From the Desk of Senator Wahls
It was a long, difficult week in the Iowa Senate. On Monday night, Iowa Republicans forced through a vote on the Governor’s vouchers plan. They used an unprecedented array of procedural moves and parliamentary tricks to force a vote as quickly as possible.
I am incredibly proud of my colleagues in both the House and Senate who forced a nearly 12-hour debate on this legislation, lasting until well past midnight, highlighting in speech after speech just how unpopular this legislation is.
I am grateful for the thousands of Iowans who took the time to reach out and share their concerns – and I am also grateful for the courage of the Iowa Republican who voted against this rush, reckless, and radical proposal from Governor Reynolds. In the Iowa Senate, Senators Charlie McClintock, Tom Shipley, and Lynn Evans all voted no. Last year, Governor Reynolds supported primary challenges against several Republican legislators who voted against her bill – and Senators McClintock, Shipley, and Evans voted no, with the full knowledge it may draw the Governor’s wrath. That takes guts. I don’t agree with Senators McClintock, Shipley, and Evans on every issue, but they did the right thing in this instance, and I hope you will join me in thanking them for their courage.
Finally, if you are anything like me, you are feeling disappointed and dejected by this outcome. But I want to be clear, that although the governor’s proposal has become law, this story – and this fight – is not over. My colleagues and I will continue to work in support of Iowa’s public schools, to ensure adequate oversight of the Governor’s program, and to support legislators who support our public schools. You have a critical role to play in this work, and I hope that you will join me in recovering from this fight and then preparing for the next one. Our children and the future of our state are counting on us — we cannot give up.
What Can the Iowa Senate Do for You?
As the legislative session gets underway, it’s essential to know what issues are on your mind, and what you want to see lawmakers working on this year.
Quick Updates
Vouchers are a done deal. Gov. Kim Reynolds and statehouse Republicans rammed their private school vouchers bill through the legislature this week, using an unprecedented array of political maneuvers and parliamentary tricks to pass it into law as quickly as possible.
- In the House, Republican leaders created an entirely new committee to consider voucher legislation, shutting many of their own members out of the discussion, and then tweaked the rules to dodge any scrutiny into the financial implications of the plan.
- In the Senate, the GOP used a legislative trick to block any amendments to the bill – from Democrats or Republicans – that could’ve been offered to make it less harmful to public schools and rural communities.
- The governor welcomed national school voucher lobbyists to the Capitol late Monday night for the bill’s final passage, and then rushed to sign it into law less than 12 hours later.
The final Senate vote was 31 to 18, with three Republicans joining 15 Democrats in opposition. Now, private school vouchers are the law of the land, beginning an unprecedented diversion of taxpayer dollars to exclusive private schools.
The plan is projected to pay private school tuition for 41,687 Iowa students at a cost of $341 million a year once fully phased in – while slashing funding to public schools by $46 million per year.
- Senate Dems support family leave. Last week, every Senate Democrat signed on as cosponsor to SF 95, a bill establishing paid family leave for Iowa’s working families. Senate Democrats’ number one priority is supporting working families, lowering costs, and creating opportunity, and paid leave is essential to accomplishing those goals.
- License to Kale. The Senate Local Government Committee advanced a bill to open up farmers markets vendor licenses on a statewide basis. That means your favorite stand could have an easier time covering multiple locations this summer.
- Cold Cases at DPS. The Senate held a hearing this week on the creation of a cold case investigation unit in the Department of Public Safety. Solving cold cases give closure to victims and is a huge morale boost for a police force.
- Don’t device & drive. A bill banning handheld devices while driving advanced in the Senate Transportation Committee this week. SF 60 is aimed at keeping Iowa’s roadways safe by preventing distracted driving. Under the bill, using a device while driving would be a moving violation subject to a $100 fine and could lead to a suspension of your license.
- Insulin relief is on the way. Medicare beneficiaries who need insulin will see tremendous relief with the implementation of price caps included the federal Inflation Reduction Act. That’s great news for Iowa, which currently faces the second-highest out-of-pocket insulin costs in the nation. Check out this report on the Rx benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act.
This Week in the Capitol
