The Rozenboom Report by Senator Ken Rozenboom – February 5th, 2021

by Sen Ken Rozenboom

Wow! Four weeks are already in the books as we continued our work on a large number of issues at the subcommittee and committee levels. We also passed a number of bills on the Senate floor and sent them to the House.

One of the bills we passed on a 46-0 vote was Senate File 231, which allows a person holding a special minor’s driver’s license who resides on a farm or is working on a farm in Iowa to operate a motor vehicle between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. to help with farm work.

We all know Iowa is a rural state, and many teenagers either live on farms or work for farmers. Currently, these teenagers can drive a tractor between farms but cannot drive a pickup between farms. SF231 is a common-sense update to this law. These operations are vital to our state’s economy, and this legislation is just one way we can help rural Iowa and make life a little bit easier for hard-working farmers and their families.

Another issue important to rural Iowa is increasing broadband access for all Iowans. This last year has shown us all just how crucial it is to increase access. We’ve all found ourselves doing more daily activities online, whether it’s for work, for school, or even for doctor’s appointments.

A bill discussed this week, SSB 1089 proposed by Governor Reynolds, would amend the broadband facility expansion grant program administered by the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). The goal is to both help promote investment in facilities that provide high-speed service and ensure it will not quickly be superseded by new technology.

Quality broadband connections are a critical economic development need in many parts of the state, particularly in rural and other underserved areas of Iowa. This is a priority for the governor as well as for all of us in the Senate. Discussions on this bill have only just begun, and they will continue throughout this session as we work with everyone and discuss ways to improve broadband access to rural Iowa.

Establishing reliable and sustainable funding for our K-12 public schools is always a priority for the legislature, and that discussion is underway. This year’s proposal is $45.2 million in new funding on top of the nearly $3.5 billion spent on K-12 education last year.

This legislation navigates the challenging realities of school funding in a pandemic. Because of the coronavirus, K-12 enrollment decreased by approximately 6,000 students since last year. These families chose to keep their children home either because of health concerns for the child, a close family member, or because of the inconsistency and uncertainty of the schedule in many districts this year.

Much of state funding for education is directly related to the number of students enrolled in each school district. Because of a significant decrease in enrollment this school year, a traditional increase in state aid could leave some districts with a major decrease in funding for next year. A large increase in state aid on a per pupil basis this year, to make up for the decrease in students, could create a disastrous effect on the budget next year. And none of us want to experience the broken promises of a decade ago.

To address this dilemma, SSB 1159 provides a one-time increase of $65 per pupil for next year, which translates to an additional $29.4 million to our K-12 schools. Schools are required to follow state law as passed last year and this year regarding in-person instruction to receive this money. These dollars will provide schools with more money this year without creating a funding bubble the state budget could not afford next year. While the Iowa economic recovery is going well, it’s possible that the virus or anti-growth policies in Washington, D.C. create additional economic difficulties and a decline in state revenues.

Finally, SSB 1159 allocates nearly $10 million to address per pupil and transportation inequities. Due to the complex nature of the school funding formula, some school districts are given more money per pupil than other districts. This bill continues to close that gap. Another inequity in education funding is the high transportation costs incurred by many rural school districts. The increase in transportation dollars keeps the promises Senate Republicans made to ensure rural schools were on equal footing with geographically smaller school districts.

In total, this education funding proposal is a $45.2 million increase in funding for K-12 schools. It provides more money to local schools during the pandemic, addresses the decrease in enrollment in a thoughtful way, and ensures that the promises we make now are kept next fall.

Like everything else, the forums that allow legislators to interact with constituents are logistically difficult this year. The Ottumwa League of Women Voters February forum scheduled for this Saturday has been cancelled, so my next forum will be at 10:00 AM, Saturday, February 20 in Centerville, followed by the virtual Oskaloosa Eggs and Issues at 8:30 AM on February 27. As always I can be reached at ken.rozenboom@legis.iowa.gov.