News from the Office on the Status of Women - January 2018

January 2018

News from the
Office on the Status of Women

Stay up-to-date on 2018 Iowa Legislation

Are you interested in keeping up-to-date with legislation moving through the Iowa legislature in 2018? Check out these two resources to help you:

Track legislation: If you are interested in tracking legislation during this session, click here. Through this website, provided by the Legislative Services Agency, you can: track all versions of bills and amendments, resolutions, study bills, bill histories, fiscal notes, and sponsor information; sign up for a "bills and rules watch" for updates on specific bills; look up bills by subject matter topic; and more.
Find your legislators: To find out who your Iowa senators and representatives are, click here. Using this tool, you can locate your legislators' contact information. You can also discover which committees they are involved in and the legislation they sponsor.

To view Iowa's 2018 legislative session timetable, click here.

To read the full text of the Governor's Condition of the State, click here.

Share your story with us:
"Iowa Women at Work" Storytelling Project

Iowan women, do you have a story to share about your experience in the workplace? If so, we would like you to share that story. Please consider sharing if you answer "yes" to any of the following questions:

Do you want your voice to be heard and have a story you want to share?
If you are a mother, what have been your experiences while pregnant, breastfeeding, and/or adopting a child?
Did you/do you have a story to share about caregiving and/or family leave?
Did you/do you have a story to share about harassment in the workplace?
Did you/do you have an employer you believe is supportive of women?

If you would like to submit a story to our project, click here. Stories will be reviewed and may be edited for clarity, however, submissions will be returned to the author for approval following any editing. After review, the stories will be released in a collection to the public in winter 2019.

Calling all girls in grades 6-12:
Registration open for Capitol Girls

Are you a female student in grades 6-12 who is interested in learning how the state legislature works? If so, register for Capitol Girls for an in-depth look at Iowa's state government on February 8th! This is a day of learning and doing, full of meeting key members of the Iowa legislature, and learning all the ins and outs of how a bill becomes a law.

Lunch will be provided. Business casual is recommended for this event. You do not have to be a Girl Scout to register.

For more information or to register, click here. Registration closes January 25, 2018.

Questions? Contact Janna Ahrendt at jahrendt@gsiowa.org.

Nominations open: Iowa Women's Hall of Fame and
Cristine Wilson Medal for Equality and Justice

Iowa Women's Hall of Fame

To highlight women's heritage and recognize their contributions, the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women (ICSW) established the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame in 1975. Each year the ICSW welcomes four women into the Hall of Fame, paying tribute to them and setting them forth as role models for others. Since 1975, 172 women have been inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame.

To nominate a woman for this award, fill out this form and send it with all required information to women@iowa.gov by April 1, 2018.

Cristine Wilson Medal for Equality and Justice

The Cristine Wilson Medal for Equality and Justice recognizes and honors the accomplishments of Cristine Wilson, first chair of the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women. During her service as chair, major legislation was passed that reduced sex discrimination and enhanced women’s rights. Wilson’s efforts were unceasing and her commitment was exemplary.

The Cristine Wilson Medal for Equality and Justice is awarded selectively to an individual who has made significant contributions to the principles of equality and justice in the state of Iowa. This award is open to all genders.

To nominate someone for this award, fill out this form and send it with all required information to women@iowa.gov by April 1, 2018.

Next Iowa Commission on the Status of Women meeting on Thursday, January 11

The next Iowa Commission on the Status of Women meeting will take place on Thursday, January 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Young Women's Resource Center, located at 818 5th Ave. in Des Moines.

Conference call number: 1-844-891-9182
Conference code: 233-539-3699

For accommodations, please contact Kristen Corey at 515-281-4470/800-558-4427 or women@iowa.gov at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.

Agenda will be posted 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

Are you interested in serving as a commissioner on the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women or another state of Iowa board/commission?

The state of Iowa is currently taking applications for state boards and commissions. The Governor and Lt. Governor appoint members to more than 180 boards and commissions as openings become available. If you are interested, view the complete List of Boards and Commissions.

Visit https://openup.iowa.gov/ for information on how to apply.