This week brings an end to the first funnel. The amount of bills run through committee in the last two weeks has been significant. Any bills, except for tax, spending, and oversight bills, we would like to consider for the rest of the session need to be through the committee in their ...

This week brings an end to the first funnel. The amount of bills run through committee in the last two weeks has been significant. Any bills, except for tax, spending, and oversight bills, we would like to consider for the rest of the session need to be through the committee in their ...

In my role with Central Rivers Area Education Agency, I get a front row seat to the hard work our local teachers and administrators are doing every day. Our local schools are stretching every dollar in their budgets to make sure that our children get the highest quality education possible in a ...

My mother had taught in country schools and was dead set against me attending one. She had been barely older than her students, was out in the country with a group of children, had no phone, no car, and limited access if there had been any type of emergency.That's why she insisted her own ...

Newsletter for Thursday, February 15,Week 6 of the session was "Funnel Week", where all policy bills must be passed by their respective committees in order to stay eligible for consideration this session. I've had success in managing all three of the bills I discussed in my last newsletter ...

AMES- To say Iowa's demographic, cultural and social makeup has changed over the last decade would be to state the obvious. But in what exact way has the state changed in that time?David Peters, associate professor and extension rural sociologist at Iowa State University, has attempted to ...

Newsletter for Thursday, February 8, 2018This week the House Republicans released their plan for the fiscal year 2018 budget adjustment that ensures our spending aligns with the actual revenue coming in as House Study Bill 648. These adjustments total roughly $34 million in reduced spending. ...

It's said that the key to a healthy lifestyle comes from balance. Good eating habits along with exercise and plenty of rest have a bigger impact on a person's health when combined. Similarly, for someone pursuing a college education, balance is also crucial to achieving one's goals. But outside ...

The Iowa legislature has understandably been undertaking the difficult process of de-appropriations since the session began. It is never easy to make cuts to the budget in the middle of a fiscal year, however, that is what must occur since our state's spending is growing faster than our ...

Week five is coming to a close. Legislators have been extremely busy trying to get constituent bills through committee to meet funnel requirements. The funnel deadline is next Friday.Here is a brief description of high interest bills passed through committee in the Senate:Senate File 2086, ...