The 2019 Iowa legislative session starts today (Monday), with Republicans in control of the debate agenda for the third consecutive year. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds was just elected to a full, four-year term and Republicans won a majority of seats in the Iowa House and Senate. Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver of Ankeny says the G-O-P accomplished a lot over the past two years and they must keep challenging the “status quo” on a variety of fronts.
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Three new Republican senators will be sworn into office Monday, so Republicans will occupy 32 of the 50 seats in the state senate. Republicans will hold 54 of the 100 seats in the HOUSE.
Todd Prichard of Charles City, the new House Minority Leader, says he and other Democrats consider increased state spending on public schools to be the big priority for 2019.
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The House and Senate will be sworn in this morning.