Iowa State Senate President Jake Chapman (R-Adel) has, on three separate occasions, played the key role in sabotaging years of bipartisan work to improve the rights and living conditions of Iowans living in manufactured or mobile homes.
Three years ago, Senator Chapman, then a member of the Senate State Government Committee, was assigned to chair a subcommittee on Senate File 2238. This legislation—co-sponsored by 30 state senators, 15 Republicans and 15 Democrats– contained significant manufactured housing reforms.
Senator Chapman killed that legislation by refusing to schedule a subcommittee hearing.
That’s one.
On Tuesday of this week, the Iowa Senate debated HF 2562, a bill making modest changes to Iowa’s laws regarding manufactured housing, changes strongly supported by the owners of Iowa mobile home parks and makers of manufactured housing.
Senator Zach Wahls of Coralville first offered Amendment S-5134, legislation based on modest reforms successfully proposed by Republican Senator Annette Sweeny in 2019. During that 2019 debate, Senator Chapman voted “Aye” on the amended bill, which died that year in the House. Now, however, Senate President Chapman ruled the amendment “not germane.”
That’s two.
Senator Wahls then offered amendment S-5137. This amendment is based on the 2020 comprehensive, bipartisan reforms, which were sponsored by 15 RepublicansSenators and 15 Democratic Senators.
On Tuesday night, however, Senate President Chapman also ruled Amendment S-5137 not germane.
That’s three.
“Every Iowan deserves a decent place to call home, and that includes Iowa families living in mobile or manufactured housing,” said Senator Wahls.
“Senator Chapman should be ashamed that he personally blocked Senate debate on bipartisan reforms three separate times which would have helped Iowans living in his own district.”
“Senator Chapman has sided with powerful interests instead of everyday Iowans time and time again, and we must hold him accountable for his shameful record,” concluded Wahls.
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