The Dickey Dispatch – March 27th, 2026
by Senator Adrian Dickey
This marks the end of the 11th week of this legislative session, which means we have finally made it through both funnel deadlines. As both deadlines have passed, the remaining time this session will be spent mostly on the floor and finalizing bills for debate.
This week, a bill I was floor manager of which passed unanimously was HF 917. This bill protects motorcross facilities from being liable for common risks of injury that come with the sport.
Recently, we have been tasked with working through the confirmation of the Governor’s appointees, which have been keeping us busy these last two weeks.
Each year, the Governor appoints individuals to fill positions on various boards or commissions. The confirmation of these appointees is a unique responsibility of the Senate, where we ensure that the appointees are qualified to fill their positions. Last week and this week, committees including Workforce, which I chair, have been making their recommendations on the confirmation of these appointees.
These past two weeks I have also had the privilege of meeting with members of our agriculture community. Last week one of our visitors was the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association which held a breakfast reception in the rotunda where legislators gathered to discuss the needs of cattle farmers over brisket and eggs. This Wednesday, I met with Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Bee Association to discuss how we can be meeting the needs of Iowa farmers.
However, the most important event of the week was Wednesday evening. The Senate chamber is closed to the public every day of the year, except for one evening and that evening was this past Wednesday. This is when we have a memorial service to honor any legislator who has served in the Capitol, who had passed away in the past year. For me, I had 2 very special people that were honored.
Senator Rocky De Witt served with me for 3 years in the Senate and unfortunately passed away this past summer. While he lived about as far away from me as possible and still be in Iowa (Lawton, IA) we still shared many GREAT times and conversations over the years. He has been and will continue to be missed.
The other member that was honored that was special to me was Representative Dave Heaton. Dave served Henry County for 23 years in the Iowa House, retiring in 2017. I had many, many conversations with Rep. Heaton long before I ever thought about running for office. Rep. Heaton was a regular coffee club member at our convenience store in Mt. Pleasant, and whenever I had work to do there, I always went in the mornings so I could visit with Dave. I had so much interest in his political perspective and the entire political scene. It was nice to visit with his wife Carmen and his daughter at the service.
As next week moves us farther into the last half of this session, I am looking forward to tackling the House Files that are being sent over for us to review. I am honored to continue prioritizing Iowans and SD 44 while we consider this upcoming legislation.
