From the Desk of Senator Janet Petersen
This week we kicked off the 2023 Iowa Legislative Session. New lawmakers and those reelected in 2022 took the oath of office. The new legislative districts also officially went into effect this week.
WHY NEW DISTRICTS? Every 10 years, Iowa redraws its legislative districts based on the newest census data. The goal is to make sure districts are fair and evenly balanced by population. Polk County’s population grew, creating more legislative districts and shifting the lines of current districts.
The boundaries of my Senate District (SD 18) changed. See new SD 18 boundaries here: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/DMP/1366290.pdf.
Welcome to the newest members of our senate district! I’m looking forward to getting to know you and serve you at the statehouse.
Our district also welcomed two new House members: Reps. Sean Bagniewski and Austin Baeth who replaced the incredible Reps. Marti Anderson and Jo Oldson who both retired this year. (We’ll miss you both!)
I also welcomed a new clerk – Carol Maher who will be helping me stay on top of things during the legislative session. Carol lives and bikes in our district! A special shout out to Claire Haws who clerked for me and our district for years.
A bit about me for those of you who are new to the district…
I’ve served in the Iowa Legislature since 2001, starting in the Iowa House of Representatives before being elected to the Iowa Senate in 2012. In 2017, I was elected as the first woman in Iowa to serve as Senate Minority Leader.
I’m proud of my work bringing people together and pushing policy ideas that matter. The best legislation I pursue begins in our district with people like you.
I live just north of Beaverdale, not far from where I grew up, with my husband Brian Pattinson (an Ames native) and our three kids – Charlie, Maggie, and Buck. Outside of the Legislature, I am one of the five founding moms of Healthy Birth Day, Inc. Our nonprofit is best known for Count the Kicks, a stillbirth prevention campaign that started in Iowa and is growing nationwide.
This session I’m serving on the following committees:
- Appropriations, Ranking Member
- Commerce
- Government Oversight
- Health & Human Services
- Judiciary
- Ways & Means
- Transportation, Infrastructure and Capitals Appropriations Subcommittee, Ranking Member
I look forward to staying connected with you. Here are three simple ways to reach me:
1) Email me: janet.petersen@legis.iowa.gov
2) Follow me on Twitter: @janet4iowa
3) Follow me on Facebook: facebook.com/janet4iowa
We are working on times, dates, and locations for legislative forums, so watch for those in upcoming newsletters.
Statehouse Republicans Rush to Ram Vouchers Through the Senate
Gov. Reynolds rolled out her latest school voucher scheme during her Condition of the State Address on Tuesday night, and Senate Republicans wasted no time pushing it forward on Thursday afternoon in subcommittee. The bill could come up for a vote in the Iowa Senate as early as next week. I’m deeply concerned that Republicans are rushing to pass this bill before Iowans even know what hit them.
Since Republicans took control of the Iowa Statehouse, they’ve defunded Iowa’s public schools with scrap-sized budget increases that don’t keep up with cost increases. This bill, if signed into law, will gut Iowa’s public education budget and system – defunding public schools, escalating the teacher shortage crisis, and forcing neighborhood school closures.
The Voucher Bill forces Iowa taxpayers to give parents at least a $7600 voucher every year for each child they send to private school. The phase-in of the program is rapid, requiring taxpayer-funded vouchers to be given to Iowans in every income bracket by the third year of the program.
Vouchers are a terrible idea for Iowa and for our neighborhood schools.
Evidence shows voucher schemes like this hurt student achievement. Parents don’t get more choices for educating their children since private schools dictate the students they will accept. And, there will be less programming for the majority of our kids in public schools with less funding.
Senate Democrats are united in our opposition to the Voucher Bill.
Quick Updates
- This week, Governor Reynolds released her budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year. As a budget is developed throughout this session, I’ll be advocating for smart investments in services and programs that benefit regular Iowans and small businesses. My priority is investments that move Iowa’s economy forward.
- The last day to enroll in or change 2023 health coverage through the federal Marketplace is Sunday, Jan. 15. Under the American Rescue Plan, more people may qualify even if they haven’t in the past, and there may be more savings. To find local help, visit https://localhelp.healthcare.gov or call 800-318-2596.
- The Iowa Department of Human Rights’ Office on the Status of African-Americans will host its 34th annual celebration honoring the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at 10:45 a.m. on Monday, January 16. The event will be streamed on the Department of Human Rights’ Facebook page.
- Deer licenses for the excess tag January antlerless season went on sale Jan. 11 in counties with unsold county antlerless licenses, and will be available until quotas are filled. County-specific antlerless licenses quota information is available in real time at https://gooutdoorsiowa.com/RealTimeQuotas.aspx.
This Week in the Capitol
Senator Petersen visits with Johnston High School students on a recent visit. She graduated from Johnston in 1988.
Senator Janet Petersen with Reps. Sean Bagniewski and Austin Baeth who were sworn into office on Monday to represent the two House seats in her Senate District (SD 18).
Iowans Pushing to Save Iowa Public Education from Governor Reynolds $900 Million Voucher Bill