A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to watch the latest Pixar film, Hoppers, directed by Daniel Chong. While I’ve always been more of a fan of rival animation studio DreamWorks, Pixar still has quite a few films that I enjoy, and this was certainly one of them. more

I want to highlight a report by a nonpartisan organization called the Common Sense Institute.  Last week they officially released their report on Affordability in America.  Affordability varies drastically from state to state and I am happy to report that Iowa came in #1 in the entire country for affordability. In this week’s column I will describe the data and metrics that were used to come to the conclusion that Iowa is the most affordable state in the country to live and raise a family.  more

We, of the 82nd Indivisible, chose to start our rallies with a prayer and a moment of silence. In West Branch, it was the Quaker pastor Chris Humrichhouse who helped us bow our heads and Dick Paul did this for us in Tipton.  We believe in the separation of church and state, but we also recognize the need for a healing moment in the midst of chaos and division. more

I am a retired educator, a Wilton resident since the fall of 2021, and a volunteer with the Wilton football program. more

How many times have we heard someone advocate for something under the guise of “doing it for the children”? more

This week in the House of Representatives we addressed a really important issue: sustainability of our Medicaid program. (Do not confuse this with the federal Medicare program.)  Medicaid is by far the fastest growing part of the state's budget and policy to ensure its sustainability is necessary. more

House File 2652 was passed out of the Senate Education Committee with a unanimous vote. This bill states that if a school offers a  prekindergarten program or contracts for the operation of a prekindergarten program, they shall include at least 90 minutes of play-based learning during each half school day and at least 180 minutes of play-based learning during each full school day. more

The Cedar County Board of Supervisors has set the public hearing for their proposed budget on Tuesday, March 24th at 8:15am when most working people are… at work. This is NOT an accident. more

In 2009, my parents bought the Massachusetts dairy farm where I grew up. Leased it, really, for 30 years, and bought the five acres which held a farmhouse, barn, and field where they planted an orchard. more

This week we passed a piece of legislation reforming the Governor’s emergency powers.  This is a bill for which I have been an advocating for over five years.  The COVID-19 pandemic revealed just how easily a Governor can overreach.  I thought Governor Reynolds exercised restraint that other Governors did not, but you did see vast overreach in states like California, Illinois, and Minnesota.  People’s constitutional rights were impeded.  This bill ensures that this will never happen in Iowa regardless of whether a Democrat or Republican is in charge.  A Governor’s powers, regardless of party, are NOT absolute and cannot be used to suspend the fundamental rights of Iowans. more

Democrats knew when Iowa DNR Director Kayla Lyons was appointed by Governor Reynolds in 2024, that she was Kim’s willing puppet, a dairy farm lobbyist who would do as she was told.  She fought the Biden era US EPA addition of seven iowa river segments to the impaired list saying that the standards were too high, that local water plants could make the water safe for consumption regardless of the nitrate levels and that there was no proof that the waters were impaired even though—as Kami Koons reported in her January 2025 article for Iowa Capital Dispatch—the EPA was using data that the DNR themselves provided and from the Des Moines Waterworks data which was public record. These segments include parts of the Cedar, Iowa, Des Moines and Raccoon rivers. more

Every Iowan deserves clean, safe drinking water. That’s not negotiable. It’s fundamental to our health, our communities, and our quality of life. As Secretary of Agriculture, protecting our natural resources while keeping Iowa agriculture strong has been one of my top priorities. Those goals are not conflicting – they go hand in hand. more

Every Iowan, every human, needs water to survive. Whether to drink, to grow plants, to fish, swim, kayak, and paddle, or to uplift amazing local breweries, wineries, and cideries, the water we access simply must be healthy and plentiful for us to have a future. more

In a whirlwind of final subcommittees and two committee meetings each for most of the Senate committees this week, we saw a lot of important proposals moving through the Senate. more

This week, we learned the tragic news that two Iowans were killed in action in Kuwait on March 1. Major Jeffrey O’Brien of Waukee and Sergeant Declan Coady of West Des Moines made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country and protecting our freedoms. Our hearts go out to their families, friends, and loved ones as they face this unimaginable loss. The men and women who serve in our armed forces represent the very best of our nation, and their courage and dedication remind us of the true meaning of service. The Senate stands in support of Major O’Brien, Sergeant Coady, and all Iowa service members during this difficult time. We are forever grateful for their commitment to our state and our country. more

Don’t want to talk about child abuse? That’s fine, unless you are the Chair of the Senate Government Oversight Committee in the Iowa Legislature. This week Senator Bisignano asked Senator Gruenhagen to explain why the Child Welfare Task Force has not met for two years. Bisignano had submitted a formal request for this information 90 days ago. more

We had a great week and some solid bills voted out of the Iowa House. Thanks to everyone for your feedback. more

When I was growing up, my family ate dinner together near every night. My parents had left their first careers to restart a defunct dairy farm. Now we had our own meat, milk, eggs and vegetables, and we were going to eat them as a family. Those dinners ensured that I saw both of my parents every day; that our family was not an arbitrary or accidental group; that it was a living, working thing no less full of love for the demands of life. more

This week we began debating the bills that made it out of a policy committee and still have a chance of becoming law.  I will highlight a few pieces of legislation: more

Last week marked the seventh week of the legislative session, and much of our time was spent debating bills that advanced during the previous week’s first legislative deadline. On Monday, we unanimously passed SF 2219, requiring school districts to grant excused absences for students participating in activities or projects sponsored by 4-H or FFA. Schools must also allow students to make up any missed work. With National FFA Week being celebrated across the country, this bill ensures students can take part in these valuable leadership and agricultural programs without falling behind academically. more