Columns

I was prepared. I was prepared to talk about how school safety had prevailed. I was prepared to talk about how a gun was used to save lives. I was prepared to talk about how a trained officer prevented tragedy without losing a single life — not even the attacker's. I was prepared to say we were getting somewhere...

The 2018 session of the 87th General Assembly adjourned for the year last Saturday May 5, after completing the people’s business. The historic 2018 session was successful in addressing the needs of Iowans. This session will be remembered for its pragmatic, common sense solutions to Iowa’s most pressing challenges. We continued to make our K-12 schools a top priority, addressed many of the health care issues that Iowans face, and passed measures to keep Iowans safe and protect their fundamental rights. . ...

The governor's office is taking applications for persons to serve on boards and commissions. These groups are responsible for advising the governor and lieutenant governor, the legislature and state agencies.  There are more than 180 appointed positions to boards and commissions in our state. Appointments are made to most boards and commissions annually. All applications are kept on file as public information. Check out openup.iowa.gov for current vacancies. ...

If anyone on Facebook offers you money — even a friend or a well-known person such as Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller — stop and check it out. Impostor scams proliferate on social media and prey on our trust. The prevalence of digital photographs and logos online makes it easy for scammers to steal images and create social media accounts that appear to be owned and operated by companies, agencies, celebrities or public officials. ...

The first Memorial Day observances were spontaneous expressions of gratitude and remembrance from Civil War veterans for their fallen friends, organized by veterans groups in local communities. It was recognized as an official holiday after it became an honored tradition, one that remains today. Memorial Day is a time for families and communities to gather together in remembrance of those who gave their lives for our country...

The 2018 session of the 87th General Assembly adjourned for the year last Saturday May 5, after completing the people’s business. The historic 2018 session was successful in addressing the needs of Iowans. This session will be remembered for its pragmatic, common sense solutions to Iowa’s most pressing challenges. ...

There was a little regional hubbub the other week when the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture announced 10 of the state's newest urban conservation water quality demonstration projects. That's a heck of a state title. Anyway, the state is giving just over $789,000 in total for the projects and the cities themselves are pitching in more than $3 million altogether. ...

The 87th General Assembly adjourned sine die on May 5.   When the session started, it was made clear the people expected a bold agenda and they expected results.  Some of the biggest legislative accomplishments this session include:  • Senate File 2417 modernizes Iowa's outdated tax code...

I voted no on the justice systems budget. My vote was not a reflection of the requirement for the state fire marshall's office to hire an administrator, preventing drones from going over prisons, funding for victims assistance grants or funding for legal service poverty grants...

(As the past weekend approached) we are almost done for the year in Des Moines and have just a few more days to perfect bills and complete the year on a good note. Four years ago, when I decided to run for the Statehouse, I had some specific things that I wanted to accomplish. One of those items was meaningful tax reform. ...

In the 1980s, with our nation facing an influx of drug crimes, Congress passed into law stiff penalties targeting all levels of offenders. The goal was to deter crime through harsh sentences. While well-intentioned, these policies came with a cost. Over time, prisons began to fill up with offenders of all stripes. ...

Well I, for one, have enjoyed the spring weather this week. A week without snow or wintery weather from the winter that won't quit is certainly welcome. As we look toward closing this year's legislative session, we can say that we have had a productive year. We were able to pass many bi-partisan bills that were signed into law by Governor Reynolds. Bills of note include a mental health overhaul, school safety measures, curbing opioid abuse and addiction, water quality, pesticides in the lake, additional school funding and dollars for transportation cost relief, job training and workforce development initiatives and others. ...

Earlier this week, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an executive order to create a Children's System State Board. This Children's Board will serve as the single point of responsibility in the development and implementation of a Children's Mental Health System in Iowa...

It's no secret that opioid abuse has become a major problem in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that two-thirds of drug overdose deaths between 2015 and 2016 were opioid-involved overdoses. Here in Iowa, the state's Department of Public Health reports that more than 200 Iowans died from opioid misuse in 2017. ...

Some of this is going to sound familiar. Please forgive that — the midterm elections are creeping up on us, including the primary elections in June. We run plenty of updates from your state and federal lawmakers so you're up-to-date with everything in Des Moines and Washington, D.C...

The nation paused to mourn the death of first lady Barbara Bush. Well, not everybody. A certain English professor at California State University - Fresno (or Fresno State University, depending who you ask) made some remarks about Mrs. Bush which caught fire in the public arena. They have even led some sponsors of the university to consider pulling their funding, according to the Fresno Bee. Of course, not all of them plan to, but enough to spark a discussion...

Several people have contacted me and asked, "Where is my tax refund?"  Great question. The first stop to tracking down your refund is to go to the Department of Revenue's website. I reached out to the Department of Revenue for an explanation of the delay. ...

I would like to finish our discussion on the Bill of Rights and then look at how our State Constitution “meshes” with the U. S. Constitution. The 9th and 10th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution protect individual rights and state rights that are not explicitly spelled out in the U.S. Constitution. ...

Would you believe it is less than 100 days until the third annual Okoboji Blue Water Festival? Seems like a lot, but I guarantee you it will be here before we know it. Just wanted to give a tip of the hat to chief organizer Greg Drees and his band of hardworking volunteers. The first two festivals were awesome, but I have a feeling this third one could top them both...

Q: Why is China targeting U.S. farm goods with double digit tariff proposals?   A: China is responding to proposed tariffs announced by the U.S. to rein in intellectual property violations. Anti-competitive, discriminatory Chinese policies put pressure on American companies to transfer their technology and accept unfair licensing agreements, for example. ...

You will not want to miss this year's Dickinson County Trails benefit. The Boots & Boogie Bike Bash II will be Saturday, June 30 at the new Arnolds Park Pavilion. The event will feature live music by Georgia Clay and will benefit local trail projects including the Highway 71 PLAC Trail and signing improvements. For sponsorship opportunities please contact us at dctrails@co.dickinson.ia.us...

We often think of growth as the process of keeping knowledge and experience preserved under glass somewhere inside our being. I think we all do it from time to time because we view knowledge and experience as a finite mound to be finished through consumption, when perhaps it's more like trying to drink a waterfall. It just keeps coming and every drop is different than the last...

Thank you to those of you who responded to last week's request for tax reform ideas, concepts and opinions. It is always great to hear from folks back home. While the House, Senate and Governor's office still have differing tax plans, one thing many people can agree upon is that Iowa's tax code is outdated, overly complex and boasts some of the highest income tax rates in the entire country...

I would like to continue our discussion about the Bill of Rights that I started last week.  Below you will find the third through the sixth amendments to the constitution.  Amendment III No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law...

Q: Why is China targeting U.S. farm goods with double digit tariff proposals?   A: China is responding to proposed tariffs announced by the U.S. to rein in intellectual property violations. Anti-competitive, discriminatory Chinese policies put pressure on American companies to transfer their technology and accept unfair licensing agreements, for example. ...

I promise, next week I will find something unrelated to gun violence to write about. But, I would no doubt be remiss if I didn't talk about the latest shooting to plague the American public after I spent last week's column discussing aspects of the Parkland protests. ...

Apologies to Walter Cronkite: This is the way it is today, April 5, 2018. The Iowa House has adjourned for the day, the week, but not the year. Meanwhile, the Iowa Senate will dispense of a half-dozen non-controversial bills, its members traveling back to their home districts for family, church, various activities and the possibility of snow Sunday...

Iowa's tax code is outdated, overly complex and has some of the highest income tax rates in the entire country. Due to tax reform at the national level, Iowans will pay $1.8 billion less in federal taxes in tax year 2018. However, due to the fact that Iowa has federal deductibility, Iowans will pay additional state taxes totaling $107 million in tax year 2018 and grow to $153 million in tax year 2019...

Throughout my time in the Iowa Legislature, I have noticed a trend occurring where people are willing to give up their freedoms. People either do not realize the importance of our rights, or they are simply taking those rights for granted. Because of that, I would like to discuss the First and Second Rights in the Bill of Rights of our U.S. Constitution in this newsletter...

Spring can bring a fresh crop of sketchy contractors, scams and other home-improvement problems. Home-improvement troubles topped the list of complaints consumers filed with the Consumer Protection Division in 2017. Out of 2,961 written complaints filed in 2017, 224 related to home improvements.You can avoid being one of the statistics by finding a good contractor...

Many parents across America are trying to live the dream through their sons and daughters. It's a popular dream: Land a college athletic scholarship by prioritizing traveling sports teams or specializing in a single sport year-round. Unfortunately, most of these dreams are never realized. The odds of a sports scholarship paying for even a portion of a student's college education are miniscule...

Q: Why did you call a congressional hearing to examine data privacy? A: Social media has reinvented the way Americans share and digest news and information. As an early adopter of Twitter, for example, I embraced its efficiency to communicate a message, unfiltered, to a broad audience. ...

Iowans have had many questions about the new medical cannabidiol program, so I have included a few answers to some common questions below. For additional information, please visit the Iowa Department of Public Health's website. WHO QUALIFIES FOR MEDIAL CANNABIDIOL?...

Keep eating the same thing and it will nauseate you. I'm getting sick of it, but Parkland's in the spotlight again after the march. You may ask why I bring it up, if I'm so tired of it — and, admittedly I'm mostly tired of the uninformed attacks against it — but it's because one of our local politicians has connected northwest Iowa to the issue. ...

It feels like I should be whittling something out of an old hickory switch and flicking a thinly structured rocking chair back and forth on my heels when I say it but … (throat clearing noises) In my day, Facebook was used for one thing and one thing only — communication. There were no games on Facebook. You could only post text and you got one picture to let people know what you actually looked like...

The weather certainly has not been favorable for getting out on the trails so fair this spring. Eventually the season will turn in our favor and make us all want to explore the trails and enjoy warmer temperatures again. Caution is emphasized as you hit the trails early in the year; with snow comes sand, gravel and tree debris that gets deposited on the trails. ...

Over the past year, Congress and President Trump have taken a hard line on repealing burdensome regulations across all sectors in order to give long-overdue relief to hard-working Americans and put the economy back on track after nearly a decade of malaise...

This has been a week of important bills and a lot of floor debate. In addition, I was pleased to host the Spirit Lake High School seniors to the Capitol. It is always one of my favorite days of the legislative year because they are our future and are so engaged. ...

On Wednesday, March 21, we passed a bill targeted at decreasing health insurance costs.  An amendment to SF 2349 allows certain organizations to collaborate with insurance providers to provide "health benefit plans" that are not subject to insurance regulations. ...

Mexico and South Korea are racing for American beef and pork. In 2017 alone, the U.S. shattered records with beef exports hitting $7.27 billion and pork exports reaching $6.49 billion according to the U.S. Meat Export Federation. For my home state of Iowa, one of the largest producers in the United States of both, this trend is keeping Iowans employed and the rural economy strong...

Every story has two sides. And sometimes three, four or more sides. Here’s my side: Unknowingly, I walked into a trap when I joined two state representative at a Feb. 17 town hall meeting in Okoboji. Fools rush in, don’t you know. I took the bait. I was not altogether surprised when the hook was set again March 10. But this time the subterfuge lurked in the shadows of a town hall in Spencer. I wasn’t going to rush in this time...

I often hear concerns about our workforce from employers. Iowa's current unemployment rate of 2.9 percent is at its lowest point in 17 years and continues to remain well below the national average. Even with nearly-full employment, Iowa employers still have 50,000 job openings...

What a week it was, with our second funnel week being here and nearly gone. This week we concentrated mostly on getting bills out of committee so they remain eligible for floor debate in the House. Two bills, of note, that I am proud of for different reasons are the traffic camera bill and Future Ready Iowa. ...

By now, you have heard about the state's No. 1 ranking in the nation, given by the US News & World Report. What a great honor to have been named by this prestigious organization as the top-ranked state in the nation. As soon as the ranking was released, I started hearing negativity from those who oppose the direction that our state is moving...

HF 2442 takes a proactive approach to reducing and catching concussions. Dr. Rick Wilkerson came to me a few years ago about a concussion bill. I am proud to say after many years of conversations, amendments and bill drafts, we were able to get a bi-partisan bill built...

It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and, as I move on to the next chapter, I want to express my deep appreciation for you entrusting this position to me for the past 11 years. Serving in this role has deepened and expanded my passion for our state’s unmatched agriculture industry...

With so many Iowans and people across the country victimized by massive data breaches over the past few years, it’s possible that many will also be targeted by identity thieves and become victims of tax-related identity theft. Keep in mind, however, that not all data breach victims become identity theft or tax-related identity theft victims...

On March 1, 1777, a great partnership became official. It was announced that Alexander Hamilton would serve as an aide-de-camp to General George Washington. The partnership defined the early Republic and committed our nation to great renewals of freedom throughout history...

We have had a very busy week at the Iowa House. We have had floor debate nearly every day this week and went until late in the night several times. I was able to floor manage the second water quality bill through the Iowa House this week and a bill that puts restrictions on chemical use in our drinking water lakes. ...

Earlier this week, Governor Reynolds came out suggesting we need a holistic approach to violence. We all have a role to play. I agree with her. This week, the Iowa House took one step in addressing that holistic approach by passing two bills related to mental health...