From the Desk of Senator Blake

This week in Iowa brought both wins and losses. The Legislature passed a hands-free driving bill, SF 22, banning handheld devices while driving. However, two Senate bills with major negative impacts also moved forward.

Senate Republicans approved a bill, SF 615, imposing work requirements on Medicaid recipients, a measure that could strip healthcare from 181,000 Iowans. I opposed this bill, as it risks the entire healthcare system in our state.

In addition, a narrow Republican majority advanced a bill, SF 394, granting legal immunity to foreign chemical companies. This immunity would block Iowans exposed to hazardous pesticides from seeking justice in the courts, leaving farmers and others vulnerable. I spoke against the bill, arguing it would keep farmers who are struggling to pay their cancer bills from access to justice through the courts. We should not be protecting big corporations from harming Iowans.

Show Me the Money

There seems to be a common theme emerging from the Majority party this year: an aversion to transparency and accountability.

Over a month and a half ago, Senate Republicans passed SF 167, setting the rate for school funding growth at 2%. My colleagues and I argued on the floor at the time that the bill was insufficient and warned that, at 2%, nearly half of Iowa’s public school districts could be forced to raise property taxes to cover costs. Senate Republicans didn’t listen.

Now, several weeks later, they have blown past our statutory deadline by which time we’re meant to finalize school funding, and the already insufficient funding proposal has stalled because Senate and House Republicans can’t come to an agreement on just how much to underfund our public schools.

We’ve already seen reports of severe budget cuts and staff layoffs in certain school districts, and still, Senate and House Republicans can’t come to an agreement.

Another factor affecting our schools is the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars flowing to the private school voucher program. With the income eligibility cap coming off next school year, Iowans deserve transparency into where their tax dollars are going.

Instead, the state Department of Education has refused to allow the state auditor’s office to audit the private school voucher program or the out-of-state company overseeing the program’s management. What are they hiding?

Earlier this week, the Senate debated new limits and restrictions on Medicaid as Republican lawmakers sought to advance legislation that would likely serve as the beginning of the end for health insurance for 182,000 Iowans.

As we would with any other bill of this kind, my colleagues and I looked to a fiscal note from the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency (LSA) to get a better understanding of how much the new restrictions would cost and how many people would be affected. What we got wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on.

Despite repeated requests from LSA, the state Department of Health and Human Services refused to turn over information that could give better insight into the cost and severity of the new restrictions. Again, we ask: what is the Reynolds Administration hiding?

We finally got a look at the Department of Management’s five-year projections, and they show Gov. Reynolds is planning on spending more than the state takes in for each of the next five years. It took a Freedom of Information request and weeks of delays to get even that much information.

Delays and secrecy only serve to withhold critical information from the public. Iowans deserve transparency from their government.

Quick Updates

Medicaid restrictions: This week, Senate Republicans advanced SF 615, adding restrictions for Medicaid recipients in Iowa. The bill includes trigger language that says if the federal government does not approve Iowa’s request for a waiver to institute Medicaid restrictions – a likely outcome under the next Democratic president – Iowa’s 181,000 Medicaid expansion recipients would be stripped of their healthcare coverage. Make no mistake, SF 615 is an attempt to dismantle Medicaid expansion in the state of Iowa, putting healthcare access at risk for hundreds of thousands of Iowans.
Pesticide immunity passes: Senate Republicans narrowly passed SF 394 this week, providing massive, foreign chemical corporations with immunity from legal action if their products cause harm – including cancer – to Iowans. Iowa is in the midst of an ongoing cancer crisis, and this bill would protect chemical companies instead of Iowa’s farmers.
Cell phones prohibited in Iowa schools: HF 782 mandates new guidelines for student electronic device use in schools. The bill requires school boards to adopt policies restricting student use of personal electronic devices during instructional time, with defined exceptions, by July 1, 2025. The Iowa Department of Education is required to provide guidance to schools and families by May 1, 2025. Each school must also revise and update their emergency plans, incorporating student electronic prohibitions.
Consumer protections on crypto scams: This week the Iowa Senate passed SF 449, adding consumer protections and stricter regulations to cryptocurrency kiosks (ATMs) in an effort to fight growing fraud concerns. The bill institutes limits on fees and transactions and requires consumer warnings to protect users against scams which have cost Iowans more than $20 million.
Add spring color to your yard: Spring is a great time to plant trees. Find great tips and resources on how to select, plant and keep trees healthy on the DNR webpage. Check out the State Forest Nursery for diverse, native seedlings.
Tree City of the World: Recognition through the Tree Cities of the World program represents the first step toward achieving a green vision for your city. To receive recognition, a town or city must meet five core standards: responsibility for the care of trees, official policy that governs the management of forests and trees, updated inventory or assessment, a dedicated annual budget for the routine implementation of the tree management plan, and an annual celebration of trees. Des Moines is one of this year’s award recipients.
Severe Weather Awareness: The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) and the National Weather Service (NWS) have joined together to promote Severe Weather Awareness Week this week, March 24-28, 2025. The purpose of Severe Weather Awareness Week is to encourage Iowans to take the necessary steps to be prepared in the case of a weather emergency. You can learn more at https://ready.iowa.gov/.

This Week in the Capitol

Thursday, I met with plumber apprentices who are planning to work in Iowa during plumbing and mechanical engineers’ day.

Monday, I had a chance to chat with the Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard, Major Stephen Osborn.

Wednesday morning, I attended the Unity Coalition breakfast with fellow Urbandale residents.

Contact Senator Matt Blake at [email protected] or follow him on social media.
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