During the state legislative session, the IAA sends out a bi-weekly legislative update. In these emails you'll get an update on what's going on at the State Capitol, and in Congress, as well as actions you can take to advocate for afterschool!
Federal Policy Update
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress has passed multiple pieces of legislation to address the various needs the country is facing. The most recent piece of legislation, the CARES Act, has several provisions that are relevant for out-of-school time providers, including a State Education Stabilization fund that can be used to support afterschool and summer learning programs and additional child care funding for afterschool providers/staff that are continuing to stay open to serve their existing students and/or the children of health care providers and other essential staff. This legislation has passed the Senate and is expected to be voted on by the House today. To read more about the impacts to afterschool programs, read this article from the Afterschool Alliance.
State Policy Update
Legislature Suspended
The Iowa Legislature has suspended its session in hopes of slowing the spread of COVID-19. As of now, the plan is to resume session on or around April 15. During this time, we will also be suspending our biweekly policy newsletter. Even though legislators are not at the Capitol, they are still doing what they can to share resources and support the constituents in their districts. If you have concerns or questions for your legislators, use the links below to contact them. The Iowa Afterschool Alliance is also compiling resources for out-of-school time programs in response to COVID-19. Check them out on our website.
Helpful Links
Click here to find your legislator. You can search by address, city, school district, county, or zip code.
To find bios, contact information, and photos of all the legislators, go to the Legislators page on the Iowa Legislature website. Select either "Senators" or "Representatives" on the left-side menu to see a complete list of all members, including links to their information page and district map.
For a complete list of Senate and House committees and members, click here.
For a full list of Senate and House leadership, click here.
