Putting people over politics

When I was first elected almost four years ago, I walked into the Statehouse and vowed that I would always keep my eye on what is important and that is serving the PEOPLE of Iowa.
I’ll be the first to admit I’ve made some mistakes along the way. In today’s political climate where anger and hate crowd out common sense on nearly every issue we face, it just leads to more division within our families, neighborhoods, and communities. It’s easy to get caught in the politics of the moment and lose sight of the people we are sent here to serve.
Iowans of all ages and parties tell me every single day that they are fed up with politicians and just exhausted by the endless controversy and politics as usual. It’s a daily reminder for me to stay focused on people, not politics.
Last session, we passed some good bills that should make a difference in the lives of Iowans. Of the 150 new laws that were passed, 120 of them went into effect on July 1. A number of those were bi-partisan bills and here are just a few of the highlights:
• Lowering prescription drug costs and price gouging (HF 2384)
• Expanding recreational opportunities for veterans (SF 581) (SF 2383)
• Improving Iowa’s mental health and healthcare worker shortage (SF 2383) (HF 2549) (HF 2165)
• Boosting Iowa grown businesses (HF 2581) (HF 2470)
• Increased Radon mitigation efforts required in public schools (HF 2412)
• New high-quality services that support for deaf and hard-of-hearing children (HF 604)
• Expanded protections for elder abuse (SF 522)
• Allowing ATV and UTV on some county and primary roads (HF 2130)
Unfortunately, there were also some common sense bills that failed to pass because politics got in the way.
We should have given hard working Iowans some immediate relief to help with the high cost of gas and rising prices at the grocery store. We should have invested more in our public schools and expanded access to reproductive health care. We should have raised wages and lowered the cost of training and education after high school.
As we get closer to election day, I’m certain I’ll hear from more Iowans who are tired of politics. And I’m sure I’ll be feeling the same when November arrives.
But I won’t forget what this is all about: people.

State Representative Jennifer Konfrst of Windsor Heights serves the 43rd District in the Iowa House and is the Iowa House Democratic Leader. Email: Jennifer.konfrst@legis.iowa.gov
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