Pre-session listening tour: Mason City, Waterloo, Davenport, DeWitt, Ottumwa, Anamosa

December 31, 2016 Senate Staff 0

Legislative Democrats are holding six listening sessions to begin our 2017 outreach. We’ll be stopping Jan. 3-6 in Mason City, Waterloo, Davenport, DeWitt, Ottumwa and Anamosa. Throughout the year, we hope to meet with Iowans across our state. We want to hear local concerns and share a positive vision for good jobs with good benefits, good schools, better health, and real public safety.

Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg on the release of the new Iowa Energy Plan

December 21, 2016 Senate Staff 0

“Democratic leadership led the way in developing Iowa’s statewide renewable energy industry. That’s because Iowa renewable energy is good for the environment and good for Iowa jobs across our state…We hope legislative Republicans will continue bipartisan support for clean, renewable energy. This is especially important because the incoming President and his nominees for key positions have expressed opposition to clean energy solutions.”

Ragan: Continue oversight until Medicaid problems are truly fixed

December 13, 2016 Senate Staff 0

That’s why intensive, on-going oversight of privatized Medicaid is absolutely essential. That oversight must continue until these serious, recorded, persistent problems are fixed. Iowans depend on us to ask tough questions, to insist on straight answers, and to make sure the State of Iowa’s efforts result in the most positive health care programs and outcomes possible.

TODAY: Legislature’s Medicaid Oversight Committee

December 13, 2016 Senate Staff 0

The Iowa Legislature’s Health Policy Oversight Committee will meet for their final meeting before the start of the 2017 session. LIVESTREAM: This meeting will be livestreamed at the Iowa Senate Democrats’ Facebook page, www.facebook.com/IowaSenateDemocrats/. You do not need to be a Facebook user to watch the video of the meeting.

Democrats release committee assignments for 2017 session

December 9, 2016 Senate Staff 0

Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg has released the committee assignments for the Democratic members of the Iowa Senate for the 201­7 session of the Iowa Legislature. “A lot of groundwork is done during committee meetings, where there are opportunities for open discussion and bipartisan work,” Hogg said.

First change by Senate Republicans guts oversight of economic development

December 5, 2016 Senate Staff 0

The first decision by the new Republican majority in the Iowa Senate was to eliminate the Senate Economic Growth Committee. The committee oversees hundreds of millions of dollars in state economic development efforts by multiple state agencies. The Senate Republicans’ decision runs counter to that of the Republican-controlled Iowa House, which today announced that the House Economic Growth Committee will continue.