On Friday, March 5, the Legislature hit the first self-imposed deadline to narrow the number of bills still eligible for debate, called the “funnel”. While there are a few exceptions for tax and budget bills, any bill that has not cleared a House or Senate Committee is dead for the year.
Beyond the Proclamation Message from Iowa Legislative Black Caucus Representatives Ras Smith, Ruth Ann Gaines, Ako Abdul-Samad, Ross Wilburn, and Phyllis Thede Des Moines, IA – The Iowa Legislative Black Caucus hosted a virtual press conference this morning. Caucus Chair, Rep. Ras Smith shared a statement in response to Governor Reynolds’ Black History Month proclamation and [...]
“Just as Iowa hit the grim milestone of 5,000 COVID deaths this week, Governor Reynolds is doubling down on her failed COVID response. It’s both reckless and tragic. This is failed leadership. We all want to get life back to normal and the fastest way to do that is to follow the guidelines from the CDC [...]
In a letter sent to House Republican Leaders, Iowa House Minority Leader Todd Prichard has called on Speaker Pat Grassley to remove State Rep. Dean Fisher of Tama County from his role as Chair of the House Environmental Protection Committee and be stripped of his committee assignments. Prichard’s insistence follows a series of false and threatening [...]
The 2021 Legislative Session must stay focused on long-term pandemic recovery efforts to get Iowa’s economy rolling again. Our Build Back Iowa plan will provide relief and help families, small businesses, students, and our dedicated health care workers recover. House Democrats are ready to work together to get the pandemic under control and provide the balanced, [...]
Democratic lawmakers today proposed changes to House rules to make the Iowa legislature safer and more transparent to the general public. “There’s no need to put the public, lawmakers, or employees at higher risk because House Republican leadership chooses to ignore public health guidelines. Everyone in the Capitol should be wearing a mask, just as every [...]
