(Le Mars) — The Iowa Legislature ended its session late Saturday evening after having to recess for several weeks due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak.
State Representative Dr. Tom Jeneary of Le Mars says the second part of the session after returning to work was “Fast and Furious.” Jeneary says the main focus for state lawmakers was to have a balanced budget.
Jeneary says Iowa legislators can spend 99 percent of the state’s revenue. He says Iowa is in much better financial position than many other states.
One area that was left alone was the education budget for K-12 public schools. Jeneary says school officials may have wanted more than what was allocated, but he says the legislature wanted to be certain to fund what was initially promised.
Jeneary says schools have been allocated an additional 100 million dollars for the 2020-2021 school year.
However, the higher level education institutions consisting of the state universities of Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, and the University of Iowa did have see some budget cuts.
We will have additional comments from State Representative Dr. Tom Jeneary regarding this legislative session in future news updates.
Health & Human Services
(Le Mars) — We continue our conversation with State House Representative Dr. Tom Jeneary of Le Mars as he reflects upon the recently completed legislative session. In an earlier report, we focused on the education budget. Today, we look at the Health and Human Services Department. Jeneary says lawmakers tried to keep the budget allocations the same as they were from last year.
One of the priorities established at the beginning of the legislative session was to improve the mental health programs. Jeneary says the legislature would have liked to given more money to the state’s mental health programs, but at this time it was not feasible.
Felons Restore Voting Rights
Governor Kim Reynolds says there is no “hard and fast
deadline” for her to sign an executive order to automatically restore felon voting rights before the November General Election.
Black Lives Matter organizer Matthew Bruce said the group is seeking immediate action to ensure felons have time to register, get their voter registration cards and figure out where to vote. The protesters were back at the Capitol Thursday, chanting outside the door to the governor’s office as
Reynolds held a news conference inside. Bruce said to cheers, “we’re not playing no more. Give my family that right to vote.” State Representative Dr. Tom Jeneary of Le Mars says he has mixed feelings regarding the restoration of voting rights to past felons. Jeneary says both chambers of the Iowa legislature passed the provision that past felons would need to pay
the restitution costs before they could have their voting rights restored.
Jeneary says there needs to be some consequences to some actions, and he says voting is one of those rights that should not be restored for any severe felonies committed.
Iowa is the only state in the union that doesn’t automatically allow past felons the opportunity to vote, once their sentenced has been served.
Abortion, Broadband, and COVID-19
The Iowa legislature ended its interrupted session a week ago, but there were some items that were not able to be addressed, as lawmakers had hoped. State Representative Dr. Tom Jeneary says he would have liked to see the state legislature pass the life amendment as it relates to anti-abortion.
Governor Reynolds has had the opportunity to appoint three judges to the Iowa Supreme Court, with another justice resignation expected within the next year. Jeneary believes the Iowa Supreme Court may be leaning more to a pro-life stance, and could overturn earlier decisions. The Republican state representative says there was some confusion over the life amendment.
Jeneary says one item that was passed during the closing days of the legislative session was to appropriate additional funding for the expansion of broadband throughout the rural areas of the state.
Jeneary says during the final hours, the legislature passed a COVID-19 protection against liability bill. He says the bill basically was passed along party lines with republicans voting in favor and democrats opposing the measure.
The Le Mars lawmaker further explains the purpose of the bill.
Jeneary says the state legislature also passed a bill that would exempt COVID-19 relief assistance funding from being subject to Iowa income taxation.
