Legislature kick off 2019 session that has state facing variety of issues

Brown says priority will be to grow rural economyAs far as Iowa Sen. Waylon Brown is concerned, the legislative agenda is the same as it was before.“I’m going to continue focusing on the same thing I have the previous years — the best way we can grow and revitalize rural Iowa,” Brown said in an emailed statement late last week. “Our rural areas are very important to our state and I want to be doing everything we can to help them attract more people, enable them to create more opportunities, and be the best place to grow up and raise a family.”...Prichard: Dems focused on education, health careAlong with education funding and job opportunities, Iowa Congressman Todd Prichard said that fixing Iowa’s Medicaid system would be a top priority for Iowa House Democrats in the new legislative session that opened on Monday.“The Medicaid privatization system has created a crisis for patients and people who are vulnerable across Iowa, with a lack of services and a denial of services,” he said. “It’s definitely ripe for a bipartisan effort. It’s time to do something. It’s time to act.”...— For more on these stories, see the Jan. 15 New Hampton Tribune.