Capitol Comments

Two Legislative Coffees This Weekend

Saturday, April 5th at 2pm for voters in the Seminole Valley neighborhood.

Sunday, April 6th at 2pm for voters in the 1^st Ave Cedars Apartment neighborhood.

I hope you can attend, as your input is always appreciated! Please contact Susan Staed at 319-573-7501 or susanstaed@gmail.com for more details.

Local Forum
Saturday, April 19, 10:30 to 11:45 a.m.
League of Women Voters Legislative Forum
Mercy Medical Center, 701 10th Street SE, in Cedar Rapids

The forum topic is “Youth & Adolescent Mental Health Issues.” Panelists will include mental health providers who will discuss issues affecting youth and adolescent mental health in the current MH/DD redesign and funding environment.

House Approves Job Creation Plans

Iowa’s job creation efforts received bipartisan approval from the Iowa House this week.

In addition to job creation incentives and workforce training opportunities, the state is expanding support for internships and apprenticeships to make it easier for Iowans to attain the skills needed to land good-paying jobs after graduation.

The bill also funds a new STEM internship program designed to assist in placing students studying science, technology, engineering, or mathematics into internships that lead to permanent positions with Iowa employers.

House File 2460, the economic development budget bill, funds the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Economic Development Authority, Iowa Workforce Development, and research and economic development activities at Iowa’s state universities.

Several important amendments, offered by lawmakers attempting to protect Iowa’s workers and the middle class, were rejected by the House majority party. These included the addition of wage theft and child labor investigators, and a study on the use of store issued debit cards as a paycheck – a practice where some employees are forced to pay a fee anytime they access money in their account – money they’ve already earned.

The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration and improvement.

Justice System Budget Fails to Include Needed Corrections Officers

The Justice Systems Budget Bill, House File 2450, provides funding for a variety of state agencies that are involved in protecting Iowans. These agencies include the Board of Parole, Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, the Department of Corrections, and the Department of Public Safety. Overall, the bill appropriates a total of $554 million for fiscal year 2015, which is a $7 million increase. However, what’s not funded is just as important as what did receive funding.

The Department of Public Safety receives a $5 million increase, which will not only cover salary adjustment s, but will provide for the hiring of 30 and 33 new State Troopers. In contrast, the Department of Corrections receives an increase of $1 million – not even enough to cover salary adjustments for correctional officers, let alone hire an adequate number of correctional officers to address the dangerous conditions in our overcrowded and understaffed prisons.

House File 2450 is now in the Senate where it must be passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee before being voted on by the full Senate.

Branstad Hush Money Scandal Continues to Grow

An investigative report from the Des Moines Register a few weeks ago unleashed a wave of activity at the State Capitol. The Government Oversight Committee held two hearings this week, which I attended, to find out how and why Branstad officials fired state merit employees and then paid them off to keep them quiet using various state funds – funds designated by law for other things by the Iowa Legislature.

Additional questions are being raised every day about the hush money, the secret confidentiality agreements, and Branstad appointed officials replacing groups of civil service workers with political appointees and their friends. Regardless of the party in charge of the executive branch, the Legislature has an obligation to Iowans to listen to all the parties involved in this scandal, get down to determining the facts, take action if laws have been broken, and make sure that this doesn’t happen again.

Here are several current links to the developing story:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/investigations/2014/04/02/secret-settlements-hush-money-oversight-committee/7218205/

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/investigations/2014/04/02/culver-branstad-secret-settlements/7226129/

The School Nutrition Association of Iowa provided lunch Wednesday – mine is pictured on the right and is an actual menu that is served in our schools. (Really tasty, by the way!) We had a good discussion about food costs, school breakfasts programs, and meals for hungry kids during the summer months. I learned from one mom who volunteers at an elementary school, that the kids are learning to select better quality foods, including fruits and vegetables – and that food waste has declined! Shown here with constituent and US. Foods Director of National Accounts, Jeff Udelhoven,; SNA President & CR Schools Food & Nutrition Manager, Suzy Ketelsen; SNA Chair & CR Schools Dietitian, Amanda Brown; Linn Mar Community Schools Nutrition Services Manager, Susan Knight; Food Service Specialist with Food Marketing Services, Beth Wick; and College Community Schools Food Service Director, Julie Hauser. This impressive group of professionals know how to plan and provide our children with delicious and nutritious meals!

Teresa Bomhoff of NAMI Greater Des Moines, spoke with me about the legislative needs of the Iowa disability community. 47 organizations across the state are asking the legislature to address these four critical issues:

1. The claw back of county mental health property tax dollars must be suspended, lowered or repealed.
2. Provide funding for the Home & Community Based (HCBS) Waiver Waiting Lists to reduce the waiting.
3. Provide funding for a bed availability tracking system to be implemented as soon as possible.
4. Pass the bills that provide education regarding anti-bullying measures in schools, and SF 2173 which relates to suicide prevention and trauma informed care in schools.

I am in support of all four of these measures. In order for Iowa’s mental health reform to be effective, it needs to be funded adequately and implemented immediately, with care and vision.

Options of Linn County Director, Jim Nagel, discussing sheltered workshops and viable work alternatives for those with developmental disabilities, the work of the Linn County Task Force, Medicaid and federal funding – many complex and critically important topics for Iowans. I appreciate Jim’s leadership and strong voice for those in need of services.

Constituent and Kennedy High School Athletics Director, Aaron Stecker, invited me to participate in a legislative panel at the Iowa High School Athletic Directors Association annual conference in Coralville. Some of the topics covered were: IPERS, School start date, concussion prevention and response, bullying bill, school bond issues, texting while driving and coaching licensure. Completing the panel were state Senators Todd Bowman and Liz Mathis, and Representative Frank Wood. Good discussion, great visits with athletic directors. I’m now in the mood for some Kennedy H.S. football. Go Cougars!

Connect Iowa offered a presentation about efforts to bring broadband into rural and urban Iowa. This interactive map shows the amount of progress being made in your area. http://www.connectiowa.org/interactive-map

Iowa Regent Universities presented the ninth annual “Research in the Capitol”, which showcases Iowa students participating in a variety of undergraduate research projects. Cedar Rapids resident, Max Martino, conducted a study entitled “Determinants of College Hockey Attendance.” Max is a senior at UNI, majoring in Psychology & Economics, and has been working on his study for a year. He’s explored the impact of a team’s success – impacts like the previous season, size of the college, average income of the local population, and competition from other sports. After reading through Max’s data, I can tell he’s conducted sound research and is well on his way to contributing to the understanding of human psychology.

The Iowa Association of Community College Trustees was at the capitol this week. Trustee Jean Torgeson and Kirkwood Community College President Mick Starcevich spoke with me about student successes, weighting for summer courses and apprenticeship programs involving community colleges and Iowa Workforce Development.

Discussing education over coffee- great way to start the day!