Thread by @ErinDMurphy

Good morning, Iowa. Today @IAGovernor Reynolds will deliver her first condition of the state address as governor. Her speech will begin shortly after 10 a.m. If you're stuck at work but near some internets, stay tuned here for highlights.

#iagov #ialegis

The ceremonies have begun. #ialegis senators have been brought into the House chamber, where #iagov Reynolds will deliver her address. We'll also get the state Supreme Court justices and state department heads.

The #ialegis House is never more full than on Condition of the State Day.

#iagov Reynolds says she hopes her story inspires "every waitress, every grocery checker, every overworked and stressed out mom, and the little girls who dare to dream."

#iagov Reynolds says "the condition of our state is strong," cites studies that say Iowa is 3rd-best managed state, #1 for middle class families, #1 HS graduation rate and low unemployment (2.9%).

#iagov listing legislative achievements of 2017 session, sparking first split standing ovation, over anti-abortion/pro-life issue.

#iagov Reynolds: "My hope is that a water quality bill is the first piece of legislation I sign as Governor."

House and Senate Republican leaders have a significant bridge to gap if that's going to happen.

#iagov Reynolds talking about sexual harassment now. "Throughout history, sexual harassment has been a stain on our culture, a destructive force—in politics, media and entertainment, in workplaces large and small—in all facets of life. And it must stop."

More #iagov Reynolds on sexual harassment: "I commend the number of women who have found the courage to speak out. As a woman, a mother of three girls, a grandmother, wife, sister, and daughter, I understand we’re at an unprecedented moment in time."

Still more #iagov Reynolds on sexual harassment: "What we do here matters. Iowans are watching. We can’t change behavior everywhere, but we have an obligation to lead and, as long as I am Governor, we’re going to."

#iagov Reynolds smalltown name-drop!

"From Decorah to Manning, LeMars to Mt. Pleasant and everywhere in between, we are defined as Iowans who dream big in these small places."

#iagov Reynolds says acting @IALtGov Adam Gregg will lead an initiative that focuses on rural Iowa, to stunt smalltown exodus.

#iagov Reynolds on to tax reform now. She thanks Congress and @POTUS for federal tax reform. Notes because of federal deductability, Iowans could still see a tax hike. Says #ialegis should act to lower state taxes.

#iagov Reynolds says her tax proposal "significantly reduces rates, modernizes our tax code, eliminates federal deductibility, and provides real tax relief for middle class families, farmers, and small businesses."

Eliminates federal deductability is a big one in there.

Noting budget troubles, #iagov Reynolds says cutting corporate tax rates this year is asking too much.
"We have to focus on what we can afford. While I want to reduce our uncompetitive corporate taxes, this is not the year."

#iagov Reynolds says in the meantime she'll appoint a task force to examine state tax credit programs and make recommendations for corporate tax reform next year.

#iagov Reynolds moves on to health care now. Uses favorite two-word description of the federal Affordable Care Act: unaffordable and unsustainable.

#iagov Reynolds, still on health care, says "This session, we must work together to pass legislation that gives Iowa farmers, small business owners and their workers access to affordable insurance."

#iagov Reynolds now talking about privately managed Medicaid. Says "I still believe managed care is the right decision for Iowa, but it has become very clear that mistakes were made in how it was done," followed by the most awkward COS standing ovation ever.

#iagov Reynolds says her new team - new state directors for DHS and Medicaid - are working to improve the program. "This is something I think about and work on every day, because it is so important to so many Iowans. We will make this right."

#iagov Reynolds now on to mental health care. Notes past initiatives and funding, and proposals going forward, including partnerships with @DesMoinesUniv and @NAMIIowa.

#iagov Reynolds proposes residential access centers for short-term care for people in crisis, asks #ialegis to lift cap on sub-acute beds.

#iagov Reynolds now moves to fighting the growing issue of opioid addiction in Iowa. It's not as bad here as other states, but it's a growing problem. #ialegis members and #iagov spent part of interim hearing proposals to fight the growing issue.

#iagov Reynolds says her plan to fight opioid addiction is "increase use of the Prescription Monitoring Program, supporting enhanced intervention for Iowans addicted to opioids, and expanding medicated assisted treatment."

#iagov Reynolds also calls on #ialegis to pass legislation to reduce the number of opioids prescribed in Iowa.

#iagov shifts to education, lists past programs and funding. The short, non-filtered version is K-12 funding has increased at lowest rates ever, but despite that Iowa's K-12 funding has outpaced most other states.

#iagov Reynolds says she is proposing $54 million in new K-12 funding. That's a 1.5 percent increase over the previous year.

From education #iagov Reynolds transitions to educating/training Iowa's workforce. Talks about @futurereadyiowa program, with goal of 70% of workforce with post-HS education or training by 2025.

#iagov Reynolds shares story of mother she met when both graduated from @IowaStateU in 2016. Amy was 42, Reynolds 57. "We sat next to each other at graduation ... aware that just because life got in the way didn’t mean that opportunity had to be forever out of reach."

#iagov Reynolds on workforce and skilled worker shortage, says she has included $500K in her budget for work-based learning programs, $1M for apprenticeships.

#iagov Reynolds shares story of Georges Seakor, who came to Iowa from Liberia, participated in @iJAGRocks at Lincoln HS, did apprenticeship with Principal, now is studying at DMACC.

#iagov:
"From the cities and suburbs, to our smallest towns and rural communities, together, we are greater than the sum of our parts. Together, the condition of our state is strong. And together, we can pass on to our children an Iowa even greater than the one we inherited."

And that is it for #iagov Reynolds' first condition of the state address. Unofficial timekeeper @okayhenderson says the speech clocked in at roughly 43 minutes.

Read here about #iagov Reynolds' condition of the state address from @jamesqlynch. And stick around; the story will be updated throughout the day with reactions from legislators and advocacy groups (which I can already hear outside in the Capitol rotunda).
thegazette.com/subject/news/r…