We’re just starting Week 3 of the Iowa Legislature. At the bottom of this message, you’ll find the list of bills we are watching this year and where they stand right now in the legislative process. Here’s quick update on a few key issues we’re working on this week.
Medicaid Privatization
We all know privatization has been a disaster since day 1 and it keeps getting worse. In an investigative report out last week from the Des Moines Register , we learned hundreds of sick and elderly Iowans are stuck in a maze of appeals because the for-profit companies trying to deny their care. As mentioned above, we also learned Gov. Reynolds wants to cut another $10 million from Medicaid while thousands of Iowans still can’t get the care they deserve.
We’re going to fight this session to end privatization and put Iowans back in charge. But we can’t do it without your help. Please sign the petition to end Medicaid privatization and use social media or an email to ask your friends and family to sign it as well. We’ll be using the hashtag #MedicaidMess on social media.

GOP’s Budget Deficit & Reynolds’ Illegal Transfer
The first order of business this session is fix the GOP’s budget mess. Gov. Reynolds has outlined her plan to make $27 million in mid-year budget cuts and also pushing off her budget problems to the next fiscal year. If approved, the cuts will raise tuition for Iowa students again and cut another $10 million from Medicaid, which is already a mess. You can find the full list of Reynolds’ budget cuts here.
Over the last few years, the GOP has mismanaged the state budget and turned a $900 million into a $259 million deficit. We don’t believe Iowans should have to pay for the GOP budget mess with higher tuition, fewer opportunities for our kids, or higher property taxes. Democrats will work this session to restore fiscal discipline, hold the GOP accountable, and balance the state budget.
Learn More about Legislation
Bill # |
Bill Description |
Current Status |
Take Action |
SF 2058
|
End Medicaid privatization |
Senate Human Resources |
Sign the petition to End Privatization
|
HF 2036
|
Make Iowa Supreme Court Justices part-time and pay them the same as lawmakers |
House Judiciary Committee |
|
HF 2031
|
Adds Bible literacy class to Iowa public schools |
House Education Committee |
|
SF 475
|
Directs more state money to out-of-state, for-profit online k-12 schools |
Approved by Senate; House Education Committee |
|
HF 2017
|
Eliminate the Iowa Dept. of Public Health |
House State Government Committee |
|
SF 29
|
Voucher program to divert $200 million from public schools to homeschools/ private schools; eliminates Iowa Dept. of Education and Iowa Public Television |
Senate Education Committee |
|
HF 297/SF 253
|
Personhood bill: Life begins at conception; bans common forms of birth control and prohibits abortion in cases or rape/incest/health of mother |
House/Senate Human Resources Committees |
|
HSB 138
|
End licensing for occupations like social work, mental health counselors, respiratory therapists |
House State Government Committee |
|
SF 335
|
Reinstate the death penalty |
Senate Judiciary Committee |
|
SF 288
|
Political discrimination for university faculty |
Senate Education Committee |
|
SF 2052
|
Allows guns in Courthouses |
Senate Judiciary Committee |
|
SF 26
|
Intimidate abortion providers in an effort to limit health care choices for women |
Senate Judiciary Committee |
|
SF 45
|
Ends retirement security for public employees, including teachers, fire fighters, and police officers (IPERS, POR & 411) |
Senate State Government Committee |
|
SF 54
|
Defines abortion as murder, even in cases of rape or incest |
Senate Judiciary Committee |
|
SF 2043
|
Eliminate inheritance tax |
Senate Ways and Means Committee |
|
SF 108
|
End ban on machine guns/sawed-off shotgun |
Senate Judiciary Committee |
|
SF 41
|
Eliminates tenure system at Iowa’s state universities and community colleges |
Senate Education Committee |
|
SF 71
|
Discourages Iowans from filing legitimate lawsuits by placing a financial burden on plaintiffs even before the case is heard by a judge or jury |
Senate Judiciary Committee |
|
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