Monday Meetings

The Senate Labor & Business Committee met Monday afternoon to discuss Senate Study Bill 1119 – providing for employee choice of doctors for purposes of injuries that are workers compensation injuries. Senator Tom Courtney (D-Burlington) chairs the committee. The room behind the Senate Chambers was packed with the business lobby, the labor lobby, and several who were there to give statements before the committee.

A representative from the Iowa Occupational Nurses Association, in a prepared statement, said that employers often know what doctors specialize in treating certain workplace related injuries. She also pointed out that some doctors chosen by employees will do anything to please the injured employee in effort to retain their business.

An employee advocate discussed horror stories from the Case plant in Burlington. Various employees had been given the run-around and were allegedly made worse when they were not initially able to choose their own doctor.

What was missing from the discussion was the fact that Iowa has some of the richest workers compensation benefits in the nation. We also allow employees who are not satisfied with their care to petition the Industrial Commissioner to allow them to use their own doctors. The current system works for 99.9% of Iowa workers and we should do nothing to alter that balance.

House Rebuild Iowa Committee

The House Rebuild Iowa Committee also met to clarify questions raised last week about Rebuild Iowa Office (RIO) Expenditures. Last week the RIO chief of staff Emily Hajek told the committee that that $19,000 was spent to replace the carpet in their office because "the lieutenant governor asked that it be replaced." Monday, General Ron Dardis of the Iowa National Guard, who is now in charge of RIO, did his best to answer committee members’ questions.

Representative Tom Sands (R-Columbus Junction) told General Dardis and the committee that there is “frustration out there, real frustration” from his constituents – some of whom are still living in FEMA trailers. He also pointed out that he has 30 year-old carpet in his office that should probably be replaced, but it is not a priority to him and suggested that it should not have been a priority to RIO.

While both those meetings were going on, Representative Steve King was speaking on the first floor at the Prayer for Life Rally. Hecklers in the audience made themselves known. Sheriffs escorted one man was escorted to the door and subdued the others.