Week eight of the legislative session marks the completion of the first funnel. All Senate bills and joint resolutions had to be reported out of the Senate committees to be further considered. Bills that did not meet this deadline are considered to be dead. We had several subcommittee and committee meetings this week as we continue to make progress during this session.
This week, Senate Study Bill 1200 passed out of committee. This bill protects your private information from inspection by the state auditor. The protected information includes medical records, academic records, and other similar information that an individual would reasonably expect to be kept private. Moving this bill forward shows Iowans that the information they expect to be private will remain private. It is a common-sense piece of legislation that will help put Iowans at ease.
Did you know the Iowa Senate added a standing committee focusing on technology? This year, the Senate Technology Committee was created to work on information technology, telecommunications, cybersecurity, and how government can use technology to increase efficiency. An example of legislation moving through this committee would be SSB 1190. This legislation directs the state to create and maintain an online portal where statutorily reported public notices would be posted and publicized.
These notices include teacher openings, board openings, and public construction projects.
Currently, these notices are required to be in newspapers. We have seen that schools, counties, and cities spend thousands of dollars each year on these notices. Modernizing the system will make these notices more accessible, transparent, and efficient. It will also help Iowa’s local governments save money.
Tuesday, Feb. 28, was Community College Day on the Hill. Community colleges across Iowa put on displays of their workforce programs. The event consisted of a breakfast with legislators, tours of the capital, and a visit to the displays from Governor Reynolds and Lt. Governor Gregg. Community colleges are a huge part of the success of our state. Many bright-minded individuals from our community colleges fuel our workforce. I always look forward to hearing about the great work these schools continue to do and how we, as legislators, can best support them.
I encourage my constituents to contact me using my legislative email ([email protected]) with any comments, questions, or concerns. I look forward to another great week of representing the people of District 42.