mr. lieutenant governor, mr. president, madam speaker, legislative leaders, senators, representatives, justices, judges, elected officials, distinguished guests, family, friends, and my fellow iowans, the job of government above all else is to provide for the health and safety of its citizens, so i want to begin today by thanking the people who are on the front lines of providing that protection. our men and women who serve in the military, law enforcement, and as first responders who risk their lives for us and some pay the ultimate sacrifice. it was with great sadness last week we laid to rest clinton firefighter lieutenant hoset and it's with prayerful hope we watch firefighter kaine recover from the same tragic event. for these men and women, service isn't just part of their job, it's who they are, whether their uniform is on or off. take billy fox, after graduating from central college he enlisted in the army and joined the special forces. after almost eight years of active service, and tours in the middle east, billy returned to civilian life. he began his job search through home base iowa and eventually landed at the mirror back home. he started on the production line and quickly became the head of security where his instincts to serve and protect would be put to use in ways that no one could imagine. on july 19th, a tornado ripped through the campus completely destroying one factory and heavily damaging others. it was defb stating and i saw it firsthand the next day. metal was everywhere, cars were piled on top of each other and brick walls had been leveled. yet, there was not a single fatality, not one. thanks to billy's calm and experienced leadership, the 3,000 employees and visitors attending the mirror customer appreciation day were safe. despite an all clear issued by a paid weather service, billy and his team kept everyone sheltered and in doing so saved their lives. billy, please stand so that we can recognize your service, leadership, and bravery. [ applause ] last year we saw the same thing play out again and again. on that same day separate tornadoes ripped through marshalltown destroying homes and businesses in their paths. in the days and weeks that followed, hundreds of volunteers showed up to clear debris and rebuild. last year we saw the same thing play out again and again all across iowa and in times of need, iowans came together, neighbor helping neighbor, and often stranger helping stranger. whether it was cleaning up after a tornado or a flood, looking for a missing loved one, or bringing in a harvest after a tragedy, iowans showed up. it's who we are and it's why i'm so proud to be your governor. join me in recognizing the iowans who every day show acts of kindness and who truly make this the greatest state in the nation. [ applause ] for those of us who have the honor to represent these iowans, it's our job to live up to the example they set. there's no better time than the condition of the state and the days that follow to set aside our differences and forge a common vision. iowans expect no less. working across the aisle is an impossible task. we've done it. by continuing to put iowans first we honor four public s servants whose belief in diplomacy, principles and bipartisanship made an incredible difference in millions of lives. in 2018 america lost a great leader with the passing of president george h.w. bush, a man whose legacy is one of service, statesmanship, values, and whose commemoration served as a reminder for all americans of the nobility of public service. iowa also mourned the passing of governor robert d. ray whose civility, courage and common sense style of leadership set the highest standard for those who followed. we grieved the passing of congressman boswell, a proud veteran and public servant who willingly reached across the aisle on so many issues to make iowa a better place. three weeks ago, we lost the legendary u.s. senator john cullver whose energy, passion for politics and timeless wit highlighted the best of iowa. if we learned anything from the passing of these devoted public servants, it's this, working together with deep resolve we can achieve more than we ever dreamed possible. last year was another year of significant accomplishments. together we passed the largest income tax ever as part of a groundbreaking tax reform package, investment in k through 12 schools, achieved water quality bill, we protected the sanctity of life, provided affordable health care options to thousands and by unanimous vote enacted comprehensive mental health care reform and the future ready iowa act. indeed, it was a hist [ applause ] as we begin the 88th general assembly i am proud to declare that the condition of our state is strong, our budget is balanced, our cash reserves are full, wages are going up, unemployment is at an all-time low. because of the people and the power of their ingenuity iowa is soaring. [ applause ] i know, however, that not everyone feels that success. i know that in family rooms, work places and even in this chamber, there are iowans who are struggling, sometimes in silence. today, i'm asking this legislature to work with me again to fight for those individuals, to make sure that iowa's success is every iowan's success. a year ago i stood at this podium and told you my vision for the future is an iowa overflowing with opportunity, opportunity for working families, young people, and our communities both urban and rural. a place where it doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, young or old, male or female, where your last name or zip code aren't nearly as important as your ability to dream and your willingness to reach for it. a place where if life got in the way of those dreams, you can make a new start and if you've made a mistake you can find a second chance. my vision for the future of iowa hasn't changed, but the future i see, it's not around the corner, or after the next election, the future is now. the time is now. to deliver on the promises we've made to iowans looking for a way up. [ applause ] it starts by taking the next step to prepare iowans for a dynamic careers and lifelong learning and that's what future ready iowa is all about. at its core it recognizes there is dignity in meaningful work, that iowans yearn for the opportunity to better themselves and guess what? those opportunities are right here in iowa. it direct resources where we need them the most and identifies high demand jobs like computer programmers and electricians, and educates iowans about those opportunities and provides support for individuals seeking rewarding careers. we've already started putting the policy into action. last fall future ready iowa summits were hosted in 18 communities across our state. we've brought together employers, educators and local leaders to discuss how communities could use future ready iowa as a springboard to propel iowans into new careers. in fact at one of the summits, the north scott superintendent decided to launch an apprenticeship program for advanced manufacturing, attracting the interests of employers like john deere and eagle engineering and students like maya herrington, to encourage education and training beyond high school. fairway started a program to help employees pay down their student debt. ruon transportation started a technology apprenticeship program for giving young iowans another path. we will see this play out again and again and again over the next few years. future ready iowa is a powerful tool to grow family incomes, meet employer needs and strengthen our communities. the time is now to invest in iowans and their fewuture and today i'm calling on the legislature to take the next step to appropriate $20 million to fund a plan we put in place last session. [ applause ] of course the road to success and a rewarding career doesn't start after high school. a strong k-12 education system is the foundation of any state and iowa has a solid foundation to build upon. our schools are filled with innovative teachers that are making things happen. we have the most extensive teacher leadership and compensation system in the country. a nationally recognized s.t.e.m. program and we're getting closer to our goal of making sure that all students are reading proficiently by the end of third grade. that's really just a sample of the critical work that's underway in our state. but there's more that we have to do. kids today are growing up immersed in a world of digital technology, the workforce is continually impacted by innovation and globalization. we need an education system that adaptsz to those changes. because of our investment in s.t.e.m. apprenticeships, work-based learning and computer science it's happening now across our state. in august we launched a new program called computer sciences elementary and through s.t.e.m. grants this public private partnership will transform six high poverty elementary schools into models of computer science instruction by weaving computer coding into their class lessons. we're also seeing other elementary schools expanding or creating computer science programs. clear lake is expanding coding and other fundamentals for fifth -- fourth and fifth graders. kingsley pierson is training teachers to teach computer science. endnola is teaching coding to kinder garters in, first and second graders. iowa students are getting amazing real world learning experiences. like central campus in des moines high school students will smart a semester long program called neuro smart. through partnerships with des moines university and the s.t.e.m. council these students will get hands on experience in the fields of neuroscience and business. in the gallery we have students from the central campus with us today. please stand so we can recognize you and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for you. [ applause ] the budget i'm submitting today proposes over $93 million in additional funding for pre-k-12 education which includes a 2.3% increase in pupil funding and also requesting $11.2 million to reduce higher transportation costs for people and $1 million in new money for s.t.e.m. funding. in total that would bring our pre-k through 12 investment to almost $3.4 billion this year and an investment that we can be proud of. [ applause ] but, you know, iowans also know that the quality of education can't be reduced to a dollar figure or a percent increase. it's about one thing and one thing only -- how we prepare our children to succeed. [ applause ] over the last eight years i have been so blessed to travel the nation and the world on behalf of iowa. these trips have provided ideas on what we can do better, but also they have given me perspective on what makes iowa unique. from river to river to border to brd iowa is speckled with communities with its own character and story to tell. every 10, 15, 20 miles there's another town, another school, brimming with pride, and another main street filled with excitement and hope. these unique communities motivate thousands to ride their bikes from the missouri to the mississippi each year. they're what makes iowa -- what gives iowa its character. unfortunately in some places that character is fading and we cannot let that happen. our communities and main streets tell a story to the outside world. so my question to each of you is this, how do we want our story to read that we've given up or that we're full of hope for the future, that we're tired or full of energy, that we've lost our vision or we're innovative and creative, that we're fading or growing? as i travel our 99 counties i've seen the story that many iowans are writing and i've seen the potential do more. that's what led me to create the governor's empower rule iowa initiative, a partnership between my office and the iowa rule development council. led by lieutenant governor greg and sandy eric the initiative focused on connecting, investing and growing rural communities. i want to thank the lieutenant governor and sandy for their leadership, the iowa rule development council for their partnership, and the members of the empower rule iowa initiative for their ideas in developing the initial recommendations. i think the executive committee is with us today so if you will stand so we can recognize you i would appreciate it. [ applause ] it's no secret we need to keep our communities connected if we hope to keep and attract young people. over a century ago our towns proximity to the railroad was key. over the last 100 years our focus has been on highways and interstates, and by the way, it's that focus that finally gave us a completed four lane u.s. highway 20. [ applause ] now it's virtual connectivity that has become a necessity. businesses, schools, hospitals, and even our combines rely on high-speed internet. "u.s. news & world report" says and i quote, the hawkeye state leads the nation in efforts to bring ultrafast access to every city block and every rural acre, but i know and we know there's more to do. to ensure that every part of iowa has the same opportunity, i'm requesting $20 million split over two years for broadband infrastructure. this funding will accelerate expansion and leverage an additional $120 million in private investment for high-speed internet. [ applause ] rural communities can't thrive without access to housing. busine businesses are growing and hiring, but the employees that they need won't make the move if there's no place for them to call home. i'm, therefore, requesting that we double the amount of the workforce housing tax credits that are set aside for rural communities bringing the total to $10 million. these tax credits should also be competitive, meaning that they will go to projects that are well planned and not just first in line. when it comes to building strong communities, the talent is there, the drive is there, and often the programs are, but the connectivity isn't. that's why today i'm announcing the creation of a center for rural revitalization within the iowa economic development authority. this center will focus on making rural iowa an even greater priority and give our main streets a road map for success. [ applause ] in places like jefferson, iowans are already showing that with ingenuity and drive our small towns can be as vibrant as they've ever been. since 21 over 100 green county residents volunteered over 29,000 hours to raise funds, write grant, and work on committees. they've transformed downtown jefferson, attracting 14 businesses and rehabbing dozens of buildings. just recently voters overwhelmingly approved a bond referendum that will build a new high school, that will house a career academy, that will feed to a new downtown business called the forge. the form owned by pillar technologies will employ 30 technology consultants, many of them just out of high school. pillar has successfully brought that same concept to the silicon valley, columbus, ohio, anne arbor michigan and des moines. now it's coming to downtown jefferson. [ applause ] why? because even people in our nation's largest cities can see what rural iowa has to offer. people like kevin scott, the chief technology officer of microsoft, and a group of technology investors who visited jefferson last month, now not every iowa town will be home to a technology consulting firm, but we should help ignite every community with the passion of the people in green county, some of whom are with us today. thank you for being that spark, showing us what is possible, and so please stand so we can recognize the great work that you're doing. [ applause ] >> since taking the oath of office, one of my priorities has been to create an integrated and coordinated health care system. we made great strides on that effort last year. we passed legislation that gave iowans affordable health care options. we worked diligently and still are to ensure that our medicaid program is sustainable and focused on patient outcomes. we unanimously passed mental health reform which built on the changes we began in 2013. we're seeing results. in a recent report, mental health america declared that iowa's overall mental health system is the seventh best in the nation and third when it comes to the adult system. that's before we -- the legislation from last year has been fully implemented. this year the mental health regions are continuing to develop new services and to help sustain them i've set an aside an additional $11 million in my two-year medicaid budget. i'm also calling on the legislature to extend the time the regions have to spend down their capital balances and balae the percent of their operating budgets that may be carried over from one year to the next. there is more to do. i'm asking everyone in this chamber to work with me to ensure that we have sustainable funding that keeps our mental health system strong. [ applause ] another essential piece is having adequate behavioral providers to build on the successful psychiatric residency program. it poses to fund four additional residencies at the university of iowa for doctors who will practice in rural iowa. [ applause ] >> i also asked to train on mental health also through the university of iowa. our efforts aren't over yet but by working together we will have the best adult mental health system in the country. >> when it comes to our children and mental 4e89 needs we are not as far along. we have been doing that for more than 20 years. it is time to move past the talking phase. there is no great ago any than a parent not knowing where or whom they can turn to. it is never guaranteed. when it comed to physical pain parents now t parents know the path to get there. the doctor will see you now is usually just a few minutes or hours away. when it come to mental health however part of the fear and pain the not mowing where to begin. t we must create a system that lets parents know where to start and that their child can begin immediately. that's why i create add childrens mental health board last year. i asked a group of educators, parents, legislators and childrens advocates to devise a plan an create a structure for a childrens mental health system. the board has completed its initial task and based on recommendation i will be introducing a bill that finally creates a childrens mental health system. [ applause ] it is so we can eliminate the waiting list that currently exists. i'm requesting $3 million in new money to help train our educators to help recognize early signs of mental illness. [ applause ] >> creating a comprehensive childrens mental health system will take time but we can and we must take action. the days of merely talking are over. three years ago we began to offer programs to our state prisons. the concept isn't hard to understand. most of our inmates are inmates for life. they will reenter society. when they do we want them to be successful. those who can't find a job often find their way back to crime and then back to prison. so from a public safety perspective training our inmates is the right thing to do. there's really more to it than that. as i said earlier, there's dignity in work. there is also beauty and grace. talk with someone who by their own actions hit rock bottom but decided to turn their life around. watch their face light up when they tell you about the person who offered them a helping hand, a family member, a friend or a stranger. there are few things as powerful someone that found their purpose and had a second chance. both of them completed an apprenticeship program in prison. michael prepared to be a computer programmer. steve prepared for a career in welding. both men committed serious crimes. today both men are star employees at jobs that they landed before leaving prison. they were offered a second chance. they took it and they succeeded. from tier co-op in norway and winger are the other half of this story. they looked beyond the rap sheet. too often they overlook the skilled workers because of fear of lawsuits. let's take that off the table. our correctional system and parole board are the judge of whether an inmate is ready to be released. let's not punish employers for offering an offender a second chance. i'm calling on the legislature to send me a bill that protects employers like frontier and winger who hire iowans with criminal records. michael and steve are with us today. so are meg gan. please stand so we can thank you for showing all the value of second chances. [ applause ] >> to that end i'm announcing today we are establishing a new home building program at the newton correctional facility and partnership, this program will provide housing that is needed throughout iowa and it will provide training for jobs that are in high demand. sit a win-win. [ applause ] there are others that are making sure criminal offenders finding a new purpose. offered by iowa central community college that offers pell grants to prison inmates. this program is one of the most successful in the country with more than 420 inmates participating earning an average gpa of 3.5. i also recently met with a group of iowans who are working to bring a nonprofit organization called the other side academy. it is a two-year residential rehabilitation program that is an alternative to prison or jail. it operates without government funding. >> it sustains the program by the businesses run. those are two examples. together i believe there is even more we can do. we can start with felon voting. [ applause ] our constitution takes away the voting rights of anyone convicted of a felony forever. only two other state constitutions have a similar provision. last november the people of florida voted to remove their band. through the power of clem si the power can restore those rights. i have done that 88 times since taking office. i don't believe that voting rights should be forever stripped and i don't believe restoration should be in the hands of a single person. after the election an iowan stopped me. i had restored his lights and he wanted to they will me how much that meant to him. how when he stepped into the voting booth he felt a dignity that had been missing even after leaving pris leaving prison. i don't think this man and others should have to wait for my say or any future governor's say before they get that dignity back. our founders gave us a process the amend the constitution. let's put this issue in their hands. [ applause ] >> that is not the only amendment we should consider. as it should our constitution deals extensively with the rights of the accused and convicted. it never mentions victims. in all of the focus on second chances and forgiveness we should never forget about the victims. i know each of you in this room believe that, so let's show it. this year let's start the process of enshrining victims right ts like 36 other states have done. let's stend message, we will protect you. [ applause ] >> i look forward to working with all of you to enact these priorities and yours. whether it is looking for ways to further reform our tax code and help iowans keep more of their hard earned money or passing legislation that strengthens our health care system or working together on criminal justice reform i am so excited for what the future holds. there is so much capacity and opportunity that exists within this state. we have laid the foundation for a bright future. let's build on it. the time is now to finish what we started. the time is now to see that iowa status as the best state in the nation. and the time is now to deliver on the promises we have made to iowans looking for a way up. thank you. god bless you. god bless this great state of iowa. thank you. [ applause ] the labor department says the unemployment rate rose from 3.9% to 4% main by because about 175,000 federal workers were counted as temporarily unemployed because of the government shutdown. we take you to california with help of our comcast cable partners. >> we are the largest, one, two or three in the nation as for agriculture. we are the largest county in the nation for daughter iry product. as a result of that we have a lot of industry here that's based on agriculture needs. >> saturday on book tv at noon eastern a visit with local author as he shares stories of the most notable western criminals. in his book wild to larry county. o outlaws and rebels. >> it was remote it had the mountains next door. if you're going to practice criminal activity you want to be able to do that without getting caught. so it made it pretty convenient for outlaws to hide out. >> and on sunday at 2:00 p.m. on american history tv we'll explore the city and history of the regions agriculture. it's saturday at noon eastern and saturday at 2:00 p.m. on american history tv on cspan3 as we explore the american story. on friday, february 8th acting attorney general will testify before the house judiciary committee about special council interference in the 2016 election. live coverage at 9:30 a.m. eastern a week from today. federal appeals court judge jeff i have sutton spoke to the city club of cleveland. this is just over 50 minutes. >> welcome. it is my pleasure to introduce today's speaker jeffrey sutton. he was one of the supreme court litigators. before that he clerked for

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