Dave Sires (R-Cedar Falls).

Iowa caucuses

Monday brought the Iowa caucuses. This meant many of us stayed home in our districts so we could participate. Since 1972, Iowa has been the first in the nation to hold the caucus. Caucuses are a great time to get involved at the local level, talk with candidates and have a voice in grassroots politics. Lisa and I attended our caucus in Cedar Falls at Holmes Junior High. It was nice talking with constituents and party activists about important issues, grassroots activism, and what we need to focus on going into the next election cycle.

Funnel week approaches

This week was incredibly constructive and fast paced. As funnel week approaches it is important that legislation begins moving forward and we keep making progress on the issues Iowans have brought to us over the last several months. This week the Senate considered many proposals between the subcommittees and committees scheduled.

As the legislative session progresses, the Capitol continues to be busy. Throughout the week, the Senate had over 50 subcommittees scheduled, along with a full committee schedule. As our first deadline gets closer, we have been busy talking through bills and ideas and getting feedback from Iowans. We talked about a wide variety of topics. The Health and Human Services Committee passed SSB 3083, a bill that eliminates barriers to access for Iowans needing step-down mental health services, while lessening the burden on our emergency departments and other health care facilities. The Transportation Committee discussed SSB 3024, which would require the verification of citizenship and immigration status for a person who applies for or renews a driver’s license or identification card.

Iowa State University visits the Capitol

On Wednesday, the Capitol rotunda hosted Iowa State University. I always enjoy having them. All three of my kids attended Iowa State. Our son, Dain, is a mechanical engineer, our daughter, Rae, became a veterinarian and our youngest daughter, Leigh, is a registered dietitian. The displays and discussions indicated the importance of educating Iowans, keeping Iowans in Iowa, and continuing to innovate and grow the economy. I’m looking forward to seeing the University of Northern Iowa later this legislative session!

Senate releases education funding proposal

One of the first things the legislature tackles each year is K-12 education funding. Since 2017, Republicans have appropriated over $1.23 billion in new dollars for K-12 education. This year, the Senate is proposing an increase of nearly $100 million for the next school year, which would bring total spending on K-12 education by the state to $4.35 billion.

Ensuring a quality education is a priority of Iowans, and parents always want the best for their kids. Senate Republicans have demonstrated our commitment to fiscal responsibility by providing responsible increases to K-12 education funding, while also returning the focus to teaching the fundamentals Iowa students need to learn to be successful. Under this proposal, the state would be spending $8,133 per student in Iowa, not including local or federal sources of money. With billions of dollars invested in Iowa students, Republicans have also passed bills over the last several years to prepare kids for the future and help ensure they have the tools they need to succeed later in life. This last fall, we started to see results from some of those reforms with absenteeism rates decreasing, reading proficiency rates improving, and more high school seniors engaging in work-based learning activities.

KXEL Interview

Last Friday, I joined Jeff Stein on KXEL radio to discuss the legislative session so far. If you missed it, you can listen online here: https://soundcloud.com/newstalk1540kxel/state-sen-dave-sires-fri-jan.

State Senator Dave Sires represents Iowa Senate District 38 including Cedar Falls, Hudson, Traer, Dysart, Evansdale, Elk Run Heights, Gilbertville, Washburn, LaPorte City and Mount Auburn. Contact Sen. Sires at dave.sires@legis.iowa.gov.