The View From Here

The ninth week of the legislative session focused on debate on the floor and subcommittees handling bills that the House sent to us.

One thing that the Iowa Senate does that the House does not is confirm the people that the Governor appoints to various boards, commissions, and departments.  There are hundreds of people appointed to these boards.  Some are fairly well-known, like the Board of Regents or the Director of the Department of Inspection, Appeals and Licensing.  Others are not as well-known like the Board of Mortuary Science or the Engineering and Land Surveyor Board.  Each appointee has a subcommittee of two Republicans and one Democrat that reviews their qualifications and desire to serve.  Most of these interviews happen via email or over the phone.  I have 18 appointees for which I chair the subcommittee. This certainly keeps us busy and I really enjoy getting to know a bit about all these public servants.  Throughout the remainder of the session we will vote to approve these appointees. Each one must receive at least 34 votes to be confirmed.

On Monday we debated SF 579 which deals with complaints in local civil rights offices.  If any complaint involves a town, county, school etc., this bill requires that it gets referred to the Iowa Office of Civil Rights.  Also, if any complaint takes longer than 12 months to resolve, it goes to the Iowa Office.  These measures help make sure all cases are heard in a timely manner and follow state law.

Tuesday we worked on bills dealing with education.  SF 2404 initiates a pilot program for one rural school district and one urban school district to establish an attendance center for students requiring special education and with behavioral issues.  The goal is to support student in an environment where they can be successful with additional aid.

We also discussed SF 2428 which addresses discipline for student-caused disruptions in classrooms that may threaten teacher or student safety.  Currently a student may be removed from a classroom for violence that results in injury, property damage or assault.  This bill expands that to include disorderly conduct, abusive or profane language, and bullying as well.   A student removed from the classroom may not return until they have the teacher’s consent or a review committee determines the student should return.  Teachers need our support to be able to focus on teaching.  Students need to feel safe so they can focus on learning.

There are several bills still alive that deal with property rights.  There are multiple bills dealing with the use of eminent domain for pipelines or banning its use for this purpose. 

There are also bills that would standardize the placement of windmills and solar projects across all counties which would take away local control.  And there are proposals on how to treat subsurface mineral rights and how to deal with landowners that decline to participate in hydrogen extraction if that becomes viable in Iowa.

Our country was founded on the idea that property rights are granted by God, not the government.  This idea is a key part of American Exceptionalism which we often hear about. This term was first used by Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville in 1831 after spending eight months touring America.  He stated: The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one.

Historians David and Tim Barton tell us that although America has only 4% of the world’s population, every year she produces more inventions and patents than the rest of the world. America’s unique environment protecting both physical and intellectual property attracts inventors from other nations to come here to develop their ideas and open their businesses. I will vote to maintain those rights, using eminent domain only when needed for a public use.

My next public forum will be in Forest City at the NSB Bank at 9:00 A.M. on Friday, Mar. 20.



When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, H