Iowa Legislative Report
85th Iowa General Assembly
2013 session
IA State Police Association
Week 1: January 14 - January 18, 2013
Paula Feltner & Mike Heller, Lobbyists
The second week of
The 85th session of the Iowa General Assembly convened on Monday, January 14th and is scheduled to last until April 10th. Most of this first week was consumed with opening ceremonies that included remarks by legislative leaders, a State of the State address by Governor Branstad, and a State of the Judiciary Speech by Justice Cady. Thirty-eight new legislators (soon to be thirty nine) chose seats in the chambers. Very little substantive work was done.
Once again there will be divided control of the legislature. The Senate is controlled by the Democrats by a 26 to 24 margin (the same as last year) and the House is controlled by the Republicans by a 53 to 46 split. One more representative will be chosen this next Tuesday, January 22, which will affect the margin above, making it 54-46 or 53-47.
The session did start with some good fiscal news, although the Department of Management cautioned the legislature against being too generous. Iowa has about $1.5 billion in the bank, including its reserve and economic emergency funds and a “taxpayer trust fund” that lawmakers created to save for future tax cute. Revenues are growing at a healthy pace and are projected to be $223 million higher in the 2014 budget year than the current year.
The Director of the Department of Management and Budget, David Roederer did caution that half of the money the state spends every year comes from the federal government, which amounts to about $6 billion. Activites in Washington could jeopardize that amount. He is particularly concerned about federal support for Medicaid – the state’s cost is rising about $57 million even if no changes are made, but the Affordable Care Act would add 150,000 people to the Medicaid roles. If the drought Iowa experience last year continues, federal support for crop insurance is another variable. The next few months legislators will go through it piece by piece, deciding what priorities the state should focus on with taxpayors’ money.
Between the November election and the special elections, we will have thirty-eight new members of the General Assembly. We also have some new Legislative Leaders and some new people in committee leadership.
2013 LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP
Governor Terry Branstad (R)
Serving Fifth Term
Iowa Senate (26 D - 24 R)
*Newly Elected - Senate President Pam Jochum (D-Dubuque)
Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs)
*Newly Elected - Minority Leader Bill Dix (R-Shell Rock)
Iowa House (53 R – 46 D but special election)
Speaker of the House Kraig Paulsen (R-Marion)
Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer (R-Garner)
Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (D-Des Moines)
House Public Safety Committee (not one in Senate)
House Chair, Rep Clel Baudler, (R-Winterset)
Ranking Member, Bob Kressig (D – Cedar Falls)
State Government Committees
Chair, Senator Jeff Danielson (D-Waterloo)
Vice Chair, Senator Pam Jochum ((D – Dubuque)
*Newly Appointed Ranking Member, Senator Kent Sorenson (R – Indianola)
*Newly Appointed - House Chair, Representative Guy Vander Linden (R-Oskaloosa)
*Newly Appointed Vice Chair Rep Jack Highfill (R – Des Moines)
Ranking Member Rep Vicki Lensing (Iowa City)
The turnover means that many of our supporters (and opponents) have been replaced with new faces. It is a fact that less than 1% of Americans ever talk to their elected officials. That gives a lot of power to the 1% that do! Iowa lawmakers hold public meetings throughout the state to hear concerns from the people they represent. They are great places to make your voice heard! Please take advantage of any opportunities to get to know the new legislators and get reacquainted with the old ones.
Your board is embarking on a grass-roots campaign to protect the 411 pension but they need your help! Most Legislators hold public forums or town hall meetings back in their districts on Fridays and Saturdays during session. This gives them a chance to talk to the people they represent. They are usually very informal, you can ask questions, and there is usually time before and after to talk one-on-one.
This is a great opportunity to meet your legislators, learn more about how they feel about issues, and get YOUR issues in front of your legislators! Remember This is a great opportunity to get to know them, to educate them on issues important to Iowa's educators, students and stakeholders, and to get the latest news on what's happening at the Capitol.
Legislators are VERY in tune with who and which groups attend their forums each week. They always mention that they saw a client there and appreciated it. Each week we will try to give you notice on what forums will be held around the state but we ask you this week to:
(1) Find out who your Representative and Senator are if you do not know. You can do this easily by going to the legislative website at www.legis.iowa.gov. Click Legislators, then Find you Legislator. You can put in your zip code, city or full address.
(2) Once the names are given,, click the names and find out a little about your two Legislators (One Senator, One Representative)….is s/he a Democrat or Republican? What committees does s/he serve on?
(3) Check the Democrat and Republican, House and Senate websites frequently for information on upcoming events and forums. Also we encourage you to subscribe to your local legislators weekly e-mail newsletters. You can do that on the websites as well or at the first forum you attend a sign-up sheet will be available.
Iowa Senate Democrats
Iowa Senate Republicans
Iowa House Democrats
Iowa House Republicans
(4) Respond to your Board member when you get a call to
talk to that legislator on an issue important to the association. If you have been attending the forums the legislators will know you and you can become a resource or someone they can turn to when they are dealing with issues in the future.
(5) Let us know what you hear at the forums. I have put email addresses at the beginning of the report. You will hear things that will help us with your issues….please relay any information to us and/or your board members!. Thanks.
The following is just a partial list of forums that will be held around the state for the rest of the month . Again, you can find your own using the guidelines above:
Thursday, Jan. 24
Ames - 7-8:30 p.m. Natural Resources Listening Post Rep Isenhart & Sen Dearden: ISU College of Design, Rm 101 Sign up with
Friday, Jan. 25
Cedar Falls - 4:30 p.m. Legislative Forum Black Hawk Area Legislators: AEA 267, 3720 Cedar Heights Drive Sponsored by League of Women Voters
Davenport - noon-1:30 p.m. Legislative Lunch** Sen Brase, Hart, Smith & Seng; Reps Lykam, Miller, T. Olson, Thede, Winckler & Wood:Clarion Hotel, 5202 North Brady Sponsored by Chamber of Commerce
Forster - 8:00-9:30 a.m. Legislative Forum Sen Feenstra & Rep Alons: Forster Community Center, 404 1st Ave Sponsoered by Chamber of Commerce **Fee for lunch to $20 for non members
Saturday, Jan. 26
Ames - 8:30-10:00 a.m. Legislative Forum Story County Area Legislators: Ames City Hall, 515 Clark Sponsored by League of Women Voters
Ames - 11:30 a.m. Chamber Lunch** Story County Area Legislators: Oakwood Road Church, 2400 Oakwood Road Sponsored by Chamber of Commerce Register at http://web.ameschamber.com/events
Bettendorf - 10:30 a.m. Legislative Forum Sen Brase, Sen Hart and Sen Seng: Mississippi Bend AEA, 521 23rd Street Sponsored by AAUW, BPW, Farm Bureau and Uniserv
Council Bluffs - 9:00-10:30 a.m. Legislative Forum Council Bluffs Area Legislators:: Wilson Middle School Auditorium, 715 North 21st Street Sponsored by Chamber of Commerce
Fort Dodge - 8:30 a.m. "Eggs & Issues" Senator Beall and others: Iowa Central Community College Health Science Building Auditorium Sponsored by Chamber and ICCC
Mount Pleasant - 8:30-10:00 a.m. Legislative Briefings on Education Rep Heaton & Senator Taylor: Wesleyan College Chadwick Library, 107 W. Broad Street Sponsored by Chamber of Commerce
North Liberty - 9:30 a.m. Legislative Forum Johnson County Area Legislators: North Liberty City Council Chambers, 5 E Cherry Street Sponsored by League of Women Voters
Oskaloosa - 8:30-9:30 a.m. "Eggs & Issues" Sen Rozenboom, Rep Vander Linden & Rep Sheets: Smokey Row, 109 S. Market Street Sponsored by Chamber of Commerce
Sioux City - 10:00-11:30 a.m. Legislative Forum Woodbury County Area Legislators: Sioux City Historical Museum, 607 4th Street Sponsored by LWV/SIMPCO
Windsor Heights - 9:00-10:30 a.m. Legislative Forum Sen Schneider, Rep Hagenow, Rep Cownie: 3E Headquarters, 953 73rd Streeet sponsored by Chamber of Commerce
The Legislature will have a short week this next week – several legislators are going to the presidential inauguration, Monday is Martin Luther King Day and Tuesday is the special election. They will leave at noon on Thursday making it hard to get anything accomplished. Work will start in earnest on the 28th of the month.
Next week we will start compiling a list of bills of interest. By then hopefully you will have attended your first forum and can give your board and lobbyists your opinion on those bills, as well as discuss them with legislators.
It is very critical to get our members to talk to legislators. EMAILS ARE NOT AS EFFECTIVE – more often than not they are read and deleted by staff. If you would rather not go to a forum, ask your legislators to meet for coffee.
Have a great weekend, attend a forum this next week, and let us know what you are hearing – your pension depends on your involvement!
Remember that your opinion counts – ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL especially in Iowa. What they hear in the district is the single most important influence on a legislator!
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