From the Desk of Senator Bisignano
This week in the Capitol has been one of the busiest of the year. Known as funnel week, this week was a race to get as many bills through committees as possible. Bills that aren’t out of committee by Monday will be ineligible after that point. This means, of course, that committee meetings have been packed full, and there is a sense of urgency all throughout the building to schedule subcommittee meetings before the deadline.
In other news, the annual National Change of Address process to update Iowa’s voter registration records is underway. Notices are being mailed to 90,948 registered voters in Iowa who filed a change of address with the U.S. Postal Service during the past 12 months. Voters that receive these cards should follow the instructions on the return postcard to verify or correct their voting address, sign and return it to their county auditor’s office as soon as possible. Postage is prepaid.
Meet My Clerk
I wanted to take a moment this week to pull back the curtain and introduce you to the secret of my success in the Senate: my clerk Aleah.
This is Aleah’s first year as a clerk, and I first met her when she was a senate page in 2021. I am very grateful to have her as my clerk this year, and she has done an exemplary job. She is a sophomore at Simpson College, majoring in Political Science and Criminal Justice, with a minor in Legal Studies.
Clerks are essential to keeping things running in the Iowa Senate. Aleah helps with scheduling meetings, managing the correspondence I get from constituents like you, and generally keeping me organized and on task. Here in Iowa, our part-time legislature runs pretty lean, and the pace can get hectic. It’s safe to say I’d be lost without her.
Aleah personifies public service and the spirit of our citizen legislature. I’m so grateful for the long hours she puts in on my behalf and on yours.
Quick Updates
- Funnel Week is here. This week was Funnel Week in the legislature – a key procedural deadline that helps decides which bills will advance and which are no longer eligible for debate. The funnel is always a hectic time in the Capitol, as lawmakers scramble to consider bills and protect their priorities. We’ll have more to say about the Funnel next week.
- Equal pay for equal work. All Senate Democrats signed on as co-sponsors to SF 396, a bill to address wage discrimination under the Iowa Civil Rights Act of 1965 and establish an equal pay taskforce. Making our state fairer for working women and their families is a top priority.
- Supporting pregnant workers. No pregnant mom should have to worry that she will be forced off the job or face workplace discrimination or retaliation. SF 435, cosponsored by several Senate Democrats, requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees based on pregnancy or childbirth.
- Repealing health. Here’s one important but overlooked piece of the Governor’s massive government reorganization bill: one line on page 911 repeals the State Board of Health. The board has operated since 1880 – early 150 years in which it has promoted high-quality public health across our state. Gov. Reynolds proposes folding the Board of Health’s duties into a new Health and Human Services Council, with one big catch: only one member of that new board must be a knowledgeable health professional. The Board of Health requires seven. This is part of the Reynolds’ attempt to centralize power with political appointees rather than professionals and community members.
- Relief for tenants. A bill allowing tenants to seal records concerning unfounded eviction actions and evictions that took place more than five years ago appears to be advancing in the Senate. Half of all eviction actions are withdrawn or unfounded, but they haunt people for years, making it much harder to access stable housing. I’m hopeful this bill will quickly become law.
- Slapping down SLAPPs. Iowa is inching closer to passing Anti-SLAPP legislation, an important tool for protecting whistleblowers and critics from retaliation by powerful corporations and billionaire ideologues. If you need a refresher on SLAPP suits, watch John Oliver’s colorful explanation. (Be beware his language can be a little salty.)
- More funding for DSM. With air traffic poised to beat pre-pandemic levels this year, the Biden Administration has announced new awards totaling nearly $1 billion for airport modernization. The Des Moines International Airport will receive $10.8 million in this new round of funding for to help pay for preparation and construction of its new terminal.
- Be a History Day judge. The State Historical Society of Iowa is looking for people to serve as District Contest judges. The National History Day in Iowa contest is part of a program that challenges junior high and high school students to become historians as they investigate primary sources, craft historical arguments, and create projects about historical topics they’re passionate about. If you’re interested in serving as a judge, simply select a contest near you and sign up. More information is available here
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This Week in the Capitol
