Legislative update from Senator Amanda Ragan

From Senator Amanda Ragan –

The 2016 legislative session wrapped up April 29. It was a tight budget year, but as always, we balanced the state budget responsibly. Iowa will end the fiscal year with a $75 million surplus and $700 million in our reserve funds.

Some of our biggest accomplishments include:

Safeguarding the interests of Medicaid recipients with oversight of the Governor’s new privatized Medicaid program in Iowa.
Improving K-12 student achievement through investments in early reading initiatives and quality teaching.
Investing more in apprenticeships and job training so that workers get the skills they need to fill immediate openings at local businesses.
Providing more funding for our state universities and community colleges, and for grants to help students attend Iowa’s private colleges.
Boosting Iowa agriculture and renewable energy by promoting solar, wind, geothermal and biofuels, as well as turning byproducts from biomass into higher-value products.
Spurring Iowa’s tourism economy and quality of life with investments in the environment, recreation, arts, culture and history.
Strengthening public safety with more help for victims and enhanced emergency communication systems so that first responders and law enforcement can communicate with each other.
Tax cuts and other incentives to help small businesses, farmers, teachers and college students.

Because we have a split Legislature—with Democrats controlling the Senate and Republicans in charge of the House—all bills that made it to the Governor’s desk required bipartisan support. Though we’d hoped to accomplish more, we chose compromise over gridlock.

I am hopeful that with your input and help, we’ll make more progress in 2017 on priorities to expand Iowa’s middle class and make our state an even better place to live, work and raise a family.

This is a legislative column by Senator Amanda Ragan, representing Franklin, Butler and Cerro Gordo counties. For newsletters, photos and further information, go to www.senate.iowa.gov/senator/ragan.

To contact Senator Ragan during the week, call the Senate Switchboard at 515-281-3371. Otherwise she can be reached at home at 641-424-0874. E-mail her at amanda.ragan@legis.iowa.gov.

Senator Ragan is an Assistant Senate Majority Leader, chair of the Health & Human Services Budget Subcommittee, vice-chair of the Agriculture Committee and vice-chair of the Human Resources Committee. She also serves on the Appropriations, Natural Resources & Environment, Rules & Administration and Veterans Affairs committees.