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Senate
Democrats Legislative Report
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Listening
to you, working for you
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Iowa’s health care for kids
gets attention in U.S. Congress
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Protecting victims of human
trafficking
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Let’s put displaced Iowans
in housing this year
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New legislation would make
Iowa waterways safer
One of the most important parts of being a State Senator
is to listen and be available when you have concerns or ideas for moving Iowa forward.
Throughout the year, we’ll keep you up to date on what’s
happening in the Legislature and throughout Iowa.
We’ll continue sending out newsletters about issues and
events that impact local families, businesses and communities. We’ll also bring the Legislature to you by
holding listening posts in communities across the state.
And, of course, you are always welcome to visit your state
Capitol in Des Moines,
where you can take a tour and meet with legislators about issues that are
important to you. If you’re planning a
visit to Des Moines
and would like to schedule a tour of the Statehouse, go to www.legis.state.ia.us/tours.
Going forward, we’ll be looking for new ways to stay in
touch so that you can get the information you need in a way that works best
for you.
As always, you should contact us directly if you have
questions or concerns.
Iowa’s health care for kids gets attention in U.S. Congress
Iowans agree that every Iowa child should have access to
affordable, high-quality health care.
And we’re making
progress on providing that care, more progress, in fact, than almost
any other state. That’s why U.S.
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee invited Iowa State
Senator Jack Hatch of Des Moines, who led Iowa’s health reform
efforts, to testify about just how we’re getting the job done for our kids.
For example, our bipartisan efforts have expanded Medicaid
coverage and have allowed more working families to enroll their children in
hawk-i, Iowa’s
health care program for kids from low-income, working families. These steps are allowing Iowa children to get the regular checkups
they need to stay healthy.
President Obama wants every American child to grow up
healthy and strong so that they can reach their full potential. By
working together, Iowans have made our state an example that our new
President should study.
A Senate committee voted this week to toughen Iowa’s law to protect
more victims of human trafficking.
As much as we don’t want to believe that this sort of
thing goes on here in Iowa,
it does.
Exploitation of children in the nude dancing industry is
not currently covered in the definition of “commercial sexual activity” in Iowa’s human
trafficking law, but it should be.
Recently a case came before the courts in which underage girls were
dancing nude, but those responsible for exploiting these children couldn’t be
prosecuted because of the loophole in Iowa
law.
That’s why the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill to
strengthen the state’s human trafficking law so that despicable people who
use children for monetary gain can be brought to justice.
The bill also extends the Iowa’s Victims Rights protections to
children who are victims of human trafficking.
Iowans who were displaced from their homes in last
summer’s disasters visited the Statehouse this week to talk with legislators
about their recovery experiences.
We owe it to them and to the thousands of other Iowans
affected by last year’s floods and tornadoes to approve a relief package as
soon as possible. Most important, we need to provide resources to ensure that
displaced Iowans are able to repair or replace their homes before the end of
2009.
In his Condition of the State address last week, Governor
Culver proposed a $43 million package for disaster relief. Both Republican and Democratic legislators
have met with Lt. Governor Judge to discuss the details of the proposed
package.
So far, our JumpStart Housing
program has helped more than 1,800 families.
That’s a start, but it’s still less than half the families who’ve
applied for assistance. More than 400 families are still living in FEMA
trailers. These Iowans deserve help in repairing their homes or buying a
replacement home before the end of this year.
To learn more about the Rebuild Iowa efforts, go to www.rio.iowa.gov.
The Senate Natural Resources Committee took a step this
week toward making Iowa’s
waterways safer.
The committee passed a bill that would lower the legal
blood-alcohol limit for operating a watercraft from .10 to .08, the same as
it is for drivers on Iowa
roads.
Iowa is one of only nine states that hasn't
adopted the tougher standard for drunken boating. Every Midwest state
except Iowa
has the tougher standard.
We’ve seen fewer deaths due to drunken driving since Iowa lowered the
blood-alcohol limit to .08, but the legal limit for drunken boating has
remained at the higher limit.
Drunken boating kills and impaired boaters cause
accidents. Lowering the blood-alcohol
limit to .08 is the right thing to do.
It would draw greater attention to the issue and would serve as a
reminder that it’s not OK to drink and operate a boat.
When Iowans get out on our lakes and rivers, we need to be
sure that everyone is able to recreate – and celebrate – safely.
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