Ragan Report

Veterans and school issues move forward
 
     Our veterans deserve to know all the benefits and programs they qualify for. That's why the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee voted this week to help veterans access information on ways to apply for benefits.
     House File 414won unanimous approval in the Iowa House on March 17. The bill requires that private individuals or businesses offering to help veterans get their benefits must give all prospective clients a written statement disclosing that veterans may apply for these same services at no charge through a local service organization or county offices. Before entering into an agreement or contract, the veteran must sign the disclosure statement.
     The Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs will develop a consumer friendly written disclosure for use by private providers of benefits services for veterans. It will include a statement that veterans benefits services are offered at no cost by federally chartered veteran service organizations and by county commission of veteran affairs offices, and will have contact information on how to access those free services.
     A person who violates these requirements faces a maximum civil penalty of $1,000 for each violation. Any civil penalties recovered will be deposited in the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund.
     For more information on this or other programs for veterans, contact the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs at (515) 252-4698 or go to www.va.iowa.gov. 
     In education news, Gov. Terry Branstad’s administration told superintendents last December that they would no longer get waivers to start school early, meaning schools would have to start fall classes during the week of Sept. 1.
     Last fall, 67 Iowa school districts started fall semester classes during the second week of August.
     Senate File 227is a compromise that sets the school start date on or after Aug. 23. It was approved this week by both the House and the Senate.
     This legislative compromise ends a major distraction, which has taken attention away from this session’s most important, most pressing education issue: renewing Iowa’s bipartisan commitment to responsibly investing in our local students and schools.
     School funding affects 100 percent of Iowa schoolchildren, parents and teachers, as well as employers and community leaders. We must provide the funding our schools need to boost student achievement and keep the best teachers in our classrooms.
• Additional information
     This is a legislative column by Sen. Amanda Ragan, representing Franklin, Butler and Cerro Gordo counties. For newsletters, photos and further information, go to www.senate.iowa.gov/senator/ragan.
     To contact Sen. Ragan during the week, call the Senate Switchboard at (515) 281-3371. Otherwise she can be reached at home at (641) 424-0874. Email her at amanda.ragan@legis.iowa.gov.
     Sen. Ragan is an Assistant Senate Majority Leader, chair of the Health & Human Services Budget Subcommittee, vice-chair of the Agriculture Committee and vice-chair of the Human Resources Committee. She also serves on the Appropriations, Natural Resources & Environment, Rules & Administration and Veterans Affairs committees.