Representative Tom Jeneary — April 23, 2019

It doesn’t seem possible, but the end of the 2019 Legislative Session is rapidly approaching. Many legislators have said we will be debating far into the night this week.

The House passed several bills last week. The first bill, Senate File 113, holds repeat drunk drivers accountable and keeps them off the roads. Till bill states that a person convicted of three or more OWIs can be charged as a habitual offender and will face stiffer penalties.

House Republicans passed several pieces of legislation this session to protect seniors and other vulnerable Iowans in a number of ways.

House File 731 updates Iowa’s mandatory reporter law to better protect dependent adults from abuse through more frequent and streamlined training.

House File 323 ensures a person can be found guilty of dependent adult abuse even if they didn’t personally profit from the abuse.

Finally, House File 569 ensures that an individual, who intentionally shames, degrades, humiliates, or harms the personal dignity of a dependent adult is held accountable.

All of these bills will go a long way to ensure seniors and vulnerable Iowans are protected and not taken advantage of.

House Republicans also passed legislation that protects students from known predators who move from school to school. House File 637 is an important school safety bill that requires administrators to report employee misconduct in a timely way.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

All the best,
Representative Tom Jeneary