Vander Linden Kicks off 2016 Legislative Session

State Rep. Guy Vander Linden, R-Oskaloosa (FILE)

(DES MOINES) – The 2016 Iowa legislative session kicked off this week amid the traditional pomp and circumstance including speeches by legislative leaders, Governor Branstad’s Condition of the State address and the Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court’s Condition of the Judiciary speech.

Rep. Guy Vander Linden (R-Oskaloosa) says that balancing the state’s budget and quickly setting education funding are among his top priorities:

“The state needs to budget just like Iowa families and businesses do,” said Rep. Vander Linden. “That means we must continue to spend less than the state collects, and fight against using one-time money to fund ongoing expenses.

Additionally, the House will look to set school funding as quickly as possible. It is important to our local school districts that we get this done early, but it is equally important that they can depend on the commitments the Legislature makes.”

Last session the Iowa House approved a state aid increase just two weeks into the session only to see it languish in the Iowa Senate until spring.

During the session, Rep. Vander Linden can be reached at guy.vander.linden@legis.iowa.gov or through the House switchboard at (515) 281-3221.

The legislative session is slated to last 100 days, ending April 19.