Excerpts from North Scott Community Schools superintendent Joe Stutting’s school year-end report to the district board of directors. more

Gov. Kim Reynolds convened the General Assembly of Iowa on July 11 for the sole purpose of enacting legislation that addresses abortion and protects unborn lives. The bill that was passed was the same bill that was passed by the legislature in 2018. more

Eldridge council members heard actual usage statistics when Scott County Library board president Kristal Koberg Schaefer attended the June 19 meeting. At the time, council member Bruce Cheek suggested the Scott County Library System was presenting misinformation. more

Reps. Randy Feenstra, and Mariannette Miller Meeks joined Sen. Joni Ernst for the annual congressional baseball game, June 14 at Nationals Park. more

I believe veterans are overlooked as part of our modern society. Our veterans are living examples of the American spirit. They display courage, determination, and the rugged individualism we all strive to achieve in our lives. more

On May 26, 2023, the Eldridge Police Department hosted its Inaugural K9 Golf Outing to raise money for our K9 Program. We would like to thank Hidden Hills Golf Course for hosting our golf event and for their great hospitality. We’d like to Thank Mission BBQ for providing the food and we would like to say THANK YOU to all of the sponsors and golf teams that participated in our golf event and for all of their support along with all of those who volunteered to assist us in making the event a success. more

Over the last several years, I have had the pleasure of watching the evolution of The Scott County Youth Justice & Rehabilitation Center, which has been a true testament of what authentic youth and family engagement should look like. more

I don’t believe California Prop 12, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last week, specifically speaks to hogs raised in Iowa. If I am wrong, I welcome the correction. more

For the 20th time since 1933, Congress is writing a multiyear farm bill that will shape what kind of food U.S. farmers grow, how they raise it and how it gets to consumers. These measures are large, complex and expensive: The next farm bill is projected to cost taxpayers $1.5 trillion over 10 years. more

We heard from Republican lawmakers that the recently completed legislative session was “historic.” It sure was — historically small. more

The 2023 legislative session ended last week after some long days debating bills and finishing up budgets. We have allocated $8.517 billion for the next budget year, spending only 88.25 percent of ongoing revenue. Responsible budgets have been a key principle since Republicans took the majority in 2017, and have allowed us to fund important priorities, like an extra $107 million to K-12 schools this year. more

May 4 was the final day of the 2023 session. Much of last week was taken up with debate over the $8.517 billion budget. During debate on the largest budget bill, Democrats claimed funding for Area Education Associations was being cut. more

Led by House Republicans, the Legislature has acted on significant measures this session empowering parents while making clear where the lines of control exist when it comes to parental responsibility and school districts' responsibility. more

There was no floor action in the Iowa House last week as the budget subcommittee chairs focused on negotiating the details of the state budget with their counterparts in the Senate. more

When I was 8, I asked for my parents’ permission to compete in the Little Miss category of the Miss Iowa Scholarship Organization. They agreed despite their confusion at my interest, as I was an incredibly bashful child. At the time, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I remember being scared to death and practically running off the stage for almost every phase of competition. As you can imagine, I did not walk away with the title. more

2023 will be in the top 15 for driest years according to the state’s 151 years of records. Despite ongoing record drought – we’ll end the year with 182 consecutive weeks of at least moderate (D1) drought somewhere in the state - Iowa farmers harvested yet another strong, better-than-expected crop. It’s a testament to timely rains throughout the growing season and constant innovation in genetics, traits, technology, practices, and much more. more

One of the topics we have been hearing a lot about is area education agencies (AEAs). I appreciate all the messages I have been getting from my constituents, teachers, administrators, and parents/grandparents on this issue that demonstrate a strong commitment to our kids. more

In December, the state collected $30,707,971 in casino gaming taxes. This is an increase of $2.3 million from what the state collected in December 2022. December is the first month in Fiscal Year 2024 when casino gaming tax revenue outpaced the previous year. Even with December’s growth, gaming tax collections continue to lag behind FY 2023’s receipts. For the first half of Fiscal Year 2024, the state has received $162.8 million in casino gaming taxes. This is a decline of $4.2 million over the same time period in Fiscal Year 2023. more

The Iowa Legislature had a busy second week of the session. This week was the deadline for senators and representatives to request individual bills and joint resolution drafts from the Legislative Services Agency. The LSA also provided the Overview of Budget Recommendations for the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, which I chair. more

We are all very focused on common-sense policies to help move our state forward and looking at more income tax cuts to help Iowa working families and small businesses. more