The pace of activity picked up in week two of the legislative session. Subcommittee meetings are in high gear as we start our work on the many proposals we have for this year.

One of the assignments I had was SF 2002, a bill for an act creating the Second Amendment Preservation Act. The bill affirms the state of Iowa’s authority to regulate firearms within state borders and voids any federal law deemed to infringe on the right to keep and bear arms in Iowa. This protection applies to all law-abiding citizens.

Another was SSB 3027. This bill changes the default on extending no-contact orders so that the order is automatically renewed for five years unless the defendant applies to the court and the court determines that the defendant is no longer a threat. You can keep track of my subcommittee assignments on the legislative website, www.legis.iowa.gov.

One of the big topics this year is transparency and empowering parents in their children’s education. On Wednesday, one of the first bills going through the Education Committee is Senate Study Bill 3005, which prohibits school districts from administering an invasive physical examination of a student, or a student health screening not required by state or federal law, unless the school district has acquired the written consent of the student’s parent or guardian.

This bill arose from schools providing mental health screenings on students without the parents being notified. Parents should be involved in this process for a number of reasons, but most importantly, parents should know if the school is concerned about their child’s mental health and wants to conduct a mental health screening. This way, parents can also provide any other knowledge or experience about the issue, help ensure their child’s primary healthcare provider is notified, and find the resources needed to help their child.

On Wednesday, the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs put on their yearly Veterans Day on the Hill. As a 29-year veteran of the Marine Corps, and vice chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, I was looking forward to speaking with my fellow veterans and hearing their priorities and issues. This advocacy day was attended by veterans from across the state of Iowa who are passionate about advocating for veterans’ issues.

Two issues we are paying close attention to this year are mental health in Iowa veterans and civic responsibility in schools. Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs officials, state legislators, and Governor Reynolds and Lt. Governor Gregg were all program speakers at the ceremony, telling stories of remarkable Iowa veterans, the noble service they have given our state, and our thankful nation.

Senate Republicans recognize the sacrifice our veterans have made for the state of Iowa and expresses our utmost gratitude for their service to our nation. It was an honor to have veterans from across our great state at the Capitol this week. We are looking forward to seeing them again next year.

Jeff Reichman has served on the Iowa Senate since 2021.