State Sen. Eric Giddens (D-Cedar Falls)

Greetings friends and neighbors! Since the legislative session adjourned in the wee hours of the morning on April 20, it has been great to be back at home in the Cedar Valley visiting with constituents, attending meetings and events across the district, and enjoying the beautiful spring weather.

I’ve attended the College Hill Partnership annual meeting; the Cedar Valley CAPS Innovation Celebration; a meeting unveiling the new design for the Hwy. 58 and Greenhill Rd. intersection in Cedar Falls; the UNI Community Engagement Celebration Day; the Trees for the Cedar Valley tree planting event near East High in Waterloo; the Panthers on Parade reception at the UNI McLeod Center; the City of Cedar Falls/Cedar Falls Utilities Overman Awards luncheon; the UNI Theater Dept.’s Timeless Journeys performances at Western Home Communities; the Iowa Insurance Division and AARP’s “Stop the Scammers” meeting at Community State Bank in Waterloo; the Expanding Youth Apprenticeship Opportunities for Underserved Populations pre-apprenticeship program at the Black Hawk Labor Temple; and I toured the new landfill gas recovery plant project at the Black Hawk County landfill.

In addition, my son Henry is completing his freshman year at UNI this week and moving home for the summer. My heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to him and all of our students and educators as they finish up the school year and transition into the summer months!

And lastly, Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! Moms make the world go ’round, and I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend.

As always, please reach out to me at eric.giddens@legis.iowa.gov or (319) 230-0578 if I can be helpful with anything or if you have any issues or concerns you’d like to share with me. It is an honor to serve!

What Passed and What Failed in 2024

Now that the dust has settled on the 2024 Iowa Legislative session, let’s take a look at what passed – and what didn’t – this year.

A full recap is below, but here’s the short version: Democrats and Republicans came together on several bills that will make modest improvements for Iowans in need, notably in areas like mental health services, childcare options, and fighting child abuse. My friends across the aisle, though, devoted much more time and energy to undermining public education, picking culture-war battles, and chipping away at basic accountability in state government.

Overall, it was another disappointing session in my view, where Iowa values of opportunity, freedom and accountability were largely ignored in favor of endless culture war and service to special interests.

Positive Progress: These bipartisan bills passed

*Ensuring justice for survivors of sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts (SF 2431)

*Modernizing Iowa’s retirement system for police and firefighters, and ensuring equal coverage for on-the-job injuries (HF 2680)

*More transparency to protect Iowans when they sell their homes (HF 2394)

*Ban foreign land ownership (SF 2204)

*Increase college savings plans (HF 2667)

*Insurance coverage for biomarker testing to improve patient care (HF 2668)

*Insurance coverage for diagnostic and supplemental breast exams (HF 2489)

*Criminalizing the use of AI in sexual exploitation of a minor (SF 2243)

*Increase penalties for individuals who falsely report bomb or terrorist threats (SF 2161)

*Ambulance reimbursement for mental health centers (HF 2397)

*Expand access to medical doctors (SF 477)

*Physicians now can serve as EMTs (HF 2507)

*New crime to stop grooming underage victims (HF 2602)

*HHS care coordination teams for complex health needs cases (HF 2402)

*Increase state childcare payments to providers, and continue subsidies for childcare workers (HF 2658)

Unfortunately, these bad bills will become law:

*Eliminate AEA mental health and special education services (HF 2612)

*Using religion to discriminate (SF 2095)

*Divert money from public schools to give to charter schools (SF 2368)

*Lowering teaching qualifications (HF 255)

*Underfunding K-12 Schools (HF 2612)

*Eliminate the gender balance requirement on state boards (SF 2096)

*Eliminate routine hotel inspections (HF 2426)

*County and city guaranteed income program ban (HF 2319)

*Cutting Iowans’ voices out of boards & commissions (SF 2385)

*Prescribes specific social studies curriculum (HF 2545)

*Public schools prevented from not selling buildings to charter schools or private schools (HF 2543)

*Consolidating control over Health and Human Services appropriations under the Governor’s office, instead of the legislature. (HF 2698)

Thankfully, these concerning bills died:

*Personhood bill that threatens in vitro fertilization (HF 2575)

*Union busting bill targeting police, firefighters, teachers, and other public servants (SF 2374)

*Lawsuit immunity for pesticide companies giving people cancer (SF 2412)

*Allows government agencies to bypass a state audit (SF 2311)

*Restricting access to STI vaccinations for Iowa youth (SF 2064)

*Death Penalty (SSB 3085)

*Not allowing localities to ban conversion therapy (SF 2037)

*Policing restrooms in public places (SF 2055)

*Tinkering with our U.S Constitution (SF 2130, HF 2116)

*Dangerous Ivermectin treatment authority (SF 2122)

*City council take over of libraries (SSB 3166, HSB 678)

*Politicization of judicial selection (SF 2317)

*Partisan elections for school board, city and merged AEAs (HSB 633)

*Restricts the DNR from purchasing public land (SF 2324)

*Putting up barriers for eligible Iowans to vote (SF 2380, HF 2610)

Standing Strong for Public Education

The last few years have been challenging for public education in Iowa. Years of compounding underinvestment in our schools has been made even worse by the majority party’s expansion of private-school vouchers and the dismantling of our Area Education Agencies. Let me tell you where I stand: I support higher pay for our teachers and adequate funding for every district, every school, and every kid in Iowa. I oppose sending public money to private schools, and I value our AEAs – especially the services they provide in smaller and rural school districts.

Auditor: Shred the “Paper Ceiling”

Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand recently released a report showing that Iowans and our state government would benefit from removing four-year college degree requirements from dozens of public sector jobs. Too often, qualified applicants are denied an opportunity to compete for jobs because of arbitrary college-degree requirements. Read the report here: https://www.auditor.iowa.gov/media/cms/Paper_Ceiling_Govt_Jobs_Report_98BB83D2C35DB.pdf

Iowa Urban Water Quality Projects

The Iowa Department of Agriculture recently announced $3.6 million in investments for 14 urban water quality projects across the state, including $190,900 for the Hudson Wetland Park restoration project. The project will serve as a demonstration site to educate and encourage further adoption of stormwater management.

State Senator Eric Giddens represents Iowa Senate District 38 including Cedar Falls, Hudson, Traer, Dysart, Evansdale, Elk Run Heights, Gilbertville, Washburn, LaPorte City and Mount Auburn. Contact Sen. Giddens at 319-230-0578 or eric.giddens@legis.iowa.gov.