Government : Hello, Iowa House District 84 from the State Capitol!

Kirkwood Women’s National Champion Basketball Team Recognized by the Iowa House.

A delegation from Kosovo visit the Iowa State Capitol on April 11th.

​Legislative work at the Iowa State Capitol is rapidly approaching the finish line, which could be by the end of this week, April 20th.  This is earlier than usual because the session this year started on the earliest date possible, January 8th.  The legislature always starts on the 2nd Monday of January.

​On April 9th, the Iowa House passed HF 2681, otherwise known as the traffic camera bill.  The final version passed with a large bipartisan margin, as 85 voted in favor which included 62 republicans and 23 democrats. Eleven democrats and 1 republican voted against.  The bill did have an amendment that would have eliminated all the speed cameras statewide, but still permitted stop cameras.  This amendment failed to pass by four votes and no democrats voted for this.  

​The bill had a second amendment, which has a tiered fine schedule:  no ticket up to nine mph over the limit, a $75 fine if speeding between 10 and 20 mph over, $100 fine for speeds 20 and 25 mph over, $250 between 25 and 30 mph over, and a hefty $500 fine for speeds 30 mph and over.  These speeding infractions will be civil and will not affect your driver's license or your auto insurance premium rates.  These speed cameras continue to have ongoing legal debates in several states.  According to https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2022/5/13/23070929/opinion-constitutional-dangers-of-photocop-facial-recognition-prohibited-in-utah-speed-cameras/, in 2015, "Missouri's Supreme Court ruled that red-light and speed cameras were unconstitutional", and also in Colorado, but have been ruled constitutional in Florida in 2018.  It's strange to see state supreme court rulings go both ways.  In any event, I voted in favor of both amendments, and now the bill goes to the senate for their consideration.

​The Health and Human Services budget has been moving through the subcommittees.  It appropriates $2.217 billion for fiscal year 2025, which is $92.5 million more than fiscal year 2024.  It also provides a $3 million increase for home health rates for older Iowans to help keep them in their homes longer.  It helps local pharmacies by increasing the Medicaid pharmacy dispensing fee by $2 million.  The HHS budget also has over $20 million to increase help for disabled Iowans.  

​On April 9th, the Iowa House adopted resolutions recognizing UNI wrestler Parker Keckeisen winning the national championship at 184 lbs. and the Kirkwood Comm. College Women's Basketball team for winning the NJCAA DII National Tournament! Atkins resident Jenna Twedt was named to the All-Tournament Team and also was named the Tournament MVP!! Congrats to them all!!  On April 11th, the Iowa House had a visit from a delegation from our sister state, Kosovo.  They stated that when people in Kosovo think of the United States, one of the first things that come to mind is Iowa and how they would love to be like us!

 ​Have a safe week, please be careful out there, and watch out for farmers with their farm implements on the roads as they begin spring planting!