cut teachers, and reduce opportunities for students if lawmakers approve a 2% or lower increase in basic school funding.

    “Nearly every school leader surveyed said the state has invested too little to make sure our kids get a world-class education,” said Rep. Sharon Steckman of Mason City, Ranking Member of the House Education Committee. “After six years of historic funding lows for public schools, it’s important for us to listen to our school leaders and take action this year to make sure our schools can give all kids the skills needed for the jobs of the future.”

    Of those surveyed, 98.6% said the state’s investment in education for the last several years has not been enough to make sure every Iowa child receives a world-class education. 69% said a 4% increase in state funding was required to meet the needs of their students.

    The superintendents were also asked about the impact of just a 2% increase in state funding for the upcoming school year: 71% said they would have to raise class size, 61% said they would layoff teachers, 58% would reduce class offerings, and 65% would delay purchasing new textbooks and classroom materials.

    “If legislative Republicans shortchange our schools again this year, it will have disastrous consequences for students: rising class sizes, fewer opportunities, old textbooks, and teacher layoffs,” added Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames, Ranking Member of the Senate Education Committee. “We need to renew our commitment to public schools this year and put education first again.

    ***************************************

    Comments from the 2017 Superintendent Survey

    AGWSR

    How should the state help public schools attract and retain good teachers?

    We need to pay our certified and non-certified staff better if we are going to retain them.  It’s hard to compete with the business world and how well they are able to compensate their employees.  Educators have one of the most important jobs possible as they are preparing students for the real world, yet we don’t pay them near enough for the importance of their job.

     

    Audubon Community School

    Over the last year, what challenges have you faced because supplemental state aid has not been set a year in advance as required by law?

    Very hard to maintain our Offer & Teach courses required by the state…we have been forced to share more staff, reduce positions and offer Early retirement to our experienced teacher in order to reduce cost…this has lead to an increase in less experienced staff and greater staff turnover

     

    Battle Creek-Ida Grove

    What message do you have for lawmakers, Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds regarding the future of public schools in Iowa?

    If you really want to build a high quality work force for business and industry in our state you must adequately fund the public schools so we can offer the quality programs necessary to make that a reality. School vouchers, private school scholarship tax credits and charter schools will take funding away from public schools, our community schools and make it impossible for us to help develop the work force Iowa deserves.

     

    Bondurant-Farrar

    Do you have any other concerns you would like to share?

    Vouchers are a HUGE concern.  Public schools are our foundation in Iowa.  If we continue to reduce support for our schools that serve our children it will be difficult to recover from.  If we can’t fund our schools well today how will we be able to if we include all private school children? Private schools are a family choice-not a necessity or state budget item.

     

    Lake Mills

    What message do you have for lawmakers, Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds regarding the future of public schools in Iowa?

    Many of the communities rely on their school systems as a focal point to attract business and families.  By squeezing schools financially and forcing school closings you are hurting all the communities throughout the state.  If we want Iowa to be made up of a handful of big schools that are all located in our big cities then we are heading down that path.  Communities suffer when their schools are closed.

     

    New London

    Do you have any other concerns you would like to share?

    Preschool has made a major impact on the education of our students. Please know that early intervention is the best practice for students and their education. Penalizing student at the completion of 3rd grade is not the right decision, especially when it is based off a 1 minute test.

     

    Shenandoah

    What is the biggest challenge you face in hiring good teachers?

    Lack of applicants for vocational programs.  Beginning teacher salaries are way to low to attract math, science, and vocational teachers.

     

    Sigourney

    What is the biggest challenge you face in hiring good teachers?

    Being able to tell them that their job is safe from being cut in a year

     

    United Community

    What message do you have for lawmakers, Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds regarding the future of public schools in Iowa?

    Public education is the one item that allows all of our students in Iowa an equal chance to succeed.  Removing funding or underfunding will create long term inequalities for Iowans and in turn cost us more than the initial investment.

     

    West Monona

    What message do you have for lawmakers, Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds regarding the future of public schools in Iowa?

    Iowa educators continue to do more with less.  It is difficult to continue this trend but it seems we have little choice.  I am superintendent of two small schools.  We have hard working, caring teachers and employees who do so much for our students and our districts.  They sacrifice a lot and it feels as though we are being squeezed and squeezed.  Please help small schools so they are not forced to close and have our students travel even farther every day.

    *****************************************

    2017 Superintendent Survey Results

    140 Superintendents responded to an online survey sponsored by the ranking members of the House and Senate Education committees.

    1. What amount of supplemental state aid do you need for the 2017-2018 school year to meet the educational needs of your students?
    2017-2018 Supplemental State Aid
    Increase in
    Basic State Aid    		 Percent of Superintendent Support Response
    Count
    0% 0.0% 0
    1% 0.0% 0
    2% 2.1% 3
    3% 15.7% 22
    4% 69.3% 97
    5% 2.9% 4
    6% 10.0% 14

     

    1. What amount of supplemental state aid do you need for the 2018-2019 school year to meet the educational needs of your students?
    2018-2019 Supplemental State Aid
    Increase in
    Basic State Aid    		 Percent of Superintendent Support Response
    Count
    0% 0.0% 0
    1% 0.0% 0
    2% 0.7% 1
    3% 19.3% 27
    4% 69.3% 97
    5% 5.0% 7
    6% 5.7% 8

     

     

    3. If lawmakers and the Governor set supplemental state aid at 2% or below for the next two school years, what impact will that have on your school district? (Choose all that apply)
    Percent Responses
    Raise class sizes 71% 99
    Lay off teachers 61% 86
    Cut back literacy programs 27% 38
    Delay new technology purchases 24% 34
    Reduce class offerings 58% 81
    Delay purchases of up-to-date textbooks
    and classroom materials    		 65% 91
    Other 25% 35
    4. Thinking about the last several years, has the state invested enough in your school district to keep up with rising costs, new state mandates and key priorities in your district to make sure every kid gets a world-class education?
    Percent Responses
    State investment is too much 0.0% 0
    State investment is enough 1.4% 1
    State investment is too little 98.6% 138
     

     

     

    5. Should the Legislature invest the resources necessary to make preschool available to all Iowa 4-year olds?
    Percent Responses
    Yes 93.6% 131
    No 6.4% 9

     

     

     

     

     

     

    end

  • 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).