2020 promises to be a notable year for many reasons, namely the general election in November. With an entire legislative session being held between now and then, some have wondered if Iowa representatives may shy away from supporting more controversial bills in anticipation of their impending reelection campaigns.

State Representative Chris Hagenow, (R) District 19, says he experiences this phenomenon every two years, and indicates it is a factor for some. Speaking for himself however, he says he doesn’t shy away from controversial legislation, regardless of the year. “If there are bills that we need to consider, we need to do them regardless of what comes next. I don’t know that it being an election year is going to dramatically impact the agenda this year. It’s always in the back of people’s minds, but I think we’re ready to do the job, do the hard work, and make the tough decisions.”

State Senator Jake Chapman, (R) District 10, who is also up for election this year, echoes Hagenow’s sentiment. He goes a step further to say that type of attitude isn’t one a responsible legislator should exhibit. “You know when we go out and we campaign on issues, we’re elected based on those issues we campaign on, and I think when you do that you have a mandate to go out there and do what you said you were going to do during the campaign. And so we shouldn’t take a second year of a legislative session for granted simply because it’s an election year.”

So far this year, the Legislature hasn’t avoided controversial topics, as they have already begun moving forward with bills such as the constitutional amendment restricting a woman’s right to an abortion, and an increase in state sales tax with a corresponding reduction to income tax. There was also a short-lived bill struck down in the House Judiciary Committee that would have removed some protections on transgender rights. To learn more about the current Iowa legislative session, listen to the Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program each Monday during the session for interviews with Hagenow and Chapman.