♪♪ The 2024 Iowa legislative session is underway.

House Speaker Pat Grassley will join us from this perch in the Iowa House Chamber on this edition of Iowa Press.

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♪♪ For decades, Iowa Press has brought you political leaders and newsmakers from across Iowa and beyond.

Celebrating 50 years of broadcast excellence on statewide Iowa PBS, this is the Friday, January 12th edition of Iowa Press.

From the House Chamber in the Iowa Capitol, here is Kay Henderson.

♪♪ Henderson: Our guest is entering his 18th year in the Iowa House of Representatives.

House Speaker Pat Grassley has continued a tradition begun by your predecessor, Linda Upmeyer, having Iowa Press be a guest in the Iowa House of Representatives.

Thank you.

Grassley: We're happy to have you.

Henderson: And thanks for being here to discuss the issues that the 2024 legislature intends to address.

Joining me here at my side is Erin Murphy of the Gazette in Cedar Rapids.

Murphy: Mr. Speaker, yourself included, a lot of legislative leaders, Governor Reynolds have all addressed the recent fatal school shooting in Perry, Iowa during the opening week of this legislative session.

I'm wondering if you feel there is any role that the Iowa legislature will play in addressing school violence, school shootings whether it be gun safety or mental health care.

We've heard a lot of talk about that.

Is there a role for state lawmakers to play this year?

Grassley: Well, obviously it's a terrible tragedy that really has emphasized the need for the legislature to put that front and center as part of our policies that we're going to develop this session.

And I think you're going to see us considering several different issues.

I know some of the issues that have come up already within our caucus is looking at resource officers within school districts.

I think there's other conversations going on just looking at our facilities and making sure that they're meeting safety plans and that they are safe environments.

But I also think we want to continue to look at within the classroom when it comes to making sure that educators feel they have time to educate and making sure students feel safe and that they have the ability to learn within their classroom.

So, I think this is really, this is something we actually released earlier in December as part of what we want to talk about.

And with this terrible tragedy I think it even bring sit more to the forefront as it needs to be a very broad conversation.

Murphy: One of the presidential candidates who is making, as we have many of them making their way through Iowa, talked about added, bolstering school security in a way that would resemble airports.

Is that a feasible plan?

Grassley: Again, all of these plans are obviously what ability do you have to implement it all across the state with over 400 school districts?

What works for each individual school?

I think looking at some policies and being willing to put some resources into it, I think that is probably the biggest thing that the legislature has really taken an internal look on ourselves and say, this is going to take resources and investment from the state.

And so, what that looks like at this point I don't think has been fully laid out.

But we recognize this is something that it needs to be part of the forefront of the legislature this session.

Henderson: On Tuesday night in this chamber, Governor Reynolds delivered her Condition of the State Address and she outlined several proposals, one of which relates to schools.

She is calling for the beginning teacher salary that is set in state law, the minimum to be $50,000 and for teachers that have at least 12 years of experience, that they should earn at least $62,000 in terms of a yearly salary.

Are those figures that House republicans are embracing?

Grassley: Mm-hmm.

And I think obviously as you know, Kay, the legislation will develop through the plan.

But what I would say is this is part of why we have budgeted in the way we have over the last several years and for the House's sake since we took the majority over 10 years ago as we want to put ourselves in a position as we budget to be able to fund priorities that come up.

States are becoming more and more competitive all across the country in raising beginning teacher salaries.

And, like you said, the Governor's plan went even further.

But states are looking at this all across the country and we need to be able to be competitive.

And so, I see us being fully engaged in this conversation.

And thankfully we have put the state's budget in a position where we can have this conversation this session.

Henderson: $96 million is the price tag for that.

What are you hearing from rural school districts?

Grassley: Well, I think obviously we need to make sure -- and this has been a big driving component of whether I was the appropriations chair or before me, before I was Speaker, is making sure whatever we do, if we make a commitment, we need to make sure that we're standing behind that.

And so, as we engage with rural schools, obviously this is a recent proposal, but I think our members are looking forward to getting out there.

But just the conversation as we have been home throughout the fall, this is something that didn't just get released in the Governor's speech, this conversation has been going on, again, not just in Iowa.

And so, we have been hearing a lot of excitement and wanting to see what the proposal is and now that we have, I think it's time for the legislature to fully engage in that.

Murphy: One of the things we also heard from the Governor Tuesday night was her plan for Area Education Associations, which give support services to public schools.

Short description here, to change the way they're funded, gives schools a little more authority over where that funding goes.

It also calls on AEAs to focus their services just on mental health, I'm sorry special education services.

Speaking of Perry, one of the first things that happened there was the AEA coming in and offering some crisis counseling services.

Under the Governor's plan, that wouldn't be around anymore.

What are your thoughts about the Governor's plan and specifically that streamlining of services?

Grassley: Well, I think the first thing we all need to make sure, there's been a lot of information floating around the fall and into the session that maybe wasn't accurate about what the plan actually is.

Now, granted, that being said it's a plan that we just received recently, a pretty extensive proposal.

But that being said, what I understand about it, and I want to make sure is clear to Iowans, is the Governor wants to get the focus back on special education because that is what the intended use of AEAs were.

We're the only state that models it the way we do.

That being said, the Governor is not calling for eliminating money.

Right now, currently in the AEA system the money flows through the schools directly to the AEA.

The Governor mentioned several times accountability and giving school districts the ability to decide how to provide those services.

And I think like we touched on earlier when we talked about the school safety issue, I think every school district and every school building may have a different approach what is right for them.

And in the Governor's proposal it doesn't take away the dollars that were going to those services, it allows the school districts to keep those.

And that's significant dollars, we're not talking small dollar amounts.

And so, I just want to reassure Iowans that are listening, the goal is to strengthen our special education services, not to weaken those, continue to put the same resources, hopefully even it could lead to more resources into them and give local control to school districts to decide what mental health services, using that as an example, Erin, that is a place in which a school district could bolster their own mental health.

One of the things the Governor talked about that I think is a very interesting piece of the policy is school districts would be able to maybe consolidate some of their services with their neighboring districts, bring some of those services in house.

So again, what you've seen from the Governor, her proposals in education, and I think what you've seen us engage in, in the House over the last several years is a bold plan.

I think it has been too long since we've really looked at this as part of a proposal.

And I think this is a good session for us to really dig into this and make sure we're providing the services for special education students across the state.

Murphy: Just to drill down on that just a little bit, to that specific example.

There was a school district who felt their local AEA offered something beyond special education services that they felt was very valuable and was employed in a very critical situation of need.

If those kinds of services are eliminated from AEAs, and I'm sure there will be a debate over the breadth of services they offer, but there's one example of one the district clearly valued.

Grassley: But keep in mind though, if the school district is going to be able to keep their own money, they are going to be able to provide those services.

And not every school wants to be given the same level of service or the same kind of service.

I think you already have some school districts that are already trying to find ways to do more and more because it fits their local model of what's best for their community.

So, I think that is what this conversation is really going to be about is what can school districts do with those dollars to best serve them?

Again, maybe they want to recreate the same type of program working with a few neighboring schools that is a lot like it currently is.

There may be some that want to take it in house.

This is going to be a very broad conversation.

But at the end of the day, I don't think it's something that we should shy away from having because we're not seeing the level of results for our special education students that I think we should have.

And that needs to be -- the Governor is really trying to put the focus back on that.

And that's why I think the proposal is very bold.

Murphy: Would a plan like this impact rural schools differently?

Grassley: It just depends -- there's more of them obviously so I wouldn't say that it impacts them any differently other than give them the ability to keep their own money.

That's something that I'm sure not even all of Iowans or maybe potentially the entirety of the legislature even realize is the accountability -- I think the Governor mentioned that several times -- the accountability that exists right now with school districts, the money just flows through.

And I think being able to put that one more check into the system should lead to higher not only accountability but success rates, especially with our special education students.

Henderson: Near the end of the Governor's speech on Tuesday night she outlined a tax plan.

One of the components of that tax plan she wants to be effective retroactively on January 1st.

Does that I guess speed up the process of the legislature considering her plan and perhaps passing it?

Grassley: I mean, I think any time -- we want to try to give some clarity to Iowans obviously on tax policy.

As far as the timeline, I don't think that has been settled yet.

We still are trying to see.

And what I've talked to before session and you've continued to hear me say for several years is we want to make sure that the plan works long-term.

I think the Governor brought a plan that gives that immediate relief.

That has been floating around as something we've been talking about all fall and into the session.

It brings that immediate relief and goes further.

And again, in that conversation I think it's very, it's a very real plan that looks like it has a level of sustainability.

But again, we have to dig into what those numbers look like and I've said this several times, really when you look at income tax it's a math equation.

You have to figure out what kind of revenue you have coming in, the spending you have continuing to go on with the state government.

So, as we look into those numbers, I think you're going to see more and more conversations around it.

But the timeline, I don't know if I give you at this time.

Henderson: Does the math get more complicated about making it effective for the current tax year get horrible and you can't do it if you delay and make a decision until April?

Grassley: Well, I would say from the standpoint of on the state's budget right now we have roughly $2 billion in the ending balance.

We also have a taxpayer relief fund with over $3 billion.

So, when you're looking as a state over $5 billion, closer to $6 in revenues, we have the ability -- again back to what I've touched on earlier -- we have made those decisions so we can be nimble and be responsive to Iowans.

And I think part of the reason the Governor proposed bringing that up as quickly -- and it aligns a lot of what myself and Senator Whitver have been talking about, which is giving relief to Iowans as fast as possible.

Well, her proposal does that.

And so that is why I think there's going to be some just natural excitement around the conversation to try to give that relief to Iowans.

Henderson: Were you surprised that she didn't propose eliminating the income tax at some point?

She has talked about eliminating it by the end of her current term.

Grassley: Well again, I think that there is a continued mentality that exists amongst myself and House republicans that whatever we do we want to make sure it's sustainable.

I think this is just one more step towards that.

I think this is actually, this is the right way in which you're going to lower taxes is trying to make sure what you do is sustainable, stair stepping things in and just because there isn't a plan to want to go further, if the revenues continue to grow and we can continue to do more I think you'll see the legislature look at that.

But I don't think because you see a bill that is just introduced to eliminate it, that should be looked at as a negative.

We have continued to find places in which we can give relief through income tax.

And so, when it falls into that conversation, we feel really good this is just step to continue to provide relief for Iowans.

Murphy: We also heard this week here at the Iowa Capitol in the Iowa House from Chief Justice Susan Christensen of the Iowa Supreme Court and one of the things that she talked about was a request for a funding increase for the judicial department, a 4.3% increase and she talked about some of the needs why that is.

Is there room in House republicans' budget, and I know we're early in the session, those numbers will be crunched as we go along, but what does your gut tell you about that request?

Grassley: Yeah, and we, this isn't the first session that the Chief Justice has brought that up whether it's in her speech or just in our conversations with the judicial branch.

Last year we started down the path to try to -- we've been trying to look at more and more on salaries.

Indigent defense was another thing that the Chief Justice brought up that last year we started down the path to put more dollars into that, not only for salaries or into hourly pay, but also into travel costs.

And so, we've been trying to be creative and I think as we have meetings, once session goes on, there's going to be different proposals floated around to see what we can do to be creative because we do recognize that we want to do everything we can to make sure that you have the public defenders, that we can recruit the right type of people to be judges across the state.

So, I think that's something that, again, last year started that conversation and I see that continuing into this session.

Murphy: She also said something that I wanted to get your reaction to.

She was talking about supreme court decisions and the public's reactions to them and maybe even state lawmakers' reactions to them.

She said, when you talk to your constituents, even when you believe a judge is dead wrong, they are public servants and they are committed to the rule of law just like you are.

What was your reaction when you heard that?

There's been a lot of high-profile Supreme Court rulings in the last few years and obviously people react to those when those rulings come out.

What was your thoughts of the message the Chief Justice was trying to convey this week?

Grassley: Well, obviously we want to continue to be partners.

Again, I think she talked about the three legs on the stool, not three stools, that would be really confusing, the three legs on the stool.

But I think that is something that we need to continue to keep in mind.

And I think the perfect example would be we have shown, like I said we started down the path last session even with some very controversial conversations or rulings coming from the court, we still did try to start down the path of addressing those issues.

So, I don't think it has reached a point in which it has meshed over and crossed over into becoming a well, you ruled on this, now we're going to do this.

I don't see that being the case.

When it comes to rhetoric that you see online, those things obviously as legislators, I don't think you ever see myself or other leaders make comments like that.

That doesn't mean we agree on every decision.

But the point being, we still have to make sure we keep those separate branches of government.

So, I appreciate the Chief Justice saying that.

I just hope that Iowans see that we have continued to make investments to make sure we have the level of support that is needed.

Henderson: Let's move onto some health care issues.

Before the session started, you mentioned that House republicans issued some ideas that you wanted to pursue in 2024.

One of those was an investigation of whether companies that provide temporary staffing in Iowa's nursing homes are fleecing, essentially, Iowa nursing homes.

At the same time, you had a group that were asking the legislature to investigate nursing home abuses.

What sort of action does the House republican caucus intend to take when it comes to nursing homes?

Grassley: And this issue as far as the traveling or the agency pay issue that exists, I think it really ties in together with what in some cases you would look at as what is the number one priority when it comes to providing care.

It's make sure you have proper staffing levels and continuity of care and that is what we're going to look at -- I could go so far into the weeds that I would lose myself potentially -- but the real key point to take away from this is right now we pay for as a state roughly 50%, and especially at nursing homes, 50% of the bill through Medicaid.

And right now, we're seeing a situation where every time we put more money into the system, we're seeing these out of state companies continuing to skyrocket the rates and basically, not stealing, but what I would kind of call poaching away, the quality workforce that we have right now and then you lose that continuity of care.

So, I think the place we really need to start is to take bold action and make sure that we're providing that quality care within these facilities.

I think that is the biggest driver to avoid any instances that are being discussed.

When it comes to further actions, and Erin touched on this, as we go through session the budget conversations that will take place through the Department of Inspections and Appeals, whether it is looking at more inspectors, making sure that what they're inspecting are the right things, making sure that all of the violations that are happening are being pursued.

That is a conversation that will happen throughout the budget.

But that is why we're bringing a very bold policy that is something that has been discussed but I think it's something we need to take head on right now to make sure that whether it's accountability for the individuals in the homes or whether it's from the taxpayer, I think it's something we need to engage in.

Henderson: The Governor has again asked the legislature to make birth control more available to women in this state.

The Iowa Senate has embraced that policy.

It has always stalled in the House.

Will it stall again?

Grassley: Well, this is what I've been saying and been consistent in my message as the Speaker.

I'm only one vote, however, what I have been advocating to the caucus and I think since July when we came back in our special session to protect life, we feel very strong as that being the right policy that we wanted to see.

We passed that with, and I think the Governor mentioned it, with a very high success rate within our caucus.

And I think as republicans we need to look at this.

And the Governor has other proposals that she has.

We need to look at things like adoption, after birth situations like adoption, we need to look at some of the other proposals the Governor is bringing.

I think that over the counter needs to be part of what we're looking at within our caucus.

So, my advice to the caucus is these are things we need to engage in.

If we really believe in what we did in July to protect life, I think these conversations are the next step in that.

Murphy: Another example of I think what you're talking about there is the Governor's proposal to extend post-partum care for Medicaid recipients for up to a year.

We're already hearing though concerns from people who are glad that she is proposing that extension of time, but at the same time she contracted the eligibility level and made it smaller.

Do you have any concerns that that's a one step forward, two steps back?

Grassley: Well, the first thing that I would say, and again, as we see these proposals and we get more, dig more into the weeds on them probably would have more comment as session goes on, but one thing I think if we aren't the highest, we are one of the highest when it comes to the eligibility.

But I also know that we are really trying to provide that relief for the people that need it and I think, so the Governor by doing that I think it focuses the resources on the folks that are truly the ones that can't afford any options when it comes to the family leave.

And so, I understand why the Governor brought that proposal.

But again, as fresh as it is to this session, we'll want to see how that develops throughout the course of it.

Henderson: The Governor didn't mention this proposal in her remarks on Tuesday.

But last year her administration advanced a proposal that would set up this program to provide kind of hefty tax incentives to businesses that would plan a billion dollar or more facility in the state and then allow perhaps a foreign entity that might be involved in that prospect to own more farmland than is currently allowed under state law.

What are the prospects for that particular tax incentive package?

Grassley: Yeah, and I think that's going to be a conversation we have in this session.

We had it later in the session, kind of more ran into timing, and quite frankly I think the way it was rolled out I think it could have been done in a little bit different way.

The land ownership issue kind of got out in front of the issue before we even had the tax conversation itself.

My understanding is that the land ownership piece is going to continue to be looked at and revised as we have those conversations.

And I think within our caucus not only do we want to have that, but we also want to look at making sure investment is happening in rural Iowa.

I think we can have these conversations at the same time, not only large what we would call mega site investments, but I want to see those happening all across the state to benefit rural Iowa.

We've mentioned rural Iowa several times within this and we need to continue to promote growth within rural Iowa.

And if we're going to do programs like this, I think they have merit, but I also think we need to be looking at alternative options that would exist all across the state instead of more of a handful select group.

Murphy: You mentioned in your opening comments this week that the law that was passed last year that addresses content in schools, content with depictions of sex acts and requiring them to be removed from libraries, teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation prohibited through sixth grade, that law has been temporarily suspended in the courts.

And you have said that if that is going to be the case then maybe there's a need to revisit that law and pass something new or different in that sphere this session.

Do we know yet what that might look like, how you see fixing that?

And I mean, fixing that as in addressing -- Grassley: A new bill or something different.

I understand.

And what I would say is -- and you probably heard in my opening day comments a level of frustration with this because I really believe that what we were trying to do as House republicans was very clear.

And the frustration comes more from that I feel that this has not been implemented in the way it was expected to be.

We were very clear that age-appropriate material, and when you show these images, and I won't pull them out for you guys because I respect you, but when you show these images and Iowans see them and you go home and have these conversations, I can't understand -- because every conversation I have at home, Iowans agree with what we've done.

And so, I said that this week because as it works through the courts, and you guys know as long as I've been doing this, I hate to get too far out in front of what courts may or may not do, however, the legislature stands prepared to act because we want to protect children and that's what this really is, this conversation about.

I think it has been overcomplicated and I think the law that we drew was actually very clear and that is why we stand prepared and ready to act.

Murphy: So, you may pass something even if the court hasn't ruled in a final way?

Grassley: I would say potentially, yes.

Henderson: We've got just a couple of minutes left.

One of the proposals that House republicans made in December was tougher penalties for large groups who go into retail shops and businesses and steal goods.

That hasn't happened in Iowa.

Why do you think Iowa needs to respond?

Grassley: Well, the first thing I would say, Kay, is in government as everyone knows the old saying, I'm with the government, I'm here to help.

Far too often we are very reactive.

We're seeing more and more of what I'm calling smash and grab happening, not just on the coasts, I think we envision it in New York City and in California.

But that is happening closer and closer to the Midwest and that conversation is bigger than just a smash and grab type situation.

If you talk to retailers within Iowa, retail theft is becoming a bigger and bigger issue.

Since we have released this proposal, it has been very interesting to me the amount of groups and employers across the state that have actually wanted to engage in it.

And so, I think we've kind of found ourselves in a situation that this is happening more than we have really ever talked about and even realized.

So, I'm actually encouraged by the feedback that we've had.

We need to be proactive in this situation instead of reactive.

Henderson: We have 30 seconds left.

We're on the eve of the Iowa caucuses.

Would you like to endorse a candidate?

You have not done yet so far.

Grassley: No.

What I would like to do is encourage Iowans to participate because we're very thankful to be first in the nation and we want to continue that.

So, we need to go out and show up for the caucuses.

Murphy: You've had some divides in your caucus among who your members are endorsing.

Is there going to have to be some post-caucus healing in the Iowa House republican caucus?

Grassley: Listen, with what is going on at the federal level under President Biden, I see republicans all coming back together, supporting our candidate, working together to advance legislation and be successful in November.

Henderson: Speaker Grassley, thanks for joining us on this edition of Iowa Press.

Grassley: Thanks, guys.

Henderson: You may watch every episode of Iowa Press online at iowapbs.org.

For the hardworking Iowa Press crew, thanks for watching.

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