From the Desk of Senator Donahue
Week 2 brought a flurry of emails in support of our AEA agencies across the state. To date I have cleared nearly 1000 emails on this one bill alone.
Iowans love their AEAs!
I have been named the lead Democrat on this bill in the Senate and I am working with my caucus as well as counterparts across the aisle to make changes. Your advocacy is working. You are being heard loud and clear, so please keep that pressure coming.
This bill is a moving target, and we know that it will not advance in the form that it is today — but we need to make sure that we maintain all of the AEA services for the students so those educational opportunities are available to all kids, whether they’re urban or rural.
So please do not let up the pressure, and if you are from a rural district or a smaller school district, please contact your legislators and the education committees both in the House and in the Senate to keep that pressure on. Rural communities will be by far the worst hit by this bill.
In the meantime, there have been many other things happening at the Capitol this past week. My attentions have been drawn away for AEAs a bit, but I have met with quite a few groups in-between my meetings.
Another issue has arisen in the past week due to a resolution brought forward by the Republicans that condemn the actions on October 7 — the terrorist attack in Israel by Hamas.
In the State of Iowa, a resolution will do nothing to make changes from the atrocities that are occurring in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas on the Gaza Strip.
It is my belief we should be working on a humanitarian approach.
We come from diverse backgrounds, including Jews, Muslims, and Middle Eastern communities, who all want a safe place to call home. The extremist, whoever and wherever they are, should not be allowed to set the agenda.
We as a people should stand together for peace, justice, and a better future for all people everywhere.
Should this resolution in the current form come to the Senate floor, I will be a resounding no.
See below for some of the things happening around the Capitol this past week.
My heart is broken for the community of Perry, Iowa, for the senseless shooting that took the lives of their beloved principal, Dan Marburger, and a young child, Ahmir Jolliff, who had a great future ahead of him, and was a friend to all, as well as those who were injured and still recovering. You will not be forgotten.
A young woman painted this the other day, and I just wanted to post this to keep it in the front of minds, that this should never have happened— and must not happen again.
A Better Deal for Iowans: Opportunity for All
Iowa Senate Democrats are offering a Better Deal for Iowans in 2024, with an agenda driven by our core values of Opportunity, Freedom, and Accountability. This week, we’re highlighting our Opportunity Agenda and the policies we’re pursuing to ensure opportunity for every family, every kid, and every worker in Iowa.
We believe that every family in every community deserves a fair shot at success; that every kid should have access to a high-quality public education; and that every worker should be able to earn a paycheck that supports their family. That’s what Opportunity looks like.
To make that a reality in Iowa, here’s what we’re working on in 2024:
- Plans and policies to make life more affordable for Iowa families.
- Strong public education that supports students, parents & teachers.
- Worker-first policies that protect employee rights and build a strong middle class.
Ensuring opportunity for Iowans also means pushing back on bad ideas from politicians, special-interest insiders. That includes:
- Repealing the school voucher scheme enacted last year or, at a minimum, requiring more accountability and data reporting (SF 322).
- SF 458: Reinstate bargaining power and basic labor rights for Iowa workers.
- SF 226: Restore unemployment insurance for seasonal workers.
Making Iowa the best it can be requires bold ideas and bold action. That’s what we’re fighting for in 2024.
AEAs at Risk
The biggest story of the legislative session so far is Governor Reynolds’ plan to consolidate and eliminate services provided by Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs).
I’ve heard from educators and constituents from across the district who are worried about what the governor’s proposal would mean for children, families, and schools in our communities – and I am, too. Here’s what you need to know about our AEAs, as well as the cuts and changes Governor Reynolds is attempting to make.
What are AEAs?
AEAs are regional education service hubs that provide critical services to public and private schools in the areas of special education, mental health, media, curriculum & instruction, professional development, and more. Iowa has nine AEAs, covering every corner of the state and ensuring rural communities have the same access to resources as their more populous neighbors.
Take, for example, the response to the school shooting earlier this month in Perry: After the first responders, crisis counseling teams from the local AEA were the next on the scene to help the community recover – and they’re still there.
What is the governor proposing?
Just about everything the AEAs do would change under the governor’s plan. She proposes to eliminate various AEA services and restrict others to districts that specifically contract for those services. After huge backlash across the state, Gov. Reynolds on Thursday announced that she was scaling back her plans, but we’ve yet to see the details on the new approach.
What’s at stake?
The governor’s plan will slash funding to the AEAs and consolidate services now provided at the community level into the state bureaucracy in Des Moines. It’ll raise costs for providing key services – or make it hard to access them at all.
I have deep concerns about changing a system that delivers such essential services to Iowa families. And I’m worried that rural Iowa will be hit the hardest. I’ve received an outpouring of support for our AEAs already. If you have a story about how your local AEA helped your family, please share it, so we can make the most effective case possible to resist these changes.
Quick Updates
- Sign the petition: Senate Democrats are fighting hard to secure $29 million in federal food aid for 240,000 hungry Iowa kids this summer. We introduced Senate File 2039 to require the state to participate in the Summer EBT program, and if we move quickly we can get it done. Sign our petition to hold lawmakers accountable to families in need!
- ACA coverage update. The Affordable Care Act marketplace at healthcare.gov has experienced record high enrollment in low-cost health insurance plans. While open enrollment for 2024 has now closed, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you lose alternative coverage or have a qualifying life change.
- Stressed? Anxious? Depressed? Consider calling the Iowa Concern Hotline. This resource from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers confidential assistance and referrals for stress, legal questions, and financial concerns. Call Iowa Concern toll-free at 1-800-447-1985 or visit the website. You can also call or text 988 or visit Your Life Iowa for additional mental health support.
- New planting map.An updated version of the Plant Zone Hardiness Map – a key resource for gardeners and growers across the country – was recently released by the United States Department of Agriculture. The new map provides a more precise picture of average annual minimum temperature conditions across the state, using GIS data to account for factors like elevation and bodies of water. The map was previously updated in 2012.
- Bow hunting lessons.The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is offering a six-month workshop to teach skills needed to hunt, field dress, and cook white-tailed deer to individuals who have little to no archery hunting experience. DNR instructors will lead the workshop, which includes hunting opportunities throughout Iowa’s archery season in Adel, Ames, Davenport and Iowa City. Iowans can spend the summer months becoming proficient archers with compound bows provided by Iowa DNR and learn deer-hunting basics such as proper equipment, where to hunt, safe shooting practices, and tree stand placement. The course costs $200, including course supplies and archery loaner equipment. Applications open now. Click here for more information.
- Stay safe on the ice. With cold weather finally arriving in Iowa and freezing over lakes and ponds, ice fishing activity has begun at certain northern lakes. The DNR reminds all anglers – especially those in central and southern Iowa – to stay patient and allow ice thickness to grow before heading to their favorite ice fishing spot. The DNR recommends a minimum of four inches of quality ice for fishing and at least five inches for snowmobiles and ATVs. The DNR recommends that anglers test the ice thickness frequently and to trust your instincts – if the ice does not look right, don’t go out.
- Be an eagle watcher! The Iowa DNR will be holding two training opportunities for people interested in becoming volunteer bald eagle nest monitors. Prospective monitors who attend a workshop will learn how to get involved and monitor a nest in their area. With over 600 active eagle nests in Iowa, volunteer monitors are crucial to monitoring this species!
- Workshops cost $10, and space is limited so sign up soon! The fee covers the cost of materials and postage. For more information, click here or email Stephanie Shepherd at vwmp@dnr.iowa.gov.
- February 10: Zoom workshop
- March 23: In-person workshop at the Central Park Nature Center in Jones County
- Workshops cost $10, and space is limited so sign up soon! The fee covers the cost of materials and postage. For more information, click here or email Stephanie Shepherd at vwmp@dnr.iowa.gov.
This Week in the Capitol
