The View From Here

During the eleventh week of the session we had subcommittees on House bills and floor debate on Senate bills as we deal with our second deadline for legislation coming April 4.

House File 782 is the Governor’s proposal on cell phones in schools. It requires schools to adopt policies that regulate and restrict cell phone use by students during school hours and in the classroom. Cell phones and social media provide a number of distractions throughout the day and take away focus from what is going on in the classroom. I have heard many times from teachers that cell phones distract students from the lessons being taught. I think that school time should be as free from distractions as we can make it.

We also passed Senate File 507, which prohibits city and county governments from engaging in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities unless directed by state or federal law and eliminates practices that encourage treating people differently based on certain characteristics. I remember a couple of years ago removing these requirements from membership on state boards because some boards had so many women on them that we could not consider any new female applicants. Everybody should be treated with respect and dignity, and when hiring, we should be focused on finding the best, most qualified people for those roles. Iowans want their local governments to be focused on providing services effectively and efficiently. This bill ensures city and county governments are hiring people based on merit and ability.

SF 394 is a bill that I received lots of comment on. It deals with being able to sue a chemical company for not putting a warning label on the product about the possibility it may cause cancer. The EPA sets the rules for what can be put on a label and this bill says that a company cannot be sued for obeying those laws. It does not prohibit any Iowan from suing the company if they can prove the product caused them harm. I believe the rule of law and due process are key components of our society. If we want warning labels on these products we should put pressure on the EPA to do unbiased testing to show they are needed.

SF 615 requires able-bodied individuals on taxpayer-funded health care work a minimum of 80 hours a month to receive those benefits. This applies only to people between the ages of 19 and 64 and excludes people who are pregnant, medically exempt or disabled.

I was pleased to see the House pass two bills dealing with pipelines this week. HF 943 says that the transmission of CO2 does not have a public use and is not a public improvement. HF 639 requires the company owning the pipeline to provide liability insurance for any accidents involving the pipeline, requires at least two IUC members to be present at every hearing, and limits the time it can take to get a permit. I truly hope that the Senate will take up these bills and protect landowners' property rights.

I will be attending a town hall meeting in Forest City, Salveson Hall at 2:00 on April 4th.