Warme

I can hardly believe we’re already wrapping up week 5 of the legislative session! While it’s been cold and snowy, the Senate has still been busy, and I’m happy to report it’s been a productive week for us here at the Capitol. This week, we had our first floor debate of the year, which is always an exciting moment. Can’t say I predicted my first vote on the floor would be for a “Taylor Swift bill,” but my Swiftie daughters are happy we unanimously passed Senate File 146, which prohibits the creation of a bot to purchase event tickets online, while also placing several restrictions to protect a fair ticket-buying process.

We sent several other potential laws over to the House of Representatives for their consideration, including SF 152 to make it easier for veterans who drove as part of their military service to get an Iowa driver’s license. As a reminder on the process, each idea for new or amended laws in our state must pass a subcommittee, committee, and floor vote in both the Senate and the House, and then be signed by the Governor. It makes for a lengthy process, but I appreciate the steps allow for lots of stakeholder review and vetting before any change to Iowa law is finalized. Most bills you hear about on the news never come close to becoming law, and that’s a good thing!

Tuesday was a special day for me. It was Physician’s Day on the Hill and that meant my husband, Bryan, got to join me and see me in action. For those of you who don’t know, Bryan is an orthopedic surgeon with McFarland Clinic in Ames and team physician for Iowa State Athletics. We had some in-depth conversations about the future of health care in Iowa, particularly the critical need for more physicians in our state. We also touched on the burdens of prior authorizations on even routine care (it’s a bigger issue than many realize!) and the challenges our medical students face as they work toward becoming the doctors we rely on.

Speaking of students, this week was Youth Shadow Week at the Capitol, and I had the privilege of hosting Lane Hauser, a bright freshman from West Marshall High School. Lane is a member of Iowa Students for Tobacco Education and Prevention (ISTEP), and he spent the day with me, sitting in on subcommittee meetings and shadowing my conversations with lobbyists and constituents. It’s experiences like these that make me truly grateful for the chance to serve. Not only do these opportunities help students like Lane see the legislative process up close, but they also allow me to hear from the next generation of leaders. I can’t wait to see the impact he’ll make in the future!

As always, I remain grateful for the opportunity to serve and represent you in the Senate. I will continue to keep you informed, and together, we will keep moving Iowa forward.

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Kara Warme, a Republican from Ames, represents District 26 in the Iowa Senate.