This column was originally posted on Chris Baldus: Journalist Dad in 2012 A speaker on parenting made this interesting point at church today. If parents knew, really knew what they were getting into, no one would be a parent. Humanity would have met its end quickly. It can be a tough gig, no question. There’s…
By Rep. Todd Prichard Capitol Comments Column, April 6 Since the last time I wrote, the budget de-appropriation bill was introduced, passed and signed into law by the governor. This is the second year in a row that the Legislature and governor have made cuts to the current year’s budget more than halfway through the fiscal…
By Rep. Todd Prichard I’ve been catching up on my local newspaper reading lately. Two stories caught my eye. I read a piece about a Charles City woman who can’t receive the services she needs to maintain herself in her home due to cuts forced by her Managed Care Provider. The other article focused on…
By Rep. Todd Prichard Greetings from the 2018 legislative session. This week marks the first important deadline of the session, known as the first funnel. If a bill does not pass out of a standing committee, it is dead for the year. I am happy to report that I was able to pass two of…
It’s a long-running stupid joke with me. It’s something I’ll ask reporters when they come back from an assignment or a copy editor who finished proofing my writing. “Did you laugh? Did you cry? Did it move you?” Well, Thursday night, the Charles City High School speech kids made all three happen. I attended their…
By Representative Todd Prichard I have a personality flaw. I cry over spilled milk. I would attribute this to my mother’s sense of frugality. Wasted time, money, supplies — it all drives me crazy. This week the legislature wasted an excellent opportunity to improve water quality in our state. On Tuesday, the House passed out…
By Rep. Todd Prichard Welcome to the New Year and the 2018 Iowa Legislative session. I am back to work at the Capitol and wondering how this session is going to play out. Like every year, there are a variety of opportunities and challenges facing the legislature. Challenges: The state of Iowa is facing a…
