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Capitol Letters: The Sitzmann Scoop Week 3

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This was a busy and exciting week!  This week I had nearly all of my committee meetings and took my first vote(s)!  The environmental protection committee did not meet this week.  My economic Growth and technology committee had an AI expert give a great presentation on the future of AI. The majority of my committee meetings involved experts and Department Directors presenting the state of their departments.    Thursday we voted on 2 National Guard scholarship bills (see details below) and a 5 year moratorium to prevent new casinos from coming to Iowa.  The gambling market is saturated in Iowa.  I was happy to be a aye on all three votes.  I continue to attend new member trainings and meetings to be as effective as possible!

I was happy to see my good friend, U.S. Congressman Randy Feenstra stand in the Oval Office this week and watch President Trump sign the Laken Riley Act into law.  I talked to congressman Feenstra on Tuesday.  He has been a great supporter and mentor.  

I am sad to share that this week the House of Representatives lost a great man.  Less than 24 hours after voting to support the national guard, Rep. Martin Graber - District 100 (former Brigadier General in the National Guard) passed away from a heart attack (Friday morning). His family and friends are in my prayers.  I briefly got to know Rep. Graber over the last 3 weeks.  Martin served in the Army for 32 years and was serving his 3rd term in the House.  

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and Families of all of those affected by the plane crashes in Washington D.C. & Pittsburg this week.    

Where was I this weekend?

I attended a forum at the Onawa Library this morning.  The forum was hosted by the American Legion Auxiliary.  There was a great turnout!  Senator Kevin Alons and I provided a legislative update to an enthusiastic crowd.  

You can imagine the amount of emails we get from people from all over the state.  My priority is the citizens of District 13.  If you do not hear back from me within 2 days please send a follow up email.  

Legislative Update:

HSB47: School Safety Enhancement

This week, the Education committee passed House Study Bill47 to build upon Iowa House Republicans’ efforts to make our schools as safe as possible.

HSB 47 requires schools to create a multidisciplinary threat assessment team to intervene when a student is exhibiting threatening behaviors.

This bill encourages the collaboration between schools, law enforcement and mental health professionals to ensure the safest environment possible for our students and staff in schools.

Under this bill, schools and government agencies are allowed to share information on students struggling with mental illness. It also provides immunity from civil liability for individuals who report credible threats.

House File 117 and 118:National Guard Scholarships

This week, we had our first week of debate in the Iowa House. Two of the bills we passed were to honor and improve the lives of our National Guard members for all they do.

House File 117 creates the National Guard Service Professional Qualification Scholarship Program. This scholarship would cover the cost of certain educational programs approved by the adjutant general and administered by a community college, regent university or private institution.

o  This could include programs leading to certifications in cyber security, IT, emergency medical services or others relevant to their service in the National Guard.

o  The bill requires the adjutant general to publish a list of approved programs for this scholarship.

House File 118 makes improvements to the National Guard Service Scholarship Program by allowing the amount to be calculated on the actual tuition costs and the financial aid received. This will improve efficiency in the distribution of funds and potentially free up dollars for more recipients.

Transparency in Higher Education

This session, the Iowa House created a new committee, called the Higher Education committee, to take a comprehensive look at our higher education system.

One important piece of that effort is increasing transparency in higher education so students can make informed decisions about their futures. This week, the Higher Education committee passed two bills out of subcommittee to address this.

House Study Bill 59 requires Iowa three regent universities to publish detailed financial information on their websites. This includes budgets, expenditures, and vendor contracts. This will hold the regents accountable, ensuring that they are budgeting in a way that truly benefits their students. 

House Study Bill 55 requires all institutions of higher learning in Iowa to make the syllabus for each undergraduate course publicly available online. The syllabus must include the instructor’s name, course requirements, required or recommended reading materials, and a general description of the subject matter.

Ultimately, these policies for transparency will lead to greater accountability and trust in our institutions of higher education.

An SSA Update

The Governor and Senate have both made clear publicly that they support a 2% SSA increase.

There is a desire by many in the Iowa House Republican caucus to get more funding to our school districts.  Currently, we are still considering the options in front of us while we wait for the Senate to send us a bill with a 2%SSA increase.

Verse of the Week:   Isaiah, 11:2

The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord.  

Quote of the Week:

“Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.”

                                                                                                 -John F. Kennedy

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