~by Sen Jesse Green
January 29, 2021
Greetings central Iowa friends and neighbors! This week at the Capitol was very exciting. I finally had the opportunity to push the “YEA” button to let your voice be heard.
To keep building on the farm illustrations I’ve been using the past couple weeks, we are finally starting to ‘bale some hay’ here at the Capitol and get some bills passed. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be your voice on such fundamental issues, such as the 2nd Amendment, parental choice in education, and getting Iowa children back in school.
The 2nd Amendment bill passed out of the Senate and House this week. You, the voter, will be able to personally make your voice be heard in November of 2022. We are only one of a few states without 2nd Amendment language in our state Constitution. This language is long overdue. I am so honored that one of my first votes as your senator was on an issue as important as this – to protect your fundamental right as an American to bear arms.
We have learned so much through our Covid experience so far. One of those things that we have learned is that our students need to all have a 100 percent in-person learning option for their education. Not all schools in Iowa have an in-person option, and some students are falling behind. We cannot sit back and allow this to continue. This bill was on the top of our governor’s list of things that we needed to get done. This bill, SF 160, hit her desk Thursday night and she signed it on Friday.
“Parental Choice” in education was one of my top campaign issues. A bill the Senate just passed, SF 159, offers scholarships to K-12 students in federally failing schools, and will provide a way out for those that are trapped in these schools. There are 34 of these schools in Iowa. What puts a school in this category? A school that scores in the lowest 5 percent of Title 1 schools. This scoring is based on graduation rate, participation, proficiency, student growth, and conditions for learning. It is a surprise to many that some of these failing districts do not have an open enroll option as well due to their diversity plans. I am passionate about lowering class size, raising teacher pay, and improving the quality of our education in every way possible. This bill is part of the solution.
It appears the Senate may be able to vote on the Life Amendment that passed this week out of the House within a couple of weeks, possibly as soon as next week.
What a dream come true to be able to vote on these major issues so soon in this new role of mine as your senator. I am so humbled and honored to serve you in this capacity. It has truly been an amazing experience so far. Please reach out to me with any issues you are facing. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers. God bless you, and have a great week.
