A Democratic leader in the Iowa Legislature says she’s disappointed with the lack of bills that would lower costs for Iowans advancing past “funnel week,” a cutoff for legislation to make it through committee.
House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, says she’s also frustrated with Republican proposals she says would provide immunity for pesticide companies, restrict vaccines and require physicians to share inaccurate claims about medication abortion reversals.
Konfrst says GOP priorities are answering to special interests and to not what Iowans want.
“For the party of ‘small government,’ the Republicans sure do think a lot of great ideas come out of Des Moines, and are sure interested in taking over the decisions that we make about vaccines, about education, about how we live our lives, about who gets civil rights — who doesn't.”
Konfrst says lawmakers need to consult cities and counties when developing the upcoming property tax relief bill.
She says Democrats have pushed legislation to make housing, health care and child care more affordable, but the bills failed to advance.