This week at the capitol, legislators took major steps to defunding Planned Parenthood. On Thursday, February 2, the Iowa Senate debated regarding SF 2 “An Act relating to the establishment of a state family planning services program, and including effective date provisions.”

Planned Parenthood:

On the question “Shall the bill pass?” (S.F. 2), the vote was: Yeas, 30 – Nays, 20. With a party line vote (including the one Independent that leans Republican) the bill was passed with a 10 vote margin. SF2 will now go to the House of Representatives to be debated and voted on. 

Health Insurance for Legislators:

An issue that has come up this week from a Des Moines Register article is that state employees and legislators pay too little for their health insurance. House Republicans responded to that claim saying they have voted at least six times in the last few years to require state employees (including legislators) to pay more for their health insurance. Efforts have been blocked by Democrats on the other side. It is unknown whether a vote on the issue will come up this year or not.

FY17 Budget:

Both the House and Senate have completed the realignment processes and it will now be sent to the Governor. The ending dollar amount was around $117 million dollars (less than 1% of the total budget). K-12 funding was not touched in those reductions.