2019 Legislative Session - Week 5

A surprise Senate resignation capped-off the fifth week of legislative session. Sen. Jeff Danielson (D-Cedar Falls) stepped down from his seat Thursday, effective immediately.  He simultaneously quit his position with the Cedar Falls Fire Department, where he has served for 25 years.  In an interview with KWWL, a local TV station, Danielson said his decision stemmed from the city’s new policy of cross-training police officers to fight fires.  He said he already has a new job, and will announce his plans soon.  Danielson has served in the Iowa Senate since 2005. Under state law, Governor Kim Reynolds has five days to set a special election date for Danielson’s seat.  Senate District 30, covering Cedar Falls, Hudson, and part of Waterloo, has historically been a swing district. 

Meanwhile, the House and Senate have sent their first appropriations bills to the governor’s desk. HF 306 increases State School Aid spending by 2.06 percent, roughly $80 million.  It passed the House on a mostly party-line vote, with freshman Rep. Jeff Shipley (R-Fairfield) siding with Democrats against the measure.  The Senate approved the bill 31-17, with Sens. Tony Bisignano (D-Des Moines), Jeff Danielson (D-Cedar Falls), Kevin Kinney (D-Oxford), and Liz Mathis (D-Hiawatha) voting with Republicans.  Senate Education Committee Chair Amy Sinclair (R-Allerton) said education spending has increased faster than the rate of inflation—a total of $765 million over the past eight years.  Rep. Mary Mascher (D-Iowa City), a retired teacher, said the GOP is artificially inflating the number of teachers in the state, and including property tax relief as education spending.

The second funding bill, HF 307, passed with nearly unanimous support in both chambers.  The measure will add $19 million in spending for school districts with disproportionately high student transportation costs.  It will also appropriate $2.34 million to address other school equity issues.  All senators voted in favor of the bill.  In the House, it passed 99-1, with only Shipley voting against.  Governor Kim Reynolds announced she would sign both bills shortly.