From the Desk of Senator Trone Garriott
Clockwise starting from top left: We had a lot of students at the Capitol advocating for many different issues this week (see my social media for more photos). Here, University of Iowa Student Government leaders are asking the legislature to increase funding for on campus mental health services. Girl Scouts from Waukee climbed to the top of the dome with me. Every year I’ve had the honor of introducing DMACC First Responder Students to the Senate. I was glad to be there to celebrate Docken Haas of Waukee as he received his Eagle Scout last weekend. The Senate Clerks are only with us for the scheduled 100 days of session. Shane Nelson of the Missouri Valley Line Constructors Apprenticeship and Training Program joined other union workers at the Capitol to speak out against anti-worker legislation.
Who Asked for This?!
One of the most frustrating things about the legislative process is how unpopular legislation moves forward and passes out of debate with a majority vote. This week we saw several incredibly contentious policies move through the House and Senate despite public and bipartisan opposition. Here are a few of those bills:
Senate File 2324 is another attempt to prevent our state from acquiring public land. Every year we have seen some version of this bill. If we are being generous, Iowa ranks 47th among states in the amount of public land. But rankings do not matter as much as what we are hearing from Iowans — and I hear repeatedly from those who hunt, fish, hike, bike, or just want clean water to drink or swim in that we don’t have enough public land. This legislation passed the Senate with bipartisan opposition is now headed to the House. Contact members of the House Natural Resources Committee.
Senate File 108 is also known as the E-Verify bill. This bill requires employers to use a system to verify the citizenship status of their employees and also allows complaints to be made by members of the public if they suspect someone without proper immigration status is being employed. The business community overwhelmingly opposes this bill because the E-Verify process has had significant errors causing great trouble for employees and employers. The complaint process can also be used by bad actors to harass and harm. This bill passed the Senate with bipartisan opposition and is headed to the House Judiciary Committee.
House File 2612 (Amended) is the newest House version of the AEA bill. The night before it was debated an amendment dropped leaving the public no opportunity to give input and legislators very little time to read it. Not even Senate Republicans saw it before it was filed. Before the Governor announced her agenda this January, I had never heard AEAs as a campaign issue or a matter that the public wanted addressed by the legislature. The Republican House majority passed this bill despite bipartisan opposition (see how they voted) and it now heads to the Senate Education Committee.
Senate File 2369 was a bad blood bill – really. The Senate passed a bill that would require blood banks and hospitals to facilitate a private blood supply for anyone who wanted it, just because. Blood banks and medical providers pointed out numerous reasons why this was a terrible idea and could be harmful to patients and the healthcare system. Senate Republicans believed they knew better, but thankfully the House recommended indefinitely postponing this bill.
Sneaky Attacks on Special Education
And while it was not a legislative decision, a despicable policy choice was made by the Governor’s Department of Education. This week, it finally came to light that on January 22the Department of Education ended funding for the Family Educator Partner Program and the Lead Leads — two programs that enhance the effectiveness and ensure the fairness of our state’s special education. In an email sent to AEA directors no explanation was given for discontinuing the program’s funding. FEPs ensure that a student’s educational rights are being followed and involve parents as part of the IEP and 504 plan process. FEPs are parents who have children with disabilities and work through AEAs on an ongoing basis with families and educators.
Earlier this week I received an email from a community member, incredibly upset to hear that their Family Educator Partner was resigning because they would be out of a job in June and needed to move on. This was the first I was aware of this change. The Department of Education refused to respond to my questions as a senator. Only after this week’s public outcry did the Governor (but not the director of the Department of Education) respond that funds would be directed to an unnamed contractor. It appears that the Governor is directing her Department of Education to begin dismantling the AEAs before any bill has passed.
If you have experiences with FEPs or Lead Leads, please share about that with your legislators and the Governor. We need to maintain the integrity of special education in this state — and families deserve the expertise of real people with real-life experience who live and work in our communities.
Visit Your State Capitol!
One of my favorite things about being a legislator is welcoming people to our State Capitol Building. I think it’s really important for state government to be accessible to the people. Below are a few ways to experience this building and see the legislative process firsthand. I am always glad to offer a behind the scenes tour or take your group on the trek to the top of the Capitol. Please reach out if you would like to schedule a visit to the capitol with me.
- When to come: The Iowa State Capitol is open year-round 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. But if you want to meet your legislators and see the Legislature in action, the House and Senate are typically in session Monday through Thursday from January through late April or early May – that’s the best chance you’ll have to see your government up close.
- Take a tour: Our Capitol is a beautiful place, full of art and history. Capitol guides lead tours multiple times a day (always on the half-hour), and provide numerous options for self-guided audio and video tours. More information is available here. To schedule a tour for 10 or more people, click here.
- Watch a debate: If you happen to visit on a day the Senate is debating legislation, you can watch the discussion and tally the votes in person from the third-floor galleries overlooking the chamber.
- Meet me in the rotunda: Come say hi! You can always ask to meet legislators while we’re in session. Outside the chambers in the second-floor rotunda, you’ll find a pad of paper where you can write a message and provide your contact information. Hand your slip to the Sergeant at Arms or a page at the chamber door and they’ll hand-deliver it to legislators on the floor. When there’s a break in the action, we’ll come out to say hello, hear your concerns and pose for a photo. I recommend putting your phone number on your note, so we can follow up later.
- Let’s make a plan: If you’re going on a visit to the Capitol – especially with a group – please reach out and let your senator know in advance. If we know you’re coming, we can set aside time to meet and even formally recognize you from the Senate floor. If you send me an email, I’ll give you my cell number so you can text me—that’s the best way to connect because I’m hardly ever sitting at my desk.
Quick Updates
- New voting video series. How does voting work? The Iowa Secretary of State is launching a new video series answering key questions about voting in Iowa. Visit VotingProcess.iowa.gov for more information. But I recommend volunteering to work your polls to see firsthand the integrity of our voting process—it’s impressive!
- Iowa Fraud Fighters Tour. Iowa’s Department of Insurance and Financial Services, the state Attorney General’s Office, and AARP-Iowa have launched a new Stop the Scammers tour with upcoming events in 18 cities across the state. As technology evolves, con artists are coming up with ever more aggressive and elaborate ways to target Americans – especially those aged 60 and older. The tour aims to educate Iowans on the ways they can protect themselves and loved ones from scams while also educating them on the tools and resources available through the department and Attorney General’s office. Click here for more information about the tour.
- New county-level data. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services has prepared snapshots of health-related data for all 99 counties across Iowa. You can search through the county snapshots here, and then compare the county data to the statewide snapshot.
- P&Z 101. ISU Extension and Outreach is offering an introduction to planning and zoning workshop for local officials. The program focuses on delivering foundational knowledge in land-use planning and development management, and covers comprehensive planning, variances, special uses, nonconforming uses, spot zoning, hearing procedures and ethical dilemmas. Enrollment is $65 per person for a three-hour session. Click here for more information.
- Don’t prune that oak tree. Due to unseasonably warm temperatures this winter, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources is recommending Iowans finish pruning oak trees immediately to prevent the spread of oak wilt, a dangerous fungus. A healthy tree can be infected with oak wilt through open wounds during the growing season, when the fungus is carried from a diseased tree to a healthy tree by beetles or root grafts between oak trees of the same species. DNR usually recommends cutting off pruning by March 15. Click here for more information.
- Land donors to be honored. Donors responsible for permanently protecting more than 950 acres of Iowa land in 14 counties with an estimated value of more than $3.9 million through conservation donations will be recognized during a ceremony at 2 p.m. on March 14 at the State Capitol in Des Moines. Landowners in attendance will be honored individually for their donations. For more information on land donation, click here.
This Week in the Capitol
Quick updates on TikTok:
Climb to the top of the Capitol with Waukee Girl Scouts:
Community Advocates showing up for mental health and disability services:
A portion of my speech in response to the Governor’s Department of Education ending funding for the Family and Educator Partners Program:
