By Bob Eschliman
Editor
The Iowa Senate confirmed the appointment of 16 of Gov. Terry Branstad’s appointees on Wednesday.
The Iowa Constitution requires all gubernatorial appointees must be confirmed by a two-thirds vote – at least 34 members – of the Senate. Many appointees may be confirmed “en bloc,” or in large groups, with a single vote.
Others are required to be confirmed individually. Any senator may also require an appointee eligible for en bloc confirmation be removed and taken up for individual confirmation. The appointees confirmed Wednesday were on the individual confirmation calendar, and included:
- Donna Harvey – Direction of the Iowa Department on Aging, 46-0.
- Sandra Ryan – Commission for the Blind, 45-1.
- Jerry Bartruff – Director of the Iowa Department of Corrections, 46-0.
- Debi Durham – Director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, 46-0.
- Dave Jamison – Executive Director. of the Iowa Finance Authority, 46-0.
- Rod Roberts – Director of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, 46-0.
- Stewart Iverson – Chairman of the Property Assessment Appeal Board, 45-1.
- Gerd Clabaugh – Director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, 47-0.
- Dr. Roxann Ryan – Commissioner of Public Safety, 47-0.
- Kristine Kramer – Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, 45-2.
- Mary Andringa – Iowa Board of Regents, 47-0.
- Sherry Bates – Iowa Board of Regents, 44-3.
- Patricia Cownie – Iowa Board of Regents, 46-1.
- Rachael Johnson – Iowa Board of Regents, 48-0.
- David Rose – Iowa Transportation Commission, 48-0.
- Douglas Hoelscher – Director of Office for State-Federal Relations, 48-0.
The Senate also adopted the following bills on unanimous votes:
- House File 468 – an act to amend Iowa Code as it relates to the appointment of mental health advocates.
- Senate File 203 – an act to amend Iowa Code as it relates to the Iowa Board of Nursing’s regulation of nurses, as amended by the House.
- Senate File 401 – an act to expand the number of subacute mental health beds available in Iowa, as amended by the House.
- Senate File 462 – an act to allow schools to stock and administer epinephrine pens in emergency situations, as amended by the House.
- House File 421 – an act to amend Iowa Code as it relates to the qualifications for community college career and technical education instructors.
- House File 449 – an act to establish an inpatient psychiatric bed tracking system administered by the Iowa Department of Human Services.
- House File 488 – an act to establish the Iowa Reading Corps administered by the Iowa Office on Volunteerism.
- House File 515 – an act to allow school districts to use funds from their district management levies to pay the expenses of arbitration and collective bargaining.
- House File 529 – an act to amend Iowa Code as it relates to the governance, duties, and mergers of drainage and levee districts.
- House File 534 – an act to provide stipends for the mental health professional shortage area program.
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