Cahill

The 90th Legislative Session was like a roller coaster ride. Highs and lows. Winners and losers. Games and politics.

Back in January, no one suspected the dismantling of the Area Education Agencies (AEAs) which Governor Reynolds announced in her state of the state address. This bill (HF2612) restructures the way districts and AEAs use state funds to pay for Special Education Services, Educational and Media Services. An out-of-state company drafted a bogus report without talking to stakeholders about changes. Since the bill was passed in February, over 350 employees of the AEAs across the state have left their jobs. They are unwilling to continue working in a system where no one can predict what the future holds. Our children will face the damage caused by dismantling this system. Winners – the Governor and her supporters/contributors; Losers – Iowa special education students, their families and those who have faithfully served them for 50 years.

The Opioid settlement deal had been worked on since last summer to distribute money to provide mental health service expansions and treatments for addiction disorders. Nearly $20 million dollars was to be distributed including $12 million in competitive grants. This would have been a great funding opportunity for the MPACT partnership through the Marshalltown Police Department and YSS. There was an agreement with the Senate to pass the bill, but the Senate adjourned the session before they could pass it. The bill did not make it across the finish line, despite verbal agreements to pass the bill. Games and Politics.

Other bills that will negatively impact Iowans, lessen their voices in government, and pander to special interests are:

• Eliminate AEA mental health and special education services (HF 2612)

• Using religion to discriminate (SF 2095)

• Take money from public schools to give to charter schools (SF 2368)

• Lowering teaching qualifications (HF 255)

• Underfunds K-12 Schools (HF 2612)

• Eliminate the gender balance requirement on state boards (SF 2096)

• Eliminate routine hotel inspections (HF 2426)

• Arm teachers in public and private schools (HF 2586)

• Lowering accountability of taxpayer dollars to non-medical anti-abortion clinics (SF 2252)

• Allocating millions of funds for a faith-based referral system copied from Florida, rather than invest in proven Iowa resources (HF 2698)

• Restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion work at universities (SF 2435)

• County and city guaranteed income program ban (HF 2319)

• Cutting Iowans’ voices out of boards & commissions (SF 2385)

• Prescribes specific social studies curriculum (HF 2545)

• Public school prevented from not selling buildings to charter schools or private schools (HF 2543)

• Consolidating control over Health and Human Services appropriations under the Governor’s office, instead of the legislature. (HF 2698)

• Low-income mothers would be eligible for a year of Medicaid coverage after birth, but the income guidelines are lower so less women and babies will be eligible (SF 2251)

• Creating a new crime allowing local law enforcement to arrest and deport any person who has been previously departed and barred from entering Iowa. (SF 2340)

The Republicans in the House and Senate continually voted down amendments brought by the Democratic caucuses. These would have provided money to feed hungry children, returned money to AEAs, explored the reasons Iowa has one of the highest cancer rates in the country, funded additional mental health services, reduced sales taxes for all Iowans and many more things that would directly help everyday Iowans.

There were some good bipartisan bills that did get past both the House and the Senate and sent to the Governor. These include:

• Ensuring justice for survivors of sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts (SF 2431)

• More transparency to protect Iowans when they sell their homes (HF 2394)

• Ban foreign land ownership (SF 2204)

• Increases college savings plans (HF 2667)

• Insurance coverage for biomarker testing to improve patient care (HF 2668)

• Insurance coverage for diagnostic and supplemental breast exams (HF 2489)

• Criminalizing the use of AI in sexual exploitation of a minor (SF 2243)

• Increases penalties for individuals who falsely report bomb or terrorist threats (SF 2161)

• Ambulance reimbursement for mental health centers (HF 2397)

• Expand access to medical doctors (SF 477)

• Physicians now can serve as EMTs (HF 2507)

• New crime to stop grooming underage victims (HF 2602)

• HHS care coordination teams to help guide placement for complex health needs cases (HF 2402)

• Increasing state childcare payments to providers, and continuing childcare subsidies for childcare workers (HF 2658)

• Moving Iowa income tax to a flat rate of 3.8% for the next year.

Some bills introduced by the Republicans were not taken up or did not pass both houses. These bills died which was good news:

• Personhood bill that threatens in vitro fertilization (HF 2575)

• Union busting bill targeting police, firefighters, teachers, and other public servants (SF 2374)

• Ban gay marriage (SF 2129, HF 508)

• Removing gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Code (HF 2082)

• Lawsuit immunity for pesticide companies giving people cancer (SF 2412)

• Allows government agencies to bypass a state audit (SF 2311)

• Restricting access to STI vaccinations for Iowa youth (SF 2064)

• Erase LGBTQ+ Iowans from Iowa code (HF 2389)

• National Anthem required to be sung in schools (HSB 587)

• Death Penalty (SSB 3085)

• Not allowing localities to ban conversion therapy (SF 2037)

• Policing our restrooms in public places (SF 2055)

• Tinkering with our U.S Constitution (SF 2130, HF 2116)

• Dangerous Ivermectin treatment authority (SF 2122)

• City council takeover of libraries (SSB 3166) (HSB 678)

• Politicization of judicial selection (SF 2317)

• Voucher expansion to private preschools (HF 2353)

• Partisan elections for school board, city and merged AEA’s (HSB 633)

• School to employ chaplains services to students (SSB 3092/HF 2073)

• Making it harder to get the abortion pill (HF 2122)

• Changes nutrient management plans allowing for producers to avoid requirements and pollute waterways (SF 2371, HSB 607)

• Restricts the DNR from purchasing public land (SF 2324)

• U.S. citizenship voting verification (SF 2078)

• Putting up barriers for eligible Iowans to vote (SF 2380/HF 2610)

• State to sell license plates with money going to NRA (HF 2639)

• Anti-abortion indoctrination of students (HF 2617)

By now I should be used to the ups and downs of the legislative session. But it never ceases to amaze me how we spend our time in session. The House passed over 200 bills and the Senate passed 50 or so. We go through weeks of preparing bills to reach the House floor, only to see them die on the Senate side of the Capitol. Or bills that force you to vote for teachers against students.

I am thrilled teachers and other school staff are getting pay raises. I feel they are coming at the expense of the AEA services for our students. One bill that seemed cruel was the bill to provide the insurance of firefighters to cover all types of cancer as it has been found that not only the sites of fires contain toxic chemicals, but the gear that protects the firefighters also can be toxic. This bill was passed unanimously in the House, but the President of the senate said we needed to take emotion out of passing bills and did not bring this bill to the Senate Floor.

Another was the Opioid Settlement that would distribute funds to help with mental health issues and addiction disorders. The people needing these services are the losers of the session. What about nursing homes, public schools, our libraries, community bands and community centers? No winners here.

Thank you for the support I received during this legislative session. I needed every bit of it to continue to fight for everyday Iowans. I will continue to have Community Conversations over the summer. Watch the paper for times and locations.

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Sue Cahill, a Democrat from Marshalltown, represents District 52 in the Iowa House.