Posts Tagged ‘Veterans’
Author: deanfiihr Published: January 21st, 2010
House and Senate Democratic Leaders announced a legislative agenda today aimed at keeping Iowa’s leadership position on issues affecting veterans and active duty Iowa soldiers. Democrats pledged to enact new protections for military families and to continue the multi-year, multi-million dollar expansion of the Iowa Veterans Home.
“The burdens military families bear for the rest of us are significant,” said State Representative Ray Zirkelbach, who chairs the House Veterans Affairs Committee and is a veteran of the Iraq War. “This year, Legislative Democrats will make military relocations easier for the ‘trailing spouses’ in military families. We will do this by providing unemployment benefits for spouses who must leave their jobs, protecting them from withdrawal penalties if they must leave college mid-term, and directing state agencies to help them transfer teaching certificates or professional certifications to their new home state.”
“As thousands of families prepare for the largest deployment in Iowa history later this year, we should do all we can to make the transition easier for National Guard members and families,” State Senator Steve Warnstadt of Sioux City, a member of the Senate Veterans Committee and a Colonel in the Iowa National Guard. “Despite these tough budget times, we will continue our work to make the Iowa Veterans Home one of the best in the nation. In addition, we will make sure veterans don’t have to pay state income taxes on benefits they receive the Veterans Trust Fund.”
Last year, the Legislature created new incentives for employers to hire workers who are also soldiers [SF 197] and provided mortgage foreclosure protection to all Iowans on active-duty [HF 706]. The Legislature also increased the National Guard Benefit program to more than $4 million and took steps to help the children of military families to succeed in school despite frequent moves [HF 214].
The House Veterans Affairs Committee approved the unemployment measure for military spouses, House Study Bill 538, on a party-line vote on Tuesday. Last year, Democrats rejected Republican opposition to renovate and expand the Iowa Veterans Home.
Tags: Soldiers, Veterans
Category Veterans |
Author: deanfiihr Published: March 13th, 2009
Led by State Representative Wayne Ford, D-Des Moines, the Iowa House approved House File 623 on Thursday to provide up to 26 weeks of additional unemployment benefits for laid off workers who are retraining for occupations that are determined to be areas where the number of available jobs is growing.
These added retraining benefits will not be charged against the employer who laid off the workers, because the funding comes from federal job training legislation, estimated to pump $71 million in additional funds into the state’s unemployment trust fund. (more…)
Tags: job training, training, unemployment, Veterans, Wayne Ford, worker training
Category Jobs & Economy, Uncategorized |
Author: deanfiihr Published: May 23rd, 2008
Iowa veterans and their families will benefit from expanded support and services in the coming year as a result of legislation enacted during the 2008 legislative session. Some highlights include:
- Job Security Act – troops called to active duty care return to their job at same pay and status (HF 2065)
- Veteran’s Trust Fund — $3 million dedicated funding source to the fund, which provides services like medical care, job training, and counseling. Also expanded the list of expenditures that the fund can be used for to include prescription drugs, housing repair, and medical equipment. (HF 2359 and SF 2124)
- County Veterans Affairs Commissions – establishes training requirements for local veteran’s affairs offices, requires every office to be open at least 20 hours, and provides $1 million in additional money for the offices (SF 2134)
- Veterans Home — $20.6 million for renovations and construction of the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown (SF 2432)
- Veterans Checkoff – An Iowa income tax checkoff will be on tax forms next year with proceeds split between the Veterans Trust Fund & the Volunteer Fire Fighters Preparedness Fund (SF 2124)
- Military Custody – Courts can’t change child custody agreements while one parent is on active duty (SF 2214)
Tags: Democrats Support Veterans, Iowa House, Veterans
Category Uncategorized |
Author: deanfiihr Published: January 25th, 2008
The Iowa House unanimously approved a job security bill for Iowa veterans on Thursday morning. The bill, House File 2065, ensures that soldiers called to active duty can return to their jobs after service at the same pay and status level. The bill was sponsored by State Representative McKinley Bailey, D-Webster City. The bill now goes to the Senate.
Tags: Democrats, Iowa House, iowa national guard, Iowa veterans, McKinley Bailey, State Representative, Veterans
Category Uncategorized |
