Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • 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-

  • Kinney invites Iowans to share ideas for job creation at Sigourney town meeting

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release: October 4, 2017

     

    State Senator Kevin Kinney of Oxford is organizing a town hall meeting on jobs at the Sigourney Public Library on Monday, October 23.  The event will begin at 6 PM and conclude at 7 PM.

    “Rural Iowans need higher wages. Rural businesses need skilled workers and more customers,” said Kinney, a farmer and retired deputy sheriff.  “At the Sigourney Library meeting, I’ll be listening for ideas that will help create jobs and economic prosperity across our state.

    The State Senator encouraged people to bring their suggestions.

    “This will be a discussion, not a lecture,” said Kinney. “The best ideas often appear when we get together and listen to each other.”

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  • Tax break for farmers, small businesses, teachers & families

    Senate Democrats have introduced legislation to help Iowa taxpayers by “coupling” Iowa’s tax code with recent federal changes for 2016, the taxes Iowans must pay this April. Thousands of Iowans want to use these provisions, which have been available to them in previous years, to lower their state taxes.

    Senate File 428 will benefit nearly 24,000 farmers and small business owners by allowing them to take advantage of a provision called Section 179 expensing. Federal law allows these taxpayers to take a larger deduction on equipment they have purchased as an investment in their operations. If Iowa “couples” with the federal tax code, these folks also get to take a similar deduction on their state tax returns.

    The Republican chair of the Senate’s tax-writing committee says he does not intend to support the legislation this year, but I am not giving up. Thousands of Iowans want to use these provisions, which have been available to them in previous years, to lower their state taxes.

    Last year, tax coupling legislation helped:

    • More than 39,000 Iowa teachers who purchase supplies for their classrooms with their own money.
    • More than 43,000 Iowans who own their homes, by allowing them to deduct mortgage insurance premiums from their state taxes.
    • More than 18,000 Iowans who are going to college or getting training to improve their skills and better their lives.
    • More than 45,000 working Iowans who are married with three or more children, by expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit.

  • 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.

  • 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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