Paying Tribute to
Representative Martin Graber
We received shocking news over the weekend about the sudden death of Representative Martin Graber. In order to pay respects to the family and still maintain previously scheduled commitments, I made two trips to Des Moines this week with a trip to Fort Madison in between. It was heartwarming to see a great representation from the Iowa Legislature there to honor Martin. Representative Graber has been a valued member of the Iowa legislature, and he will be missed. I enjoyed collaborating with him over the years on issues related to the Economic Development Budget as we both chaired this committee in our respective chambers. Our hearts and prayers go out to the Graber family as they grieve this loss.
Bills Before the Legislature
Proposed bills come about for a variety of reasons. Many bills that I introduce in the legislature come about because of a need or concern raised by a constituent who reaches out to me for assistance. We also receive many bills from the Governor’s office and a few of those came before the legislature this week.
One of the bills the governor introduced this past week is aimed at enhancing math proficiency and civics education for students. This plan specifically targets students on an individual basis who are struggling to meet proficiency standards and provides teachers with the necessary resources to achieve the new standard for educational success in Iowa. The bill will also require high school students to score 60 percent or higher on a U.S civics test to graduate. Iowa continues to build on our educational successes and improvements to the system. These programs would raise expectations and ensure students and teachers are focused on the critical aspects of education in order to achieve success in the classroom. With the belief that all students deserve the opportunity to be successful in the classroom and in their careers, we look forward to talking more about the governor’s proposal and how we can help Iowa students and increase achievement.
Governor Reynolds also introduced a comprehensive energy bill aimed at enhancing the state’s energy leadership and further development for rising energy demands. Specifics of the bill’s goals include maintaining low electricity prices and strengthening the grid throughout the state. While Iowa ranks high in power grid reliability, while managing to keep prices low for consumers, we need to be looking at how we can maintain affordable and reliable energy for Iowans. This has become an increasingly important issue as demand for energy grows, and we will be looking into this proposal as we make sure Iowans and their families can continue to depend on reliable and affordable energy.
Southeast Iowa Days at the Capitol
The Southeast region of the state held their annual 2-day celebration and advocacy days in Des Moines this week. Wednesday brought a large delegation to the Capitol for meetings and photo opportunities with legislators. We also were able to visit with students from the Southeastern Community College M Power U Program. This is a leadership honors program comprised of high school juniors selected from 14 participating high schools within Des Moines, Henry, Lee and Louisa counties. Students showcased their learning during their Position Statement Presentations that were held at the Iowa Historical Museum. Topics this year included: Inequalities in Fostering Teens, Student Representation on School Boards, and Attracting and Retaining Young Adults through Iowa’s Natural Resources.
Bills Make it Out of Subcommittee This Week
Senate File 165 was one bill that made it out of subcommittee in the Senate this week. SF 165 establishes a length of service award program (LOSAP) for volunteer firefighters, emergency care providers, and reserve peace officers. It also sets the parameters for the development and oversight of the program both now and in years to come. This bill will now go before the Senate Appropriations committee.
In 2023, the Iowa legislature passed a massive government reorganization bill with the goal of making government more efficient, aligning similar departments, and eliminating redundancies. While it was estimated to save a decent amount of money over the next several years, the governor announced in her Condition of the State speech this year that it had already saved Iowa taxpayers $217 million over 18 months. A report released this week by Common Sense Institute says that government reorganization policy helped us accelerate the income tax cuts Republicans had passed and helped Iowa continue down a path of growth and success. This is positive affirmation that the work we are doing is helping to grow our state and make it a great place for Iowans to live, work and call home.
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Best regards,
Mark