The session is moving quickly! Funnel week is almost here, so the amount of subcommittee meetings is growing rapidly. Debate has also begun on the house floor. I have shared some of the bills representatives are working on below. As always, I appreciate hearing from everyone and will continue to work hard for all of you.
Healthcare Preauthorization
House File 303 is a bill I worked on last year that died in the Senate and is one of many bills in the Iowa House this session aimed at improving access to quality healthcare in Iowa. It does this by addressing prior authorization. Prior authorization is a practice that requires insurance companies to approve a medical procedure or medication before it can be given to the patient. The goal of this practice is to control costs, but it can often result in patient care delays and increased medical overhead cost for the providers. This bill will speed up Iowans’ access to the care they need and lower the administrative burden on health care providers, allowing them to spend more time with patients.
Education for Veteran’s and their Families
House File 175 requires Iowa’s community colleges and regent universities to provide in-state tuition for veterans, their spouses, and their children. This would include the surviving spouse and children of a deceased veteran. This bill expands what is in current law to include the survivors of deceased veterans and to allow it to apply to any veteran in the country, not just those who have resided in Iowa for more than a year. This helps many veterans who have moved around often because of their service. The goal is to pass legislation that recognizes the sacrifices made by those who have served our country and their families by providing additional support to better their lives.
Increasing Penalties for Grooming
Last session, Iowa House Republicans led the effort to define Grooming in Iowa code and made it a Class D felony. Grooming is when someone, whether in person or using technology, takes action to lure a child to commit an illegal sex act. Before this definition in code, many entities had a hard time charging someone until after an assault had been committed. This change allows entities, such as a school, the ability to hold someone accountable for committing this disturbing offense before a child is assaulted. This bill builds upon that legislation by requiring anyone convicted of grooming to be added to the sex offender list for 10 years. This additional monitoring of individuals who have been convicted of this predatory behavior may help prevent additional abuse.
