This is an urgent plea for help in the next 48 hours. The Iowa Department of Administrative Services (DAS) introduced a bill in the Iowa Senate (SSB 3033), which “strikes the requirement that the department maintain such a research center in Iowa City.”
An Iowa Senate subcommittee of the State Government Committee will hold a public hearing in Des Moines at the State Capitol on Tuesday, January 20, at 1:30 p.m.
This bill is aimed at finalizing the closure and dissolution of the State Historical Society of Iowa in Iowa City, which has provided generations of Iowans and educators with critical access to the state's historical legacy since 1857.
Now is the time to express your opinion on the closure of the State Historical Society of Iowa’s research facility in Iowa City.
1) Attend the hearing in the Senate Lounge, Room 216, at the State Capitol
2) Offer comments in person to the subcommittee, with a 2-minute limit
3) Help pack the zoom meeting of the hearing (a link will be sent as soon as it becomes available)
4) Be aware that there may be limited opportunity for online participants to comment
5) Public comments can be submitted to the subcommittee through this portal: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/committees/meetingPublicComment?meetingID=41191&action=viewCommitteePublicComments
We recommend allies from across Iowa IMMEDIATELY send emails directly to the subcommittee members.
Carrie Koelker, Chair, Dubuque, lives in Dyersville; Republican, District 33
Jeff Reichman, Keokuk, resides in Montrose; Republican, District 50
Art Staed, Cedar Rapids and Hiawatha; Democrat, District 40
This is the first step in our attempt to defeat this bill. Public comments can impact discussion during meetings of the larger Iowa Senate State Government committee or during floor debate. Contact information for Senators on the STATE GOVERNMENT committee of the General Assembly: 91 (01/13/2025 - 01/10/2027) can be found at https://www.legis.iowa.gov/committees/committee?ga=91&groupID=702
Ken Rozenboom (R, District 19), Chair
Jeff Reichman (R, District 50), Vice Chair
Cindy Winckler (D, District 49), Ranking Member - Davenport/Scott County
Tony Bisignano (D, District 15) Des Moines
Matt Blake (D, District 22) Des Moines
Mike Bousselot (R, District 21)
Dan Dawson (R, District 10)
Catelin Drey (D, District 1)
Dawn Driscoll (R, District 46) Iowa County
Jesse Green (R, District 24)
Dennis Guth (R, District 28) Klemme
Carrie Koelker (R, District 33) Dubuque, Dyersville
Sandy Salmon (R, District 29) Waverly, Charles City
Jason Schultz (R, District 6)
Art Staed (D, District 40) – Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha
Thomas Townsend (D, District 36) - Dubuque
Scott Webster (R, District 47)
Cherielynn Westrich (R, District 13) Ottumwa, Centerville
This nonpartisan issue requires closer scrutiny by our political leadership and all Iowans, regardless of where they live. Please direct their attention to: https://saveiowahistory.org
Your assistance at this critical moment is greatly appreciated. Don’t let short-sighted bureaucrats diminish the quality and completeness of Iowa’s authentic and irreplaceable historical record! We have much to learn from the past!
With gratitude to those who stand in solidarity as we move forward,
Save Iowa History coalition