This week began after a nice weekend celebrating the Easter holiday with our families.
This did not slow us down as we got back to work by moving Governor Reynolds’s appointees out of committee on Tuesday. These appointees included the directors of many departments and lleaders of various boards and commissions. The appointments will now go to the Senate floor to debate their approval. The scheduled end of the 2023 legislative session is April 28. The nicer weather has many of us itching to conclude the session, as well as the many full-time farmers in the Senate need to get in the field and plant this year’s crop. We are proud of the many accomplishments we have this year – school choice for all students, continued K-12 education increases in funding, common-sense protections for Iowa children, and increased efficiencies in state government. We are focused on getting a budget compromise and negotiating on the leftover topics for the year. If you have questions about a bill you have heard about or wondering what happened with a piece of legislation, please do not hesitate to reach out.
The Senate also moved forward Senate File 324, which dedicates funds and invests in important initiatives, like the More Options for Maternal Support (MOMS) program. The bill would allocate $2 million to the MOMS program to help pregnant women looking for help and resources and allows Iowa’s Health and Human Services department to award fatherhood engagement grants to nonprofits and community-based organizations that address the needs of fathers, whether it is employment, financial obligations, or parenting skills. The bill also establishes a state-funded fellowship program for family medicine and obstetric practitioners in rural and underserved areas. Additionally, it increases funding for families seeking adoptions and expanded scholarship opportunities for Iowa foster kids. SF 324 contains several proposals from the governor and focuses on improving health care access in Iowa and help support expecting mothers and fathers. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is encouraging Iowans who receive a ‘No Activity’ notice from his office in the mail to respond to it quickly. Registered voters who did not participate in the 2022 general election have been made inactive and will receive a notice in the mail to confirm their residential address. Those who do not respond will remain as an ‘inactive’ status.
Registered voters made inactive through the list maintenance process can return themselves to active status by requesting an absentee ballot, voting in an election, submitting a new registration, or updating their voter registration prior to the end of 2026 general election cycle. Iowans who receive the mailing should check the appropriate box, sign their name, and return the postcard in the mail. Postage is prepaid, so there’s no need to attach a stamp. If the voter no longer lives at the address, the current resident may discard the mailing. To check your voter registration status, visit VoterReady.Iowa.gov.
I encourage my constituents to continue contacting 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.