I forgot to link to the live video for those who want to watch the Iowa House debate on the AEA bill: legis.iowa.gov/dashboard?view… Debate will end at 6:30pm no matter how many people still want to speak.
Dems Sharon Steckman and Molly Buck referenced the thousands of Iowans who have emailed legislators pleading with them not to pass the AEA bill. Buck criticizes "rushing to some weird finish line" on the bill. Every piece overlooked will "drastically affect the life of a child."
Buck said House is "stampeding toward a system" that will be in "chaos." She has been reading the new amendment and said it isn't clear what is going to happen with assistive devices, or with the AEA teams that help teachers when there is a new diagnosis of a student in class.
Heather Sievers wrote recently about how Heartland AEA helped her non-verbal daughter obtain an assistive device that was essential to her communication. Without the AEA they might have had to wait years to get on a Medicaid waiver. bleedingheartland.com/2024/02/21/a-m…
Floor manager Skyler Wheeler touted language on creating a task force to study AEAs, which is included in the new amendment. Buck pointed out that the task force should be studying the system as it is. Not a system in flux after this bill is passed.
Democratic State Rep Heather @MatsonForHouse says this bill is not a compromise. "There is no actual problem with the AEAs to be solved." Governor cherry-picked data to create false narrative of a problem.
@MatsonForHouse Matson warned schools won't be able to afford the services kids need without the economies of scale the AEAs have. Administrators have told legislators that they can't afford these services without AEAs. "The majority party did not listen to the majority of the public."
@MatsonForHouse Matson pointed out that Iowans had no opportunity to weigh in on the amendment that was just filed about an hour ago. "What was built and strengthened over half a century could be torn apart in a matter of months for no good reason." She's "devastated" by what is happening today.
@MatsonForHouse Democratic State Rep Sean Bagniewski is reading a message from a parent of a child with special needs. "Our children are progressing beyond what most parents could ever hope for," overcoming obstacles the doctors said would be impossible to overcome.
@MatsonForHouse Mother pleaded with lawmakers to slow this down, just do a study of AEAs this year. Bagniewski cited recent Iowa Poll showing that the legislature's popularity is down and more people think the state is on the wrong track.
@MatsonForHouse Bagniewski arguing the biggest flaw in the AEA bill is how much power it will put in the state Department of Education. (Floor manager Wheeler noted the new Division of Special Ed in the state agency will be smaller than what @IAGovernor originally wanted.)
@MatsonForHouse @IAGovernor Democratic State Rep Monica Kurth speaking now. Notes members got the amendment at 3:55 pm. (Remember, House debate will end at 6:30 pm no matter how many people still want to speak on one of the most important bills #ialegis will consider in 2024)