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Attacks on Trans people are attacks on everyone

It’s a distressing time to be a trans person just trying to mind your business. This March, the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention issued its third “red flag” warning about the risk of “anti-trans genocide” in the United States, warning about laws and policies designed to “criminalize” the entire trans community “based solely on its existence.” In February, Kansas invalidated the IDs of all trans people in the state with a single day’s notice. Finally, just recently, the International Olympic Committee mandated that all persons competing in women’s events ...

District 53 Newsletter from Rep. Dean Fisher

We have completed week 13 of the session, which marks 91 days out of the 100 official days of the second legislative session of this, the 91st General Assembly. If we go past 100 days, the legislators no longer receive their per diem expenses, and our legislative clerks are dismissed for the year. On Monday of this week, the House passed House File 2751, which defines obstruction of a first responder and adds penalties. This bill provides that a person who is given a verbal warning by a first responder to stay away or not approach must stay back 25 feet and not impede, interfere, ...

Barker Bulletin

Week 13: Budgets and Property Taxes I had the honor or starting my week by hosting legendary Coach Tony Dungy for a virtual meeting with House and Senate colleagues discussing the fatherhood initiatives in my Strong Families Tax Credit. It was a great opportunity to hear about the successes of this model in states like Texas and Florida. A stronger Iowa begins with strong families and I will continue to champion this piece of legislation! The highlight of my week was welcoming Colo-NESCO students to the House Chamber. They asked some really great questions about how their government ...

Public safety without compromise: The Republican approach

Iowa has proven something many states are still struggling to figure out: you don’t have to choose between public safety, accountability, and rehabilitation. You can have all three. Iowa’s results didn’t happen by accident. They are the product of leadership from Republican majorities in the House and Senate, alongside the Governor and Attorney General, focused on getting public safety right. Violent crime is roughly a third below the national average. Property crime is about 25 percent lower. Both have declined over the past decade. That success comes from a clear philosophy: ...

Mandatory prison time for tax thieves

If you steal from taxpayers, you should go to prison. It’s as simple as that. But in Iowa, that’s not what happens. Public dollars meant for schools, roads, and public safety have been taken by people in positions of trust — sometimes tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. And too often, the people responsible walk away with little more than a slap on the wrist. That’s not justice. And it’s not fair to the Iowans who play by the rules and pay their taxes. These insiders aren’t drunk every week or month in the moments when they write themselves extra ...

Iowa Outdoors

Craig Fish, a Toledo, Iowa resident of nearly 35 years, was recently recognized by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for his 50 years of volunteer hunter education instruction. At a meeting held in Linn County on March 17, Fish received an award for his 50 years of volunteerism. In actuality, this year marks Fish’s 51st year of being a volunteer hunter education instructor for the State of Iowa. In Iowa, resident and non-resident hunters born after Jan. 1, 1972 must satisfactorily complete a hunter education course in order to obtain a hunting license. The hunter ed program ...