Gov. Reynolds signed SF2201 on Thursday, ensuring school districts around the state will be forced into budget cuts and layoffs.

We're all for setting records when it comes to education -- but not like this. Every year, inadequate state funding leaves more and more schools struggling to keep up with rising costs.

During today's joint press conference with the House Democrats, Senators Janice Weiner and Tom Townsend spoke about the layoffs in Amana and Republican lawmakers' failure to work on policies that will actually benefit Iowans.

A bill that could have helped prevent animal abuse was pulled from the Senate debate calendar at the last minute today. Sen. Donahue urged her Republican colleagues to bring it back up for consideration next week.

The Legislature should be focusing on the issues that really have an impact on Iowans' lives, not distractions that don't serve anyone. Read more here: bit.ly/4kWhJGT

Today, every Iowa legislative Democrat signed on to a letter asking executives at Whirlpool to reconsider the upcoming planned layoffs in Amana. Senate Republicans were invited to participate but declined. You can read the full letter here: bit.ly/4rFCFV3

Privatized Medicaid is a failed experiment, but Senate Republicans voted to ensure Iowa's next governor can't bring us back to a better system.

There are plenty of bad GOP bills still alive after the first funnel. Here are a handful. Be sure to reach out to your senator to let them know where you stand on these ideas.

Senate Democrats are focused on lowering costs and making life more affordable. Here are a few of our favorite proposals. For a fuller list, visit iowasenatedemocrats.com!

Some good, bipartisan bills made it through the first funnel. Here are a handful to keep an eye on.

Meet our intern, Sahithi Shankaiahgari!

The Iowa Senate debates public school funding

Senate Democrats will always stand up for Iowans in need. Our members rallied at the Capitol today in defense of LGBTQ Iowans and the workers who power our state.

DEBATE ALERT: The Iowa Senate will take up the House's revised public school funding number this afternoon. Reach out to your legislator this morning: bit.ly/45VUCFY

The updated school funding number still isn't enough. Tell your senator that Iowa kids deserve better than 2%: bit.ly/45VUCFY

RIP to these bad Republican bills. 🪦☠️

What survived the first legislative funnel, and what's dead for the year?

"The pattern is clear. When local voters choose policies that don't conform to Republican ideology, the legislature steps in and makes those choices illegal." Read more here: bit.ly/3Or0EIK

Schools shouldn't have to beg lawmakers for funding. Equipping our public schools with the resources to provide top-notch education for Iowa kids is in all Iowans' best interests. More here: bit.ly/4kD1TjY

Senate Democrats have pushed, year after year, to restore the unemployment protections Iowa workers deserve. Each new round of layoffs is another set of working Iowans who have been let down by the Republican trifecta in Des Moines.

Taking public money should mean you have to play by the same rules as everyone else, but the private school voucher program gets hundreds of millions of public dollars each year with no accountability to taxpayers. Read more here: bit.ly/4c5DNwl

All Iowans deserve housing they can afford. As Sen. Townsend asked this morning, why not have the subcommittee meeting and hear directly from affected Iowans?

"The Legislature should leave alone things that aren't broken." Read this editorial on Republican lawmakers' out-of-step, and out-of-time priorities: bit.ly/4cvsnlt

SSB 3146 is a good bill that we wish wasn't necessary. Many districts that opt for grade sharing, school consolidation, or building closures will do so as a direct result of nearly a decade of persistent underfunding from statehouse Republicans.

"The Senate funding level doesn't keep up with inflation, which has become an almost annual tradition since Republicans took over the statehouse." Read more from the Gazette here: bit.ly/4tK6HZk

Happy Valentine's Day!

Next week is the first Funnel Week at the Capitol. Not sure what that means? Here's Sen. Drey to explain!

It's pretty clear who's listening to what Iowans want ... and who's not.

WATCH: Sen. Weiner's opening statement from this morning's press conference.

Worker shortages, fueled by low pay and minimal benefits, are a significant obstacle to providing the affordable, reliable childcare access that working families need. Read more here: bit.ly/46v3x1m

Meet our intern, Emmy!

Every Iowan deserves housing they can afford. Senate Democrats introduced a bill to crack down on unfair, predatory practices that drive up costs for Iowans in manufactured housing communities. Read more here: bit.ly/4ktABg9

Sen. Winckler's plea to uphold the promise of public education for all Iowa kids fell on deaf ears yesterday. Senate Republicans voted to advance their proposal to continue underfunding our public schools.

Solving Iowa's cancer crisis won't be easy. But by taking action now, future generations of Iowans can look back on our work with pride. Read Sen. Weiner's column here: bit.ly/4qmE0Pb

The Iowa Senate wrapped its first day of debate for the year. Here's Sen. Donahue to give you the headline.

Not sure Senate Republicans understood the assignment...

For this year alone, per pupil funding for Iowa's public schools has fallen more than $1,000 behind inflation.

Medicaid privatization was always a mistake. Now Iowa's Medicaid director is saying it's a mistake we can partially fix while saving taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. Read more here: bit.ly/4tpRQ63

DEBATE ALERT: School funding will head to the Senate floor tomorrow for debate. Tell your legislator to vote NO. bit.ly/45VUCFY

Click the link to watch the investigative report on the state's child welfare task force and hear why Sen. Bisignano is requesting a Senate Oversight Committee hearing: bit.ly/4a6yNWH

The harsh reality for public school districts around the state under the Republican trifecta: staffing cuts, school consolidation, program elimination, and millions in budget cuts.

When Republican lawmakers fail to fund public education, Iowans lose more than their schools. They lose their community's history and identity, too.

REMINDER: SSB 3113 is in subcommittee TODAY at noon! There's still time to leave public comment on the legis website: bit.ly/SSB3115

Enjoy the Super Bowl and get home safely tonight.

School funding is moving in the Iowa Senate. Here's Sen. Zimmer to tell you about the bill that advanced out of the Senate Education Committee this week.

ACTION ALERT: This Monday, Feb. 9, a Senate subcommittee will meet to discuss SSB3115, which would further decimate reproductive health in Iowa. Use this link to register your public comment on the bill: bit.ly/SSB3115

Property taxes, eminent domain, cancer, water quality, the Iowa Caucuses, and more. Watch Sen. Weiner on Iowa Press tomorrow night!

On Dec. 4, Sen. Bisignano requested the Senate Oversight Committee to meet about the Child Welfare Task Force, which was designed to give recommendations to improve Iowa's foster and adoption systems, but hasn’t met with legislators in two years. He has not received a response.

Healthcare costs are rising and Iowans' access to reliable care around the state is shrinking. Following job terminations in Des Moines and Ottumwa, MercyOne has announced another round of layoffs for workers in Mason City.