After resuming for ten days, the 2020 Iowa Legislative Session ended Sunday at the state capitol in Des Moines.
Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver of Ankeny says unprecedented is the best word to describe the session.
OC…….a productive session.” :06
He says the legislature’s big policy pieces were dictated by the times:
OC………really, really important.” :20
The Republican-led legislature voted to cut the state budget for conducting elections by a quarter of a million dollars and to force the state’s top election official to get permission from legislative leaders if he intends to send absentee ballot request forms to voters.
The G-O-P has also voted to create new voter verification steps for casting an absentee ballot.
House Democratic Leader Todd Prichard and all the Democrats in the legislature opposed the election-related moves.
OC…….democracy than elections?”:10
Democrats also opposed a bill G-O-P lawmakers sent the governor to establish a 24-hour waiting period for abortions.
Republican Gary Mohr of Bettendorf — chairman of the House Appropriations Committee — says while other states are dealing with massive deficits, Iowa lawmakers shaved about 360 million dollars from next year’s state budget plan without using any of the state’s emergency and cash reserves.
OC……..health care system.” :10
Democrats like Representative Chris Hall of Sioux City say Republican legislators are giving Governor Kim Reynolds too much leeway to spend federal money and adjust the state budget plan in the midst of the pandemic.
OC………..this legislature’s punting.” :10
A move to automatically restore voting rights to released felons stalled in the final hours of the 2020 legislative session.
