Branstad: 'Together, we can build a better Iowa'

DES MOINES — Gov. Terry Branstad on Tuesday called for 'forward-thinking' bipartisan action to upgrade Iowa's broadband and transportation infrastructure, keep schools and communities safer and make college affordable and accessible for students needed to bolster Iowa's skilled workforce.

Branstad, who begins his sixth term Friday, urged a joint session of the split-control Legislature to work with him to build on past successes by funding commitments to tax relief and school reform and to enact a new list of priorities that he believes will improve Iowans' lives, bolster education and move an already strong state forward.

'Now is the time to get to work,' Branstad said in delivering his 20th Condition of the State address to lawmakers assembled in the Iowa House chambers and a statewide television audience. 'Together, we can build a better Iowa.'

Click here for the full text of Gov. Branstad's Condition of the State speech.

Some of the governor's proposals will be well-received by both parties, while others will face stern opposition, based on the reactions of key state lawmakers.

'Cautiously optimistic,' is how Senate President Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque, described her reaction to Branstad's 31-minute address. 'We actually have many of the same goals.'

Lawmakers said they support Branstad's goals of increasing transportation funding, broadband Internet access, designing legislation to address bullying in schools, and freezing tuition at the state's three public universities for a third consecutive year.

State lawmakers tried unsuccessfully last year to address the transportation, broadband and bullying issues. Branstad called on the Legislature to come together to achieve bipartisan solutions.

'Let's come together again to make our schools stronger and safer, our communities more connected, our families better protected, our workers better trained, our universities more affordable and our government the most transparent in the United States,' Branstad said.

Building on a theme of 'Together We Can,' Branstad asked lawmakers to again work to expand Internet access to all Iowans, especially in rural communities where farmers increasingly need broadband capabilities for high-tech farming methods and equipment.

He also called for a bipartisan solution to provide the extra money needed to meet critical needs in upgrading Iowa's system of highways and bridges that will 'pave the road toward Iowa's strong future.'

'Over the past few years, rhetoric has trumped results when it has come to action for infrastructure funding in Iowa,' he said.

Rep. Josh Byrnes, a Republican from Osage and chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said he is willing to work with the governor to generate the revenue necessary to cover the state road and bridge repair budget's estimated $215 million annual shortfall.

'We have to get this done. We can't keep letting politics interfere,' Byrnes said. 'This is not going to fix itself.'

The governor also sought a renewed legislative effort to reduce bullying in Iowa schools, saying that he and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds heard the message from students, community leaders and parents during a three-stop tour last year that the time has come for the state to ensure safe and respectful learning environments.

'This is the year that we stand up to the bully. We can't wait any longer,' Branstad said in proposing The Bully Free Iowa Act of 2015 to require parental notification of bullying incidents but allowing for an exception if a bullied student and a school official believe that parental notification could lead to abuse, neglect or rejection.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs and Senate Education Committee chairman Herman Quirmach, D-Ames, said the exception helps close the gap between Senate Democrats and House Republicans on the bullying bill.

'I think that an exception is needed,' Quirmbach said. 'I think that we need to trust our school administrators to exercise discretion. In most cases, of course, you would want the parents to be notified. But there may be some circumstances in which notifying the parents would actually make the situation worse.'

Branstad's legislative proposal also would launch a bullying prevention program intended to empower student mentors to take ownership of anti-bullying efforts in their schools, allow a student who changes schools due to bullying to immediately participate in athletics, and to provide investigator training for schools.

Turning to a separate safety issue, Branstad called for expanding protections for victims of domestic violence by approving legislation that would classify anyone convicted of domestic abuse three times as a habitual offender and thereby tripling the mandatory minimum sentence.

'This legislation holds criminals accountable for their abuse, allows them ample time to rehabilitate and protects our communities,' he said.

Also, the governor called for expanding the use of GPS monitoring of dangerous domestic abusers to help ensure they are not violating court orders designed to protect vulnerable Iowans from individuals making criminal threats.

Other Branstad initiatives for legislators to consider included a public-private Center for Human Capital Enrichment partnership designed to align education and worker training to address available skilled job openings that are unfilled; a Government Transparency and Accountability Plan designed to provide a one-stop shop for citizens seeking information along with making more information about state employee discipline and discharge public; an IowaNEXT Plan to enhance Iowa's business climate by embarking on 'a holistic plan for quality of life initiatives' that invest in parks, trails, lakes and museums around Iowa; and the Student Debt Reorganization Tax Credit that would allow participants to volunteer for worthy causes within Iowa's communities in exchange for help in paying off their student debt.

Branstad closed his remarks by sounding a bipartisan call to action.

'When a challenge arrives, we Iowans get to work. We know that by working together we can find a solution to any problem,' he said. 'The 86th General Assembly is upon us. With it, comes an opportunity. Working together and moving forward is the Iowa Way.'

Condition of the State Reactions

Party leaders, department heads and advocacy groups offered their take on Gov. Terry Branstad's annual Condition of the State address Tuesday.

Republican Party of Iowa chairman Jeff Kaufmann: 'Gov. Branstad just presented a bold and innovative agenda for continuing to move Iowa forward. For four years Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds have worked with the Legislature to spur job creation, balance our budget, cut taxes, and implement transformational education reform.'

Iowa Democratic Party chairman: 'When it comes to our state's sluggish economic growth, or taking care of the Iowans at the bottom of our economic ladder, or simply being honest about those who have lost their jobs across the state, Terry Branstad is blatantly refusing to address such matters. Legislative actions like raising the minimum wage or efforts to jumpstart job training programs would boost opportunities for those who need it most, and rather than discussing these issues, Terry Branstad disappointingly ignored them completely.'

Iowa Department of Agriculture Sec. Bill Northey: 'The Governor's strong support for the Iowa Water Quality Initiative has been critically important and the $7.5 million provided in his budget would help us build on that exciting progress that has already been made.'

Tammy Wawro, president of the Iowa State Education Association: 'While we applaud the Governor for making anti-bullying legislation a priority, we deeply regret he has ignored the details in how he is proposing to fund Iowa's K-12 public education system. Currently, Iowa ranks 35th in the nation in educational funding per student which is $1,612 below the national average. Iowa's schools cannot function on a wing and a prayer. We have seen the results of a slight-of-hand approach when the Governor claims he wants our public schools to be the best, yet still underfunds them.'

Matt Sinovic, executive director of Progress Iowa: 'Governor Branstad failed middle class Iowans today. He refused to even say the words 'middle class' while at the same time heaping praise on a number of out of state corporations. The Governor's priorities are completely out of step with everyday Iowans, who know that the foundation of our economy and our state's success is a strong and growing middle class.'