School diversity defended, armed encounter training at Capitol, some Senate confirmation drama: Iowa Capitol Digest, Feb. 26

A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest for Monday, Feb. 26, 2018:

HINDU PRAYER OFFERED:

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, delivers the invocation from ancient Sanskrit scriptures before the Iowa House Monday, Feb. 26, 2018. The prayer contained verses from world's oldest existing scripture. After the delivery in Sanskrit, which is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages, he read the English translation. The prayer began with 'Om', the mystical syllable containing the universe, which in Hinduism is used to introduce and conclude religious work.

Later, Zed offered invocation in the Senate.

CANDIDATE FILING BEGINS: The candidate filing period for state and federal offices in the June 5 primary election began Monday and runs through Friday, March 16. Candidates can file their nominating petitions and affidavits of candidacy with the Office of Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, either in the Capitol Building or in the Lucas Office Building in Des Moines. An updated list of candidates whose papers have been received and accepted will be published to the Iowa Secretary of States' website at the end of each day, and also will be updated periodically. That page is available here and also will be accessible from the home page of the Secretary of State's website. Pictures of candidates will be available on the Secretary of State's Facebook page

ARMED ENCOUNTER TRAINING:

A group of state senators, clerks, staff and other employees participated Monday in a 90-minute active armed encounter training at the Iowa Capitol Building. An Iowa State Patrol officer who is an ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) certified instructor provided training that included learning strategies for identifying and handling behavior that may be concerning as well as response options to increase survivability of active armed encounter situations.

Sen. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, called the session 'very informative' — saying participants walked through various scenarios in the event there was an active shooter in the building with tips to evacuate using a zig-zap pattern, lock down rooms and defend themselves where possible.

A scenario that was not covered during the training was how senators or others who have permits to carry firearms in the Capitol should respond or react in such circumstances.

Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines, said the training was helpful to increase people's awareness of the warning signs of a developing problem and it was comforting to know that Capitol police are 'paying attention and there if we need them.'

SENATE CONFIRMATIONS:

Two of Gov. Kim Reynolds' picks as department heads won the endorsements of two Senate committees Monday but not without some controversy. Five Democrats on the Senate Human Resources Committee voted against confirming Jerry Foxhoven as director of the state Department of Human Services while seven majority Republicans approved his appointment and forwarded him to the individual Senate confirmation calendar. Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, a subcommittee member on Foxhoven's confirmation, said he has been disappointed with Foxhoven's efforts as a strong advocate for Iowa's most vulnerable citizens who are struggling under a Medicaid system now being managed by private companies who have contracted with the state. Meanwhile, two Democrats voted against the confirmation of West Des Moines attorney Mark Lowe as director of the state Department of Transportation, but seven GOP senators and three other Democrats who sit on the Senate Transportation Committee approved his name for the individual calendar. Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Waterloo, objected to the DOT's authorized 'mission creep' into police powers reserved for the Iowa State Patrol that has resulted in legal challenges to traffic citations issued by DOT enforcement officers. Gubernatorial nominees must win a two-thirds majority of the Senate, or at least 34 affirmative votes, to be confirmed. Currently, the Iowa Senate is made up of 29 Republicans, 20 Democrats and one independent.

SCHOOL DIVERSITY PLANS:

A state senator and two education advocates spoke out Monday against proposed legislation that would eliminate the diversity plans for in five Iowa school districts: Davenport, Des Moines, Postville, Waterloo and West Liberty.

Senate File 2359 would allow open enrollment for students in affected school districts whose requests previously had been denied in districts under voluntary diversity plans. The legislation is billed by advocates as being about parental choice, but Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, Tom Ahart, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, and Margaret Buckton of Urban Education Network of Iowa expressed concern the change could create 'white flight' and larger pockets of poverty if allowed to take effect in fiscal 2020. The bill has cleared the Senate Education Committee and is eligible for floor debate in the Iowa Senate.

IN THE NATIONAL EYE:

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is slated to appear on a nationally televised morning show Tuesday. The governor's office sent out a notice Monday that Reynolds would appear on CBS This Morning show at 8:15 a.m. Reynolds spent the weekend and Monday in Washington, D.C. attending the National Governors Association meetings. She is scheduled to return to Iowa Tuesday.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

'It's making us all think long and hard about what to do under different scenarios.' — Sen. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, commenting Monday after undergoing active armed encounter training at the Iowa Capitol Building.