Government : McClintock's Week in Wrap February 17-21

Sixth Week of the 2025 Legislative Session

Week six of the 2025 Legislative Session kept me busy, especially since we are now approaching our first deadline of the year. This deadline has us working hard to get bills through subcommittees and committees. We also had a lot of visitors at the Capitol this week, including Second Amendment supporters, community college students, and health care professionals.

On Tuesday, the Iowa Senate passed SF 278 to support students on robotics teams. This bill helps provide more resources and technical assistance to school districts starting career and technical student organizations related to robotics by allowing them to access federal funding for their teams. Senate File 278 is a great step in ensuring Iowa students are given every opportunity to pursue their passion in the classroom. Programs like robotics teams help students gain both real-world knowledge and skills that can translate to a career in the field of study they choose. For robotics, this is especially critical as a technology-dependent field requiring constant innovation that needs highly skilled people willing to work and adapt in an ever-changing environment. Senate Republicans are proud to support our students interested in robotics and we look forward to the success they will have in the future.

The Senate Education Committee this week passed SSB 1065, the Governor's school cellphone policy. This bill requires, starting with the next school year, each school board adopt policies regarding the student use of personal electronic devices during school hours and restrict use of such devices during classroom instructional time. With cell phones becoming an increasing distraction to students, it is crucial we take initiative to create a classroom setting focused on learning. According to a Gallup survey in October 2023, 51% of U.S. teenagers spend at least 4 hours a day on social media. Based on a report from Gallup and the Institute for Family Studies, "Teens who spend more than 5 hours a day on social media were 2.5 times more likely to express suicidal thoughts or harm themselves, 2.4 times more likely to hold a negative view of their body, and 40% more likely to report a lot of sadness the day before."

By placing restrictions on the cell phone usage of students, we can not only help ensure a quality learning environment, but also help reduce the fatigue and unintended consequences that come with overuse of cellphones. I will continue to work to provide the best education possible to our students, even if it is through creating an environment free from the distraction of cellphones, so that Iowa students can be successful.

The Science of Fetal Development in Schools

Over the last several years, our state has made great strides in protecting life and enacting pro-family policies for Iowans. We passed the More Options for Maternal Support (MOMS) program to help support expecting mothers and promote healthy pregnancies. We expanded Medicaid coverage for pregnant, low-income mothers, ensuring coverage throughout the pregnancy and 12 months after birth. We expanded Iowa's Safe Haven policy and adoption and foster family policies, and have passed several bills to help address childcare challenges in our state.
One of our most important pieces of legislation is the Heartbeat Bill, protecting life at the sound of a heartbeat. This week the Senate built on these successes and ensured the use of non-biased, research-based information on human growth and development be taught in Iowa schools. To do this, we passed Senate File 175, requiring schools use technology like high-definition ultrasound videos to teach students about human development from conception.

Senate File 175, which passed the Iowa Senate on Tuesday, requires age-appropriate human growth and development instruction in grades 4-12 include instruction related to human development inside the womb, and a high-definition ultrasound video showing the presence of the brain, heart, and other vital organs in early fetal development. It also requires instruction include a high-quality computer-generated rending or animation, or an ultrasound or other real image, that shows human development at the start of fertilization, noting significant markers in cell growth and organ development throughout every stage of pregnancy.

The bill, which passed on a bipartisan vote of 31-13, utilizes science and technology to show when life actually starts and uses research to teach students important milestones in human development and growth. While we have been working on policies to protect those who cannot yet protect themselves, this bill is a great way to start showing students when life starts and how important it is. It now goes to the Iowa House for their consideration.