Resuming Session Amid Pandemic And Protests

By John Pemble

Published June 6, 2020 at 7:31 PM CDT

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Rep. Ross Wilburn, D-Ames, is one of five African American representatives in the Iowa Legislature. These five legislators stand on steps of the Capitol with other supportive representatives and senators to present the proposal “More Perfect Union.”";s:

While the session was suspended for 12 weeks, 564 Iowans died from COVID-19 complications. Before returning, the legislative council met to discuss how to come back to the Capitol with new health and safety measures. The Revenue Estimating Conference also met to provide the legislature with a new number on which to base the FY 2021 budget. A legislative proposal, “More Perfect Union” is aimed at preventing violent conflicts between law enforcement and Iowa residents. And a constitutional amendment to restore the voting rights of felons moves forward in the Senate.