From the Desk of Senator Petersen
Hello friends,
The best news I can report from the Iowa Statehouse this week is that funnel week is coming to an end. Friday is the deadline for bills to be voted out of committee in either the House or Senate to be eligible to move forward this session (with a few exceptions – budget, tax, oversight and leadership bills). We’ve successfully stopped several bad bills from moving forward, but clearly not all of them. Thank you to many of you who helped make that happen with your emails, letters, calls and testimony.
On the flip side, Republicans have blocked several good bills from moving forward too. Not a single bill filed by Senate Democrats received a subcommittee meeting/public hearing. In addition to not running any Democratic bills, Republicans have said they will not debate a single bill on the Senate floor that needs bipartisan support to pass.
This is not a healthy way to govern. It shows just how partisan Statehouse Republicans and Governor Reynolds are choosing to make the statehouse, and it doesn’t look good on Iowa.
We’ll have more information on the bills that survived the funnel next week.
On a brighter note, Iowa students from 47 schools walked out of school on Wednesday to protest several mean-spirited bills Governor Reynolds and several Statehouse Republicans are pushing. It was inspiring to see them standing up for their friends and classmates and demanding better of their elected officials.
Meet My Clerk
I’m honored to have Carol Maher as my clerk this year. Carol lives in our Senate District. She’s a Davenport native who recently moved back to Iowa after spending most of her career life in Chicago. Outside of the statehouse, Carol is a cycling enthusiast who rides to the Capitol most days and is helping make Des Moines and Iowa more accessible for Iowans who bike. She also serves on Des Moines’ Planning and Zoning Commission and is organizing the Ingersoll Park Neighborhood’s “No Mow May” campaign.
Great clerks like Carol help run the show in the Senate. Everything from scheduling meetings, managing the correspondence I get from constituents like you, and generally keeping me organized and on task. Iowa’s part-time legislature has a lean team and a hectic pace. I’m grateful to Carol for helping me.
Quick Updates
- 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.
- 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.
