Edler

In the Legislature

As the 90th General Assembly draws closer to an end, members continue to consider policy bills as the budget numbers come closer to finality. The scheduled end date is April 16. This week I had several visitors come to the Capitol for bill signings, budget requests and to just say hello. Thank you for your continued input on the issues that are important to you.

On Tuesday the governor signed SF 2204, strengthening Iowa’s foreign land ownership laws to further protect the state’s greatest resource, tightening those rules, and providing us with more information about foreign entities owning Iowa land and the reason they own it. The governor also signed SF 2340, making being an illegal alien in Iowa a crime and giving law enforcement additional tools as we look at how to protect our state amid the ongoing crisis at the southern border.

One of the bills the Senate debated this week was Senate File 2411. This bill was proposed by the governor as a way we can continue to address the workforce challenges in Iowa. It creates a new Workforce Opportunity Fund, makes changes to work-based learning experiences, expands student teaching pathways and modifies the last-dollar scholarship program.

This week we also passed Senate File 2391, providing more truth in labeling for meat and egg products. The bill says food products made from cell-cultivated, insect or plant protein, cannot be sold as meat products without proper labeling. It also says fabricated egg products, which are derived from plant protein and not produced from a hen, cannot be sold as egg products without proper labeling. Meat and egg producers are both very important industries in our agricultural state, and this truth-in-labeling bill ensures they are protected and gives consumers more accurate information about the food they are eating.

The Senate passed HF 2586 this week to offer a tool to strengthen school security across Iowa. The unfortunate events in Perry this winter illustrated the need to change and improve school security in Iowa.

HF 2586 gives school staff the option to choose to obtain a professional permit to carry. The process for school staff to become approved to have a concealed weapon is extensive and requires a high-level of training. The bill provides staff qualified immunity from civil and criminal liability for damages caused by the application of reasonable force at the place of employment if they have completed the prescribed training.

Staff carrying concealed weapons to protect their students is completely voluntary both for the school district and any staff member interested in participating. No school or school employee will be required to have armed staff or carry a weapon.

In a recent Des Moines Register poll, 65 percent of Iowans supported the bill. In moments of a school shooting, every second matters. Having trained, prepared personnel on location to protect the vulnerable must be a priority in any society.

The response by law enforcement to the Perry shooting was extraordinary. They responded in moments to keep a bad situation from getting worse. However, many schools in more rural parts of the state do not always have law enforcement nearby like schools in metro areas. This bill offers another tool for schools to help provide a safe and secure environment for students in Iowa to focus on learning.

As the final days of the session come to an end, I want to thank the constituents of Senate District 26 for their continued input and support. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

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Jeff Edler, a Republican from State Center, represents District 26 in the Iowa Senate.