Helena Hays Capitol Update September 13, 2024
Statesman Academy Training
In July, I spent a wonderful week in Washington, D.C. attending the Statesman Academy known in the political field as the nation’s premier in-person training event for Christian legislators.
Other Iowa legislators and I received training in biblical worldview and America’s founding principles, in-depth knowledge on crucial policy issues and proven legislative strategies along with a welcomed equipping to confidently defend family values in the public square.
When not in a conference session, I thoroughly enjoyed walking many miles on the beautiful streets of D.C and revisiting all the historical monuments. It was a significant week to be there as I watched pro-Palestinian supporters protest the diplomatic visit of Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
On the Campaign Trail
Regardless of not having a Republican opponent run against me in the June primary nor a Democrat opponent challenging me in the November general election, I am working hard and diligently in my House district!
Along with the five meet and greets I scheduled for September, the campaign fundraiser in October, ongoing constituent meetings, early morning zoom calls, and conference trainings that allow me to travel, a crew and I have been out pounding the streets as we door knock and distribute the thousands of flyers I ordered for my re-election.
One fantastic part has been having my young friends and neighbors join me on these adventures. They bring such a spirit of hope to long days. And it’s not just for my own campaign!
My special friend Toby (pictured above) was determined to “get the whole neighborhood done” as he helped meet with voters at their doors in a neighboring House district for a colleague of mine.
Nearly 40 Republican Legislators File Suit Against IUC
As State Representative for Iowa House District 88, I am pleased to be an integral part of Republican legislators who have united against the Summit carbon pipeline in an effort to oppose eminent domain abuse, the alarming lack of concern for public safety and the push of elite, globalist climate agendas. We will continue to do our part for the Constitutional rights of Iowans. I am sharing below our most recent press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9/10/24
NEARLY FORTY IOWA REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS TO FILE LAWSUITS SEEKING TO OVERRULE CARBON PIPELINE DECISION
Des Moines, IA – Today, a group of nearly forty Iowa Republican lawmakers announced their plan to file lawsuits in state and Federal courts asking for rulings that the Iowa Utilities Commission’s approval of the Summit pipeline project is illegal and unconstitutional. The IUC’s June decision, which has sparked outrage across the state, has been condemned as not only disastrous and dangerous but also a clear violation of the rights of Iowa landowners.
The pipeline project has raised serious ethical and Constitutional concerns, particularly regarding the potential safety risks it poses to Iowans living in cities such as Charles City, Waverly, and surrounding communities. The Intervenors have taken a firm stance against the Commission’s decision, asserting that it prioritizes corporate interests in tax credits over the safety, property rights, and well-being of Iowa’s citizens. Recent polls indicate that more than 80 percent of Iowans are opposed to the pipeline scheme.
“The Iowa Utilities Commission’s approval of this project is a gross overstep of authority, trampling on the rights of our landowners and putting the safety of Iowans at risk,” said State Rep. Charley Thomson, a leading member of the Republican Legislative Intervenors. “This CO2 pipeline is not only unethical but unconstitutional, and we will not stand by while the safety of our citizens is jeopardized.”
The Republican legislators’ lawsuits argue that the decision was made without proper consideration of Constitutional requirements and of the severe negative impact the project will have on landowners and communities throughout Iowa. The lawmakers argue that safety concerns, particularly for densely populated areas, have been largely overlooked and require immediate legislative and judicial review.
The Republican lawmakers have also had several meetings in recent days to discuss strategy concerning possible new legislation to reform Iowa’s eminent domain system and to correct deficiencies in the statutes governing the functions of the IUC. Their goal is to create stronger statutes defending private property rights and better ensuring the safety of communities.
“We are determined to fight this reckless decision in the courts and in the General Assembly,” added Rep. Thomson. “This isn’t just about stopping one pipeline. It’s about safeguarding our communities, our land, and our Constitutional rights from future overreach.”
The Intervenors encourage Iowans to stay engaged in this critical issue and to support efforts to ensure that landowner rights and citizen safety are prioritized over corporate gain.
The Intervenors include Senator Kevin Alons, Senator Rocky De Witt, Senator Lynn Evans, Senator Jesse Green, Senator Dennis Guth, Senator Mark Lofgren, Senator David Rowley, Senator Sandy Salmon, Senator Jason Schultz, Senator Jeff Taylor, Senator Cherielynn Westrich, Representative Eddie Andrews, Representative Brooke Boden, Representative Steven Bradley, Representative Ken Carlson, Representative Mark Cisneros, Representative Zach Dieken, Representative Dean Fisher, Representative Dan Gehlbach, Representative Thomas Gerhold, Representative Cindy Golding, Representative Helena Hayes, Representative Bob Henderson, Representative Steven Holt, Representative Heather Hora, Representative Thomas Jeneary, Representative Bobby Kaufman, Representative Joshua Meggers, Representative Anne Osmundson, Representative Bradley Sherman, Representative Jeff Shipley, Representative Luana Stoltenberg, Representative Henry Stone, Representative Mark Thompson, Representative Charles Thomson, Representative Skyler Wheeler, and Representative Derek Wulf.
I traveled to Charles City this week to be a part of the press conference announcing the Republican Legislative Interveners filling suit against the Iowa Utility Commission.
Speaking in regard to the Republican Legislative Interveners at the Summit public meeting held in Charles City this week.
Thank you to the Iowa Farm Bureau for designing me as a Friend of Ag. The Farm Bureau has been instrumental in supporting the bills against eminent domain abuse while protecting property rights – bills that were passed almost unanimously out of the House the last two sessions. All related carbon pipeline bills were not taken up by the Senate.
The Chevron Case
In a major 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the 1984 Chevron ruling. That decision had established that courts should defer to federal agencies’ interpretations of ambiguous laws as long as those interpretations were considered “reasonable.” With this new ruling, judges are now required to independently interpret laws without deferring to agency interpretations.
For four decades, the Chevron precedent allowed federal agencies to issue and enforce regulations that interpreted vague Congressional laws without explicit consent from Congress. This practice not only let agencies bypass Congressional authority but also allowed Congress to sidestep its responsibility to craft clear legislation, effectively shifting legislative power to these agencies.
The recent ruling corrects this by ensuring that administrative agencies no longer have the authority to unilaterally define or alter the meaning of laws. It reaffirms the principle of separation of powers by returning legislative authority to Congress and limiting the power of agencies to reshape laws according to their own preferences.
This decision is a major victory for those concerned about the expansion of government authority through agency regulations that bypass Congressional oversight. It represents a significant setback for agencies accustomed to having broad interpretative control over federal laws.
Title IX – Sex Discrimination in Public Schools
The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued a pivotal 5-4 ruling upholding the decisions of two lower courts that had blocked the Biden administration’s proposed changes to Title IX regulations.
Title IX is a federal law that addresses sex discrimination in education. The Biden administration sought to implement changes that would mandate schools to permit biological males to participate in women’s sports, use women’s restrooms, and access other female-designated spaces.
In response, lower courts had previously halted these changes, and the Supreme Court’s ruling affirms their decisions while the cases continue to progress through the legal system. As a result, the proposed Title IX modifications remain blocked in 26 states, including Iowa.
This Supreme Court ruling marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate over Title IX and its application. By upholding the lower courts’ decisions, the ruling maintains the current interpretation of Title IX regulations.
This decision is a critical development for those advocating for the preservation of traditional gender distinctions within educational settings and represents a notable setback for the Biden administration’s efforts to expand Title IX protections in this manner.
Protecting Children’s Innocence
The Protect my Innocence group met with lawmakers this week to discuss potential legislation to further protect children from the ongoing assault on childhood innocence.
Our discussion focused on the issues surrounding the breakdown of family and lack of involvement by the faith community. One statistic that Representative Jon Dunwell shared was that one-third of evangelicals in America do not vote in elections.
As I drive through town and read yard signs that say, “Everybody Sucks, We’re Screwed,” I chuckle slightly at the jab, but I couldn’t disagree more with the cliche. These kinds of signs have been on display for many previous elections and only continue to promote apathy in a time when we need people to go to the polls and vote their principles and beliefs.
Please put November 5th on your calendar!
Innocence depends on it.
Important Dates
On the November ballot:
Retention of Judges
Thank you to Iowa Right for Life and Pulse Life Advocates!
They have provided a wonderful guide regarding judges who will be up for retention. I have pulled from it to share specifics with my House district.
Iowa is divided into eight judicial districts. A chief judge, who is selected by the Iowa Supreme Court, heads each district.
Voters do not elect judges but determine whether they are retained. The bios and other details provided below were gathered from public sources and, if available, denote voting records, political party affiliation, and any court decisions on pro-life cases. Judges are expected to be unbiased and not let their political affiliation influence their judicial decisions. This is why you will see a reference in the document under their political affiliation which may say “No Party”, rather than Republican or Democrat.
Included in this information is the political party affiliation for each judge.
Also included is the primary election history, since it identifies the ballot type: (D)emocratic or (R)epublican.
The two major political parties have very different views on abortion, as documented in their respective state party platforms.
The 2024 Democratic Party platform states under “Reproductive Rights & Family Planning”, “We support:” “Codifying Roe v. Wade” (line 761), and “Full-funding for comprehensive-family-planning-programs/providers/PP” (line 763). Under “Acronyms Used in This Section”, “PP – Planned Parenthood”.
The Democratic platform is available at https://iowademocrats.org/resouces, then click link for Iowa Democratic Party Platform – Adopted 6.15.24 (pdf).
The 2024 Republican Party platform states under the “Life” section, “1. We believe that life begins at conception and must be protected to natural death.”, and “2. We oppose using public 3 revenues for abortion or funding organizations which advocate it.”
The Republican platform is available at https://www.iowagop.org/about, then at bottom of page, click link for Platform.
