Week 3 at the Statehouse is a busy one

Week three of the legislative session has come and gone, and this week was even busier than the last, with subcommittee and committee meetings packing many legislators’ schedules.

I personally sat on several subcommittees this week involving bills on various topics. Though my schedule was busy, I was excited to get back into the rhythm of the legislative process.

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A busy week calls for a week full of meeting the amazing people that make up our great state. First, I was honored to participate in a roundtable discussion with USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg during his visit to the Iowa Farm Bureau office.

The discussion highlighted recent trade wins, ongoing challenges and emerging global opportunities, particularly in Southeast Asia, for Iowa’s corn, ethanol and dairy producers. I appreciated the opportunity to engage with agricultural leaders on expanding international markets and strengthening Iowa agriculture.

On Tuesday, I attended the IANA Legislative Reception where Mary O’Brien of Swisher brought students from Tiffin, and I had the opportunity to discuss upcoming legislation impacting the field of anesthesiology.

On Thursday, the Iowa Firefighters Association hosted its annual Chili Cook-Off, and I was pleased to visit with Tiffin firefighters Bill Erb and Skylar Limkemann as they participated.

That day also marked Iowa PA Legislative Day, during which I met with physician assistants from across Iowa and Johnson Counties. I have worked closely with Iowa’s PAs since assisting with the passage of their legislation three years ago.

To conclude the week, I participated in a roundtable discussion hosted by the Iowa Bankers Association.

Over the past several years, we have passed a series of property tax relief bills to help address the rising cost of government at the local level. Property tax relief is again a big focus this year, with proposals coming from the Senate, Governor and House.

Senate Study Bill 3001 prioritizes Iowa taxpayers and aims to make home ownership in Iowa more affordable and achievable so every Iowan has the opportunity to build their wealth and their lives in our state.

Another bill that was worked on this week was HF 2104. It was amended in the Senate Commerce Committee, and it creates a voluntary easement corridor to allow a hazardous liquid pipeline company to find alternative routes with landowners who want to work with them.

It also requires the company to diligently exhaust those alternatives in efforts to all but eliminate the use of eminent domain. It would add additional regulations for hazardous liquid pipeline companies when talking to landowners, provide more transparency measures and ensure proper communication with landowners who may be interested in participating.

It also provides options for landowners who are uninterested in participating to opt out of further communication with that company. This was passed out of committee this week, and we think it's an important issue to continue talking about.

While serving on the Workforce Committee, I participated in the SSB 3004 subcommittee, which focused on expanding apprenticeship opportunities for high school students.

The subcommittee discussed creating an online platform to better connect students with professionals and career pathways, helping young Iowans explore workforce opportunities earlier and make informed decisions about their futures. The bill was successfully passed out of subcommittee for further consideration.

A piece of legislation I have been able to help develop is SSB 3041, commonly referred to as the FFA and 4-H Excused Absence Bill. This legislation requires school districts to grant excused absences to students who miss school due to participation in activities or projects sponsored by 4-H or the FFA, while also ensuring students are allowed to make up any missed coursework as a result.

The bill was first introduced six years ago in response to concerns that students were not always given the opportunity to participate in these valuable educational programs. Since then, several other states have adopted similar policies, and we are hopeful this legislation will advance this session and finally cross the finish line.

During the first few weeks of the legislative session, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig introduced the Iowa Farm Act, a comprehensive, state-level legislative package designed to strengthen Iowa agriculture.

Key components include improvements to biosecurity and foreign animal disease response, reforms to the grain industry, expansion of the “Choose Iowa” program and continued advocacy for a new five-year federal Farm Bill focused on crop insurance, trade and animal disease response.

I look forward to working alongside Secretary Naig as this legislation continues working through the legislative process.

Additionally, we are working on legislation related to the veterinary repayment program, with a focus on strengthening rural veterinary services. These efforts include supporting rural veterinarian programs and reinforcing the rural service commitment in food animal medicine to help ensure continued access to veterinary care for Iowa’s livestock producers and rural communities.

As legislation continues to be proposed, please never hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have.