New Iowans Study Committee (J)

Charge

Review the impact of the growing population of immigrants, migrant workers, and refugees who are relocating to the state to live and work, often referred to as “New Iowans.” Hold a public hearing for each of the following topics in locations around the state: educational needs and opportunities for new Iowans, including discussion of public school programs and requirements and efforts to recruit more teachers from minority groups; health care available to new Iowans, including outreach efforts by the hawk-i program, effects of potential federal Medicaid program reductions, and the identification of appropriate efforts to provide better access to affordable health care for new Iowans; job creation and outreach efforts directed to new Iowans, including the widespread focus on bilingual and multilingual skills in the current economy, efforts by the Iowa Department of Economic Development, the impact of the New Iowans centers established by the Department of Workforce Development, and discussions of other efforts needed to improve job creation for New Iowans; and public safety issues involving new Iowans, including racial profiling used by state and local police and proposals to make drivers’ licenses available to undocumented immigrants.