Senate File 2 does not survive the legislature's funnel

(decorahnews.com file photo of February's legislative forum in Decorah)

When an overflow crowd jammed into the Decorah City CHall council chambers on Saturday, February 18th, to speak to state legislators from this area, one of the biggest targets of their complaints was Senate File 2.  The proposed legislation, which was introduced into the State Senate, was aimed at changing the funding of family planning services in the state.

The legislation passed the State Senate on February 7th and was sent to the State House of Representatives--where it has now died.

State Representative Michael Bergan of Decorah says SF2 did not survive the funnel.

At the end of February, Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation announced it would close the Family Planning Clinic it operates in Decorah.  Their statement on the closing said, "the funding and the insurance reimbursement rates have not covered the operational cost for several years and have gotten far more tenuous the last three years."

The statement concluded, "As much as this clinic is needed and used by over 600 clients, we cannot compromise the financial stability of the entire agency for the clinic."