The summer seems to be flying by. Before we know it, we’ll be heading to the Iowa State Fair and shopping for school supplies. With the second half of 2021 underway, a slate of new bills have taken effect and the previous fiscal year has come to a close. I find myself taking the time to do a mid-year check-in and assess where we are as a state and our progress as a state legislature.
As I touched on last week, the state’s revenue numbers for Fiscal Year 2021 were strong. The increases we saw in all three revenue categories reinforce that our state is on the right track. And, this week also brought more good news. Iowa set a record for new businesses registered during Fiscal Year 2021. There is much to be proud of when you look at our state’s economy, especially when you compare it with states struggling to recover from enduring excessive lockdowns and the hamstringing of businesses.
It’s important to note our state would not be in such a strong position if it weren’t for the strong leadership shown by Governor Reynolds and the support from Republicans in the Iowa Legislature. Nobody had a perfect playbook for how to lead during this pandemic, but our Governor worked hard to protect both the health of our people and the health of our economy. The Iowa Legislature stepped up to help on both fronts, from ensuring businesses were protected from frivolous lawsuits, getting kids back in school, expanding access to child care, and increasing access to vaccinations.
July 1st began the implementation of many of the bills we passed this session. Taking a look at the list, I was reminded of how historically successful this session really was, all thanks to you and people like you all across the state.
Your participation in state government is what moves this state in the right direction. Without hearing from you, we never would have made progress on protecting free speech on college campuses, supporting local meat processors, prohibiting the indoctrination of our students, cracking down on agricultural trespassing, ensuring our law enforcement has the most up-to-date equipment and so much more.
Remember, you set the agenda for the Iowa House of Representatives. We take action on the issues we hear about from you. The summer and fall are full of opportunities to see your citizen legislators out and about in your community at various parades, fairs, etc. Please don’t hesitate to approach us and tell us what’s on your mind.
And of course, at any time, you can send me an email or give me a call to let me know what you’d like to see from the Iowa House. Your input is what keeps our state moving forward.
