Greetings from the Statehouse

By Michael Bergan

The 89th General Assembly convened at the Capitol on Monday, Jan. 11.  The members took the oath of office and have begun their duties. Joint conventions of the House and Senate were convened to receive Governor Kim Reynolds, Chief Justice Susan Christensen and Major General Corell of the Iowa National Guard.

The 89th General Assembly convened at the Capitol on Monday, Jan. 11.  The members took the oath of office and have begun their duties. Joint conventions of the House and Senate were convened to receive Governor Kim Reynolds, Chief Justice Susan Christensen and Major General Corell of the Iowa National Guard.
Governor Reynolds shared the Condition of the State address, recapping the challenges faced during 2020 and offering her plan to move forward. The Governor commended the tenacity, resourcefulness, dedication and compassion of Iowans as they have come together to address a pandemic, flooding, drought and a derecho. Iowans have shown resilience in the face of adversity. Our diverse economy has provided strength, along with efforts to keep over 80% of our workforce actively employed through the pandemic response.
The state budget is in a strong financial position and we are ready to move forward, not just a return to normal, but to be bolder to build a better Iowa. Governor Reynolds identified some of her priorities in universal broadband, child care, Future Ready Iowa, housing and racial justice. She also identified spending priorities in education, emergency medical services, mental health and telehealth.
The legislature will review the priorities in the coming weeks, matching and contrasting those with our collective priorities as we pass legislation. We are taking precautions to mitigate concerns about COVID-19 while maintaining transparency and continuing to do our jobs on behalf of the people of Iowa.
I welcome communication with constituents. I can be reached by email at michael.bergan@legis.iowa.gov.

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