Photos

	Senator Roger Stewart of Preston had the opportunity to meet with a family from his district while they were in town for the 2008 Drake Relays. Mariah Casey was in Des Moines with her Grandpa, Jim Ralston, and Aunt, Kim Ralston, to watch her sister perform in the Relays. From Left: Jim Ralston, Kim Ralston, Senator Stewart, and Mariah Casey
	On April 22, Governor Chet Culver signed Senate File 2420, which will help make up a $200-million-a-year shortfall in Iowa’s transportation budget. Estimates show that the legislation will generate about $125 million by 2012, in part by changing the way pickup fees are assessed. This is a first step to developing a stable, fair and long-term way of maintaining the safe roads and bridges that support Iowa’s growing economy.
	On April 15, Governor Chet Culver signed Iowa's Smoke-free Air Act into law. This statewide ban on smoking in public places will reduce exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke, which kills more than 400 Iowans annually and makes thousands ill. The initiative should also reduce the $300 million in taxpayer money that goes to treat smoking-related illnesses each year. The ban will apply to most workplaces, public places and certain outdoor areas.
	On April 14, the Iowa Senate honored the talented young men and women who make up the 2007-2008 Drake University men's and women's basketball teams. Congratulations to the athletes and coaches, Keno Davis and Amy Stephens, on an incredible season. Their efforts have elevated the Bulldogs to rank among the best teams in the nation.
	The University of Iowa is in the process of constructing new buildings for their College of Public Health. These buildings will meet federal standards for "Green Buildings." On April 8, Sen. Roger Stewart of Preston (left) discussed the project's plans with David Osterberg. A former state representative, Osterberg works in UI's Department of Occupational and Environmental Health.
	On April 1, Gov. Chet Culver signed Senate File 2347 into law, providing $4.6 million to create a statewide system of optical scan voting machines before the November elections. This new law will give Iowans a verified paper record of the ballot they cast and will guarantee that voters with disabilities have the same opportunity to use a protected voting system.
	On March 26, Governor Chet Culver signed what will be the biggest tax break of the 2008 session. House File 2417, which passed the Legislature earlier this session, will save Iowa taxpayers $67.5 million dollars by exempting state taxes on the federal tax rebates that are part of the economic stimulus plan approved by Congress.
	Jon Rossman and Tom Parks of the State Public Policy Group talks with Sen. Roger Stewart during a Statehouse visit on March 18. SPPG helps state agencies and private sector organizations promote their issues, define their goals and evaluate their results. Projects include the Association of Iowa Workforce Partners, the Iowa Peer Support Training Academy, and the Successful Families Caucus. For more on SPPG, go to www.sppg.com.
	Representatives from the Association of Iowa Workforce Partners in Eastern Iowa talked with their state senator, Roger Stewart, on March 11 at the Statehouse. From left: Melissa Dohrn of Clinton, who's training to be a math teacher through Iowa at Work; Stewart; Cathy Wiebel of Iowa at Work in Davenport; Charlie Smith of Clinton, an Iowa Workforce board member; Tami Sachsenmaier of Iowa at Work in Clinton; and Sherrill Konrad of Davenport, who is working toward her AA in business administration at Scott Community College with the help of Iowa at Work.
	Senator Roger Stewart (front) and other legislators watch debate on the Senate floor Feb. 27 when a statewide ban on smoking in public places passed on a bipartisan 29-21 vote.
	Kyle Frette is a 23-year-old Iowan who is unable to purchase comprehensive health insurance due a pre-existing medical condition. Frette, who grew up in Story City, was at the Statehouse on Feb. 20 to take part in a news conference with Governor Chet Culver. Frette recently switched from a group insurance plan to an individual plan. Because he has a minor heart problem, Frette had difficulty finding health insurance at any cost. In the end, he accepted a plan that does not cover any medical problems related to his heart. I support reforms that would stop health insurers from refusing coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
	Senator Frank Wood of Eldridge and I had the opportunity to meet with constituents during the Clinton Chamber of Commerce day at the Capitol on Feb. 13. From left: Wood, Clinton Mayor Rodger Holm, Julie Allesee of the Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce, and I.
	As part of Clinton Day at the Capitol, Reverend Wayne Brinkmann of St. John Lutheran Church in Clinton served as Pastor of the Day, giving the opening prayer in the Senate.
	Governor Chet Culver signed a bill increasing the state's contribution to local schools by 4 percent on Feb. 12. The appropriation, which passed the Legislature last week, provides our K12 schools with an additional $222 per student. The money is used for textbooks, heating bills, technology and other necessities that help make students, teachers and schools successful.
	On Feb. 12, members of the Iowa Podiatric Medical Society were at the Statehouse to discuss health care issues with legislators, including Sen. Roger Stewart of Preston.
	Senator Roger Stewart of Preston met with Stacy Driscoll and her daughter Aubree in the Senate Chamber on Feb. 6. Stacy is a member of the Maquoketa Chamber of Commerce and Prosperity of Eastern Iowa. She was at the Capitol for Professional Developers of Iowa Day. Left to right: Stacy Driscoll, Aubree Driscoll, and Stewart.
	Clinton Community College students traveled to the Statehouse on January 31 to meet with legislators. Iowa’s community colleges provide the training Iowans need to move up in life and the skilled workers the state’s economy needs to grow. Sen. Roger Stewart of Preston told the students that he will support increased funding for community colleges in order to keep tuition affordable. Left to Right: Kathy Brown, Julie Connell, Stewart, Bryant Gilbert, Pantelis Korovilas, and Mardell Munson
	Senator Roger Stewart of Preston met with John Tempas, Disability Cosultant for the Division of Person's with Disabilities, at the Statehouse on January 30.
	The proven benefits of doing more with less energy was a hot topic this week at the Iowa Statehouse. Senator Roger Stewart of Preston talked with Bill McAnally, chair of Industrial Technology at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, and Simon Lindner, a 2007 graduate of his carpentry program. The two were in Des Moines to testify before a Senate committee on how modern building techniques result in new homes that use 65% less energy than older homes. They talked about how saving energy is creating jobs and improving the budgets of businesses and families across Iowa. If you'd like to know more, contact Bill at McAnally@iowacentral.edu. Left to right: Lindner, McAnally, and Stewart.
	Members of the Maquoketa chapter of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) visited with their state senator, Roger Stewart of Preston, at the Statehouse on January 28. Stewart gave the students a tour of the Senate Chambers and talked with them about the leading role Iowa agriculture is playing in the world-wide renewable fuels boom. From left to right: adviser Gary Bruns, Laura Wentworth, Callie Coates, Stewart, Kalli Muhlhausen, and Jordan Street.
	This week Rep. Tom Schueller and I met with Governor Culver in his office to discuss the fire that destroyed seven businesses in Maquoketa on Saturday, Jan. 19.
	Hundreds of veterans visited the Iowa Statehouse Jan. 16 for Veterans Day on the Hill. Among them was Nick Lucy of Dubuque, legislative chairperson for the American Legion of Iowa's Second District. Lucy talked with State Senators Roger Stewart of Preston and Tom Hancock of Epworth about veterans' legislative priorities for 2008. Stewart said there is strong bipartisan support for veterans issues and that $20 million for renovation of the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown would likely move forward this session. From left: Stewart, Lucy, and Hancock. (1/16/08)
	I'm serving on the Legislature's Property Tax Study Committee, which will meet over the course of two years to review Iowa's property tax system and propose changes. At our first meeting on Sept. 12, we heard from Cedar Rapids City Manager Jim Prosser, who talked about local revenue sources versus the cost of government.
	Senator Roger Stewart of Preston was on hand at the State Historical Building on Monday when Governor Chet Culver signed Senate File 566, which increases historic preservation tax credits from $6.4 million to $10 million next year and to a maximum of $20 million a year by 2010. The bill also establishes a fund for small projects under $500,000 in qualified costs, and for projects located in Certified Cultural and Entertainment Districts and Great Places communities. The tax credits are 25 percent of a preservation project’s qualified rehabilitation cost and can be used to secure loans or be sold to investors to pay for costs affiliated with rehabilitating historic buildings. Investors have used the tax credit program to preserve and rehabilitate a number of historic buildings throughout the state, including the Van Allen Building in Clinton. 5-20-07