Brink Legislative Newsletter, February 13th

Update From the House for District 80

Hello friends,

Another week: more bills, more meetings, more energy, and more excitement! We started actively debating bills on the House floor, which has been very exciting so far.

Thanks to all who attended Eggs & Issues in Oskaloosa this past weekend! It was a great time filled with great discussion. I appreciate all of you coming!

I now have an update to share on Reuben’s Rules, which I have previously mentioned. All three of the bills (HF 2026, HF 2066, and HF 2122) passed through the Human Resources Committee this past Tuesday! The vote was unanimous on each and there is much support from both parties. I am excited to continue the progress on these bills!

Meet Allison Walker from Eddyville! She is a Page in the House of Representatives this session, and it has been so great have her around. Alli is passionate about videography and wants to make a career out of that passion in the future. She currently works at the Ottumwa Radio Station and is growing in her position and responsibilities there. I asked her what interested her about being a page, and she shared that she has been dreaming and planning for the job since 8th grade! She thinks the experience is invaluable in regards to making connections and understanding the political process, “because politics impacts everything else!” Alli’s favorite part of paging so far is talking to all the different people who are involved in the legislature and learning about their lives.

I highly encourage any interested high school juniors and seniors to apply to be a page for the 2021 session. It is a fantastic experience for anyone looking to gain practical experience, build a resume, or just learn more. You can find more information about the Legislative Page Program here: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/careers

Applications for the 2021 Session will open later this year.

I also want to introduce you all to my clerk for this session, Tressa Vos! She is here each day with me and takes care of correspondence, scheduling, administrative duties, and lots more. Tressa was homeschooled in the Pella area, and graduated high school in 2018. She has been exploring the world and gaining new experiences ever since. Being passionate about involvement in politics, she is excited to be so close to the action! When the legislature isn’t in session, you can find Tressa working for a variety of Christian ministries and camps, working for different businesses in the Pella area, and finding whatever adventure is just around the corner.

This Thursday, I chaired the first meeting of our new Information Technology Subcommittee for Appropriations. We will be discussing legislation and issues relating to funding for technology in the State of Iowa. It is exciting to see all the innovations being made and to figure out what changes we can make to continue that innovation.

I am continuing to enjoy my leadership and committee roles, it is such a privilege and honor to represent you in the House. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, concerns, or suggestions. Thanks all!

What’s the latest?
Floor Debate Begins

The House held its first floor debate of the session this week, passing three critical pieces of legislation to support Iowa’s K-12 schools and victims of significant flooding across the state.

Legislature Provides Support for Flood Recovery

Last spring, much of the state was devastated by significant flooding, particularly in southwest Iowa and eastern Iowa around the Quad Cities. The Legislature acted quickly last session, providing $25 million in flood recovery aid: $15 million for immediate flood relief and $10 million in housing tax credits to rebuild homes.

Since the Legislature adjourned last year, it has become clear that additional support is needed to help these communities recover.

This week, the House passed a supplemental appropriation bill that will provide impacted communities with an additional $21 million for flood recovery. Legislators worked closely with the Flood Mitigation Board to identify critical projects that need investment before more flooding occurs this spring.

House Republicans will continue to stand at the ready and be prepared to act later this session if needed.

House Passes K-12 Education Funding Package

This week, the House debated and passed out the K-12 funding proposal from House Republicans, following through on the promise to take action on school funding within the first 30 days. We will continue to work with the Senate to come to an agreement as soon as possible so that schools can begin planning their budgets for the upcoming year.

The House plan invests an additional $108 million in new money into Iowa schools including:

$94.7 million in general aid
$7.65 million for rural school transportation costs
$5.8 million to reduce per pupil inequity by $10 per student

Democrats spoke about “historically low funding levels” being provided to K-12 education over the last decade, but nothing is further from the truth. About 43% of Iowa’s budget goes towards K-12 education, by far the biggest priority. Since 2011, investment in K-12 has increased by $863 million to an all-time high of nearly $3.3 billion. This represents an increase of 34.4% while inflation has risen just 13.5% over the same time.

House Republicans strong record of support for Iowa schools has resulted in:

The #1 graduation rate and average ACT scores in the country
3,500 new full-time teachers staffing Iowa classrooms
Smaller class sizes even with growing enrollment
Competitive teacher pay that ranks among the best in the nation

Most importantly is that schools have never been cut since Republicans have controlled the House. When House Republicans make a funding commitment, we intend to follow through. Even in difficult budget years where budget adjustments had to be made, K-12 schools were held harmless from any reductions. This wasn’t always the case in past years, most notably, in FY10 when Democrats cut schools by 10% due to poor budget management.