Close Up: Reynolds takes legal action to "back the blue" with new law
Close Up: Reynolds takes legal action to "back the blue" with new law
This is Iowa's News Leader. This is K C C I eight News close up Iowa took new steps to back the blue legally the governor signed a law that fulfills her and other republicans campaign promise to protect police officers while keeping Iowans safe from violent protests. I've experienced its share of unrest. The back the Blue Act responds by making writing a felony so if you riot, if you looked, if you attack or LA law officers, then you will be punished to the fullest extent of the law. It burns. The governor was referring to last summer when demonstrations protesting the murder of George Floyd at the hands of a white officer turned violent and destructive. The new law would also increase penalties for protesters blocking streets and highways or those who destroy public property. The bill also strengthens qualified immunity protection for law enforcement, making it more difficult to sue them individually for misconduct. And it also penalize penalizes policies that discourage officers from enforcing laws on the state or local level. K. C. C. I. S. Chief Political Reporter Cynthia voter gets a close up look at how law enforcement feels about the new law Kushner. First off, how will this new law protect officers and people in law enforcement? You know, This is really, I know it's been coined as back the blue, but in many respects it's it's really about community safety and you know, for a lot of our officers. Um, this does provide them a measure of safety as well just as it does for the rest of the community. Um, there's pieces of this legislation in particular that helps protect the confidentiality of the officers home address is um, that is one big piece that has been missing in part is the ability to remove your home address from the public portion of the county auditor's office. Uh, so you can't jump online and quickly find where an officer lives. You know, and that unfortunately, is a it's an ongoing challenge that we all experience. Now. The other piece of it is uh concerning qualified immunity. And, you know, I know that there's been much made of how we're expanding qualified immunity. And in some senses, the statute does expand qualified immunity, but really what it does is just bring Iowa in conformance with existing federal law. Uh and what it allows our officers to do is to not constantly second guess themselves. And that is something that we owe the officers in my opinion, in many respects, is because what I don't want to have is an officer that's afraid to do or or a female issue, that's afraid to do what they've been called to do because they're worried about getting sued, um that they don't intervene, that they just stay in their car um as opposed to going out and engaging with the public or protecting um an individual or taking a dangerous individual off the street. And so I just gives them a measure of of confidence that they're not going to be constantly second guessing exposing themselves the lawsuit. Have you been seeing more lawsuits along those lines? Um particularly in the last here? Yeah, I mean it's it's always an ongoing situation. I know not only the Iowa Department of Public Safety but the I. R. The des Moines Police Department. Um those are our lawsuits that are ongoing. Um and that happened with a fair degree of regularity. And you know, what is nice with this new law? As as I said, it brings us in conformance with federal law and it does provide a little better measure of protection to the officers. It creates a situation where they won't have that liability unless they're clearly outside the bounds of the law. In this law, we've been hearing a lot about it also has been called the anti rioting law, that it increases penalties for protests, related crimes. Will it make much of a difference for officers doing their jobs at a protest? It will. Um, and I think again, you know, what it's designed to do is really promote off public safety. Um, and the best example I can give, um, probably in the new law is, uh, the notion of blocking highways. Um, you know, we had situations where state troopers had to respond to Iowa city, Where we had individuals that were protesting that blocked interstate 80. Um, that is an incredibly dangerous activity. Um, you know, first and foremost, you know, when those events occurred this summer that happened in the middle of the night. Um, so it's dark and you have 100 and 50 people walk onto I 80. And if we don't have advanced notice that that's going to occur, the risk not only to the protesters, but to the traveling public is enormous. And and along those lines, I mean, several other uh charges have been raised for the charge of rioting would now be a felony. Would that be a major deterrent, you think yes, I certainly do believe it will be a deterrent. Another piece of this is the unlawful assembly piece. The A. C. L. U. Has been somewhat critical of this, saying that it's just too broadly written. You know, when we look back at, even in the summer, you know what we did, and in almost every occasion was To advise everyone that was president over loudspeakers, that this is now becoming an unlawful assembly. You know, please disperse and then we would wait five minutes and then we'll give them another warning. And the third warning. And almost every occasion game only three warnings on the stand 15 minutes to advise folks that have become that. And so that's how we would operate. Um, even under the new laws to give folks the apple ample opportunity to understand the dynamics and the shifting notion of a peaceful protest into criminal activity and give those folks that are engaged in their First Amendment rights, the opportunity to uh, to leave to pull away to extricate themselves in that situation. Well, Democratic state leaders feel the governor broke her promise to take up justice reform recommendations. A year ago after the protests died down, Reynolds signed the More perfect Union Act. It addressed police brutality concerns by banning chokeholds and requiring that police take anti bias and de escalation training. It also prohibits rehiring any officer previously fired for serious misconduct. Lawmakers, including those from the legislative Black Caucus met this week to voice their concerns. We last year did a yeoman's work on the black idea. Black caucus on getting the more perfect Union, you know, through our legislative caucus, we were up one body. We were one accord that says volumes. This legislation that the governor signed, you know, recently has shown that we have gone backwards. We have again divided democrats and republicans. I think that sends a terrible, terrible message. Iowa is beginning to be looked at around the country as a state that is going backwards. It sends out a message that we do not want to grow. We do not want to welcome people who want to come here and we want to maintain status quo. I hope the governor has a visionary s back to her mentality, that she will soon wake up, realize the message that she is sending out, realize the condition that our state is in and change her legislative perspective. Uh, people, young people, uh, they're going to remember Iowans are going to remember regardless of party in terms of um, what signal signing this bill sends beyond Iowa to the rest of the country that's going to influence not only, uh, opportunity for, for folks, but it's going to influence our business community who they're able to bring to Iowa, whether it's in the tech field or supporting even some of the issue of the job issues and concerns are going on rural, rural Iowa. It's just an additional example of failed leadership on the part of the governor. And so I have no expectation that she had all session to get something done. We had momentum from last summer and um this session, every opportunity existed to come together. We weren't invited to the table. Um the recommendation she heard from others were ignored. And so I don't know why a promise she makes now would be kept any more than the promise she made last summer. And I want to echo that myself. I think um minority leader converse is correct. And just to give you kind of a view of how this would work. My concern would be that if we did do something next year, it would simply be an amendment on the current bill that she just now passed. I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm not interested in doing that. That sets us up to vote for the back to bill Blue in a positive manner and I voted no on that bill. So adding racial profiling to it does not help us if we're going to do something at all, we need to go back to what we did the bill that the uh, you know, bill that the Iowa black caucus did. We can add it to that if we want to do that. But many, many other actions throughout the session showed a change in tone in dealing with racial issues that I have seen in the six terms that I have been representative. The attitude in trying to deliberately stop actions around the state that would promote racial coming together were stop. It's just a real negative, dire tone of we don't want change. That was the big message of this session. We don't see a need for diversity. We don't see a need for collaboration. It is our way or the highway and up next the Democratic challenger is making a play for the governor's office. Representative ross smith weighs in on the governor's new law and why he believes he's better fit to lead. Iowa, how would you describe shopping for a new car? Governor? Reynolds has her first challenger. Democratic state representative ross smith is the first to throw his hat into the ring. K. C. C. I. S. Chief political reporter Cynthia voter talked with him one on one after his big announcement in water loop. Or you're the first person on the Democratic side. Well, you're the first person to announce on both sides because the governor hasn't made it official yet. Um, and you're the first black person to run for governor. Why are you throwing your hat in the ring here? I was, my home, my wife and I are proud to raise our daughters here. Um you know from my family's strawberry farm to the church I go to here in waterloo, my mom is a pastor, I was made me who I am. It's showing me the true meaning of community, but it's also allowed me to understand that we're not just defined by the work or the jobs that we do is about what we're all working towards and I think I would deserve a governor that is worthy of that work. Um, somebody who's been in their shoes and understand that the goal of the office now should be about returning to power to the people and allowing the people to not have to be perfect, but allowing them to come as they are being part of this community, allow them to be a contributing member of the Iowa that we want to build for the future. Is this something um, representative that you've always aspired to or or were you pushed by this session? I know democrats had a lot of frustration and trying to get their agenda accomplished given that republicans control the House, the Senate and the governor's seat. For me, it's not something I ever planned to do. To be honest. I I never anticipated or planned to be state representative either. You know, sometimes I do believe that, you know, as a man of faith, um, God put you in certain situations for a reason and I believe that in this moment I am here to to help build bridges to utilize my lived experiences to demonstrate that as a black man, I'm still just as much in Iowa as anything as anyone else. Let's turn to the back the blue bill, so called back the Blue bill. And I believe you voted against that. Why did you vote against it? I voted against it because it was not based on the the recommendations from the governor's task force. First and foremost, it wasn't in line with the request that law enforcement had made about anti racial profiling legislation. It wasn't in line with our shared values and goals that we set forth last year after we passed a plan from a perfect union. In my opinion, this was more pandering as opposed to being able to unite folks like we did last year. This was really geared towards political gain and I think just pandering to one group as opposed to moving everything forward. Well, still ahead social distance disruption. We go close up into how isolating to keep each other safe, negatively affected our mental health. There's nothing we haven't seen. There's nothing we can. This pandemic has been weird, overwhelming and isolating at times. And as we're getting back to normal K. C. C. I. S. Race partner takes a closer look at the mental effects in a post pandemic world. Social isolation. We all have probably sealed ourselves off in some way because of you know the pandemic. Well I spoke with mental health clinician Brianne ward for a close up conversation about behaviors found during the pandemic. From heightened anxieties and worries to environmental stressors amplified during isolation. And how fast is too fast to be back outside in the world. This is a close up look at social isolation and how to move forward. I'm here with Brianna Ward. She is a mental health clinician and we're going to talk about social isolation. A lot of us have done at least a little bit of that uh during this pandemic. So let's get into how we're dealing with it um Post pandemic as we're kind of inching our way back to normal. Right? So before this, let's talk about some of the anxieties that people might have met before even going into the pandemic or during the pandemic. What are some things that you saw um from people brand? You know, um I saw a lot of anxiety, I saw also a lot of depressive symptoms kind of call it the gas pedal brake analogy. So you have people who have racing thoughts that rumination, which feels the anxiety and then after you get tired your body said, okay, you can shut down, it starts to look like depression. So, you know, you push the brake pedal and a lot of the fueling thoughts that were happening with the persons I was serving was you know, am I going to have enough money? Can I make it, can I make enough money? Um is there enough hours at my job? I think I have people, but do I really have supports, I'm not quite sure, you know, the whole, you know, fake phenomenon, friends, I have fake friends, family members, that was kind of things. So kind of working through some of those relational issues as well as well as basic needs and financial issues that always were happening before pandemic. Okay, so before pandemic, and then you add social isolation to everything that you just said, and that creates what, so it magnifies those issues. So if you are quote unquote terminated or laid off, if you are already having those dark ruminations about how it's almost like I'll never, so it becomes like this fixed mindset that that was happening with isolation. Um if I didn't have support, you know, now I'll never have support. Uh so it was this idea of how do me or us as clinicians assist people with kind of seeing, quote on quote, the silver lining or helping them to navigate their strengths to create, you know, the outcome they would like to see even in isolation. And it's been a task. Why has it, why would you say it's been in taxes because of that? Um interpersonal relationship of like not being able to be in front of somebody or why? Why would you say that? Yeah, well, and and then you also have to add in pandemic happened because of covid 19. So the idea, I don't really get sick, I'm scared to get sick. I see sickness all over, you know, tv and social media, I'm also not quite aware if I, you know, if I can get sick. So it's this whole idea of I'm just gonna close myself off from the world until it's perceived as safe. However, what happened was, is when I close myself off, I'm with myself more or I'm with my triggers more, I'm with my environmental stressors more. So we were able to see domestic violence go up, we were able to see hunger go up. We were able to kind of see um child neglect go up. The reason why I said kind of see was because some of the Children, they weren't in a school building. So the reporting kind of went down on that. But when you get clients that come in or you get team clients who come in and they start to share their fears and their anxieties, you start to pinpoint like, oh, okay, something's not happening well at home. So yeah, social isolation causes a lot of people to sit with themselves. They think that they were distracted with other things to be away from. Yeah, okay, so now the transition going back into the world, real world, because I feel like a lot of people are very eager to do that. Like, oh, things are back open, Let me go die back in. Is that's March. Um Should we be kind of like pacing ourselves to go back or is it what is the professional perspective with that? And everyone will say something different too? Um but I would say that we're in a continuum, right? We're in the spectrum. You know, some people have been doing and living their best life even during covid um as safely as possible, but there are still some who are just like, well, I don't know. So it depends on where you are on the continuum of um social safety. Um and precautions, here's what I think is best. I think that we should probably phase ourselves into social interactions or being, you know, back to normal. You know, go and do some experiential type things, go sit in the coffee shops, you know, it makes you feel if you're not even there yet go sit in the parking lot and see how that makes you feel. You know, if you want to go in grocery shop, I started doing online shopping, that was the best thing that ever happened to my life. Never probably go back and do grocery shopping in person again. But you know, just kind of do some experiential type things, go to places that you used to go to, give yourself some time and assess how you feel. And if you feel okay, stay a little longer if you like. No to early, go back home. Right, That sounds good to me. I will be following that as well. Um uh as far as age groups or any demographic is one more susceptible to anxieties either pre or post pandemic than others? Or is everyone kind of on the same playing field? And what are some things that we could do besides kind of waiting um back in that can kind of ease the process of transition? Well, I mean I also think um I haven't really seen age differences. For instance, some of my, you know, um 30 and up was like I'm a homebody anyway, so this doesn't bother me. Um But then, you know, you do have your your early twenties and your teams are just like I just can't do this anymore. I'm going to the party, I'm going to the kickback. Um So you know, there has been some of that, well there are some have to do a lot of informed, you know, choice. Like you know, there are risks for that. Yeah, but I'm okay you live once you know, So I think the idea is basically to scan not just age but also to stand readiness and that could be at any age uh frame or time frame. What I will say though um, right is mm we can't demonize somebody for what they want to do. We can't scold somebody for what they want to do. But I think the best thing that we can do is make sure that they have their safety parameters in place and allow them to to use that as they want. Another thing that I would also say is, you know, I am fully vaccinated. I fought it for a very, very long time but I had a lot of people close to me and and near me in my circles that were dying. Um, and so we might want to be talking about vaccine too, the benefits of being vaccinated so that you can have those freedoms to do what you'd like to do. All right, thank you so much Brianne ward for being with us today and we'll be right back after this, enjoy a slice of the sweet NEW CDC data shows I was doing well when it comes to caring for those living with HIV or AIDS. The report is from data compiled in 2019. I was the second best state at getting those living with HIV on viral suppressants. The state has reduced the number of diagnosis from 2015 to 2019 By nearly 30%. Last year's data is supposed to be coming out soon. But while we continue to take a closer look at L G B T Q plus issues this pride month, we're taking a look at the misconceptions that persist about HIV and AIDS. When people first received their diagnosis of HIV and they come to their first visit, A lot of them are very distraught and I think the big concern is that they do have this vision of what HIV and AIDS was like in the 80s and early 90s before we had good medications. Um what I tend to tell these people is to reassure them that that the diagnosis of HIV is really no longer a death sentence um and hasn't been for the past decade or so. So if we catch someone who has HIV and they can get a diagnosis before their immune system is damaged, we can get them on medications um that can essentially make it so that the HIV virus is no longer circulating in their blood and can prevent the HIV from progressing to AIDS. Um We don't have a cure for HIV yet. So even though we can get the levels of HIV to decrease in the amount of blood it's still hiding in their body. But it doesn't cause the immune system damage that it would cause without the medications. Historically. It is it was felt to be that that is the highest risk people. But they have found that recently. Um you know the rate of HIV is rising in heterosexual people as well. And so I do think that it's important for people to realize that it's not only a disease that men who have sex with men give but that can be transmitted through heterosexual um uh encounters as well. And also things like I. V. Drug use. Thank you for joining us. Have a great sunday. Yeah. What?
[KCCI CAPTIONING IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE IOWA CLINIC] ANNOUNCER: THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER, THIS IS KCCI 8 NEWS "CLOSE UP." SCOTT: IOWA TOOK NEW STEPS TO BACK THE BLUE LEGALLY. THE GOVERNOR SIGNED A LAW THAT FULFILLS HER AND OTHER REPUBLICANS’ CAMPAIGN PROMISE TO PROTECT POLICE OFFICERS WHILE KEEPING IOWANS SAFE FROM VIOLENT PROTESTS. >> IOWA EXPERIENCED ITS SHARE OF UNREST. THE BACK THE BLUE ACT RESPONDS BY MAKING RIOTING A FELONY. SO IF YOU RIOT, IF YOU LOOT, IF YOU ATTACK OUR LAW OFFICERS, THEN YOU WILL BE PUNISHED TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW. >> YOU NEED TO DISPERSE NOW! SCOTT: THE GOVERNOR IS REFERRING TO LAST SUMMER WHEN DEMONSTRATIONS PROTESTING THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD AT THE HANDS OF A WHITE OFFICER TURNED VIOLENT AND DESTRUCTIVE. THE NEW LAW WOULD ALSO INCREASE PENALTIES FOR PROTESTERS BLOCKING STREETS AND HIGHWAYS OR THOSE WHO DESTROY PUBLIC PROPERTY. THE BILL ALSO STRENGTHENS QUALIFIED IMMUNITY PROTECTION FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO SUE THEM INDIVIDUALLY FOR MISCONDUCT. IT ALSO PENALIZES POLICIES THAT DISCOURAGE OFFICERS FROM ENFORCING LA OWSN THE STATE OR LOCAL LEVEL. KCCI’S CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER CYNTHIA FODOR GETS A CLOSE UP LOOK AT HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT FEELS ABOUT THE NEW LAW. CYNTHIA: HOW WILL THIS NEW LAW PROTECT OFFICERS AND PEOPLE IN LAW ENRCFOEMENT? >> THIS IS REALLY -- I KNOW IT IS COINED AS BACK THE BLUE BUT IN MANY RESPECTS IT IS ABOUT COMMUNITY SAFETY. FOR A LOT OF OUR OFFICERS THIS DOES PROVIDE THEM A MEASURE OF SAFETY AS WELL JUST AS IT DOES FOR THE COMMUNITY. THERE IS PIECES OF THIS LEGISLATION THAT HELPS PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE OFFICERS’ HOME ADDRESS. THAT IS ONE BIG PIECE MISSING, THE ABILITY TO REMOVE YOUR HOME ADDRESS FROM THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THE COUNTY AUDITORS’ OFFICE SO YOU CANNOT JUMP ONLINE AND FIND WORD OFFICER LIVES. THAT UNFORTUNATELY IS AN ONGOING CHALLENGE WE EXPERIENCE. THE OTHER PIECE OF IT IS CONCERNING QUALIFIED IMMUNITY. I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN MUCH MADE OF HOW WE ARE EXPANDING QUALIFIED IMMUNITY AND IN SOME CASES IT DOES EXPAND IMMUNITY, BUT IT BRINGS IN IOWA WITH EXISTING FEDERAL LAW. WHAT IT ALLOWS OUR OFFICERS TO DO IS NOT CONSTANTLY SECOND-GUESSED THEMSELVES AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE OWE THE OFFICERS IN MY OPINION. WHAT I DON’T WANT TO HAVE IS AN OFFICER THAT IS AFRAID TO DO, OR A FEMALE OFFICER AFRAID TOO, D WHAT THEY ARE CALLED TO DO BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID GETTING SUED. THEY JUST STAY IN THEIR CAR AS OPPOSED TO GOING OUT AND ENGAGING WITH THE PUBLIC OR PROTECTING AN INDIVIDUAL OR TAKING A DANGEROUS INDIVIDUAL OFF THE STREET. IT GIVES THEM A MEASURE OF CONFIDENCE THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE CONSTANTLY EXPOSING THEMSELVES TO LAWSUIT. CYNTHIA: HAVE YOU BEEN SEEING MORE LAWSUITS ALONG THOSE LINES? PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST YEAR? >> I MEAN, IT IS ALWAYS AN ONGOING SITUATION. NOT ONLY THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY BUT DES MOINES POLICE DEPARTMENT, THOSE ARE LAWSUITS THAT ARE ONGOING AND THEY HAPPEN WITH FAIR REGULARITY. WHAT’S NICE WITH THIS NEW LAW, AS I SAID, IT BRINGS US IN CONFORMANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW AND PROVIDES BETTER MEASURES OF PROTECTION. IT CREATES A SITUATION WHERE THEY WON’T HAVE THAT LIABILITY UNLESS THEY ARE CLEARLY OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS OF THE LAW. CYNTHIA: IN THIS LAW WE HAVE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT -- IT HAS BEEN CALLED THE ANTI-RIOTING LAW. IT INCREASES PENALTIES FOR PROTEST RELATED CRIMES. WILL IT MAKE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE FOR OFFICERS DOING THEIR JOBS AT A PROTEST? >> IT WILL AND AGAIN, WHAT IT'’ DESIGNED TO DO IS PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY. THE BEST EXAMPLE IAN C GIVE IS PROBABLY THE NOTION OF BLOCKING HIGHWAYS. WE HAD SITUATIONS WHERE STATE TROOPERS HAD TO RESPOND TO IOWA CI TY OINR DIVIDUALS PROTESTING BLOCKED INTERSTATE 80. THAT IS AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS ACTIVITY. FIRST AND FOREMOST WHEN THOSE EVENTS OCCURRED THIS SUMMER IT HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. IT’S DARK AND YOU HAVE 150 PEOPLE WALK ONTO I-80 AND IF WE DON’T HAVE ADVANCED NOTICED, THE RISSK TO THE PROTESTERS AND PUBLIC IS ENORMOUS. CYNTHIA: ALONG THOSE LIN,ES SEVERAL OTHER CHARGES HAVE BEEN RAISED, THE CHARGE OF RIOTING WOULD NOT BE A FELONY. WOULD THAT BE A MAJOR DETERRENT DO YOU THINK? >> I CTAERINLYEL BIEVE IT WILL BE A DETERRENT. CYNTHIA: ANOTHER PIECE OF TSHI IS THE UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY PIECE, ACLU HAS BEEN CRITICAL SAYING IT IS TOO BROAD. >> WHEN WE LOOK BACK EVEN TO THIS SUMMER IN ALMOST EVERY CASE WE WOULD ADVISE EVERYONE PRESENT EROV LOUDSPEAKERS THAT THIS IS BECOMING AN UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY. PLSEEA DISPERSE AND WE WOULD WAIT FIVE MINUTES AND GIVE ANOTHER WARNING. IN ALMOST EVERY OCCASION BY THE THIRD WARNING THEY WILL DISPERSE. THAT IS HOW WE WOULD OPERATE TO GIVE FOLKS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THE DAMYNICS AND SHIFTING NOTICE INTO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, AND GIVE THOSE FOLKS ENGAGED IN THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO LEAVE, PULL AWAY, EXTRICATE THEMSELVES FROM THE SITUATIONT. SCOTT: DEMOCRATIC STATE LEADERS FEEL THE GOVERNOR BROKE HER PROMISE TO TAKE UP JUSTICE REFORM RECOMMENDATIONS. A YEAR AGO, AFTER THE PROTESTS DIED DOWN, REYNOLDS SIGNED THE MORE PERFECT UNION ACT. IT ADDRESSED POLICE BRUTALITY CONCERNS BY BANNING CHOKE-HOLDS AND REQUIRING THAT POLICE KETA ANTI-BIAS AND DE-ESCALATION TRAINING. IT ALSO PROHIBITS REHIRINGNY A OFFICER PREVIOUSLY FIRED FOR SERIOUS MISCONDUCT. LAWMAKERS INCLUDING THOSE FROM THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS MET THIS WEEK TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS. >> WE LAST YEAR DID YEOMAN’S WORK ON THE BLACK CAUCUS ON GETTING THE MORE PERFECTNION U TH ROUGH OUR LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS. WE WERE ONE BODY, ONE ACCD.OR THIS LEGISLATION THAT THE GOVERNOR SIGNED RECENTLY SHA SHOWN WE HAVE GONE BACKWARDS. WE HAVE AGAIN DIVIDED DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS. I THINK THAT SENDS A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE MESSAGE. >> IOWA IS BEGINNING BTOE LOOKED AT AROUND THE COUNTRY AS THE STATE THAT IS GOING BACKRDS.WA IT SENDS OUT A MESSAGE WE DOOT N WANT TO GROW, WE DO NOT WANT TO WELCOME PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COME HERE, AND WE WANT TO MAINTAIN STATUS QUO. I HOPEHE T GOVERNOR HAS A VISIONARY ASPECT TO HER MENTALITY THAT SHE WILL SOON WAKE UP, REALIZE THE MESGESA SHE IS SENDING, REALIZE THE CONDITION OUR STATISE IN, AND CHANGE HER LEGISLATIVE PERSPECTIVE. >> PEOPLE, YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY ARE GOING TO REMEMR,BE IOWANS ARE GOING TO REMEMBER REGARDLESS OF PARTY IN TERMS OF WHAT SIGNAL SIGNING THIS BILL SENDS BEYOND IOWA TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY THAT IS GOING TO INFLUENCE NOT ONLY OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS BUT IT IS GOING TO INFLUENCE OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY. WHO THEY ARE ABLE TO BRING TO IOWA WHETHER IT IS THE THEC FIELD OR SUPPORTING SOME OF THE JOB CONCERNS GOING ON IN RURAL IOWA. >> IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF FAILURE ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNOR. I HAVE NO EXPECTATION -- WE HAD MOMENTUM FROM LAST SUMRME AND EVERY OPPORTUNITY EXISTED TO COME TOGETHER. WE WERE NOT INTEVID TO THE TABLE. THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHERS WERE IGNORED. I DON’T KNOW WHY A PROMISE SHE MAKES NOW WOULD BE KEPT RATHER THAN THENE O SHE BROKE LAST SUMMER. >> I THINK MINORITY LEADER IS CORRECT. TO GEIV YOU A VIEW OF HOW THIS WOULD WORK MY CONCERN WOULD BE THAT IF WE DID DO SOMETHING NEXT YEAR, IT WOULD SIMPLY BANE AMENDMENT ON THE CURRENT BILL SHE PASSED. I’M GOING TO BE HONESTITH W YOU, I’M NOT INTERESTED IN DOING THAT. THAT SETS US UP TO VOTE FOR THE BACK THE BLUE VOTE IN POA SITIVE MANNER AND I VOTED NO. ADDING RACIAL PROFILING DOES NOT HELP US. IF WE ARE GOING TO DO SOMETNGHI AT ALL, WE NEED TO GO BACK TO WHAT WE DID. THE BILL THAT THE IOWA BLACK CAUCUS DID. WE COULD ADD TO THAT IF WE WANT TO DO THAT. >> MANY, MANY OTHER ACTIONS THROUGHOUT THE SESSION SHOWED A CHANGE IN TONE IN DEALING WITH RAALCI ISSUES THAT I HAVE SEEN IN THE SIX TERMS I HEAV BEEN A REPRESENTATIVE. THE AITTTUDE IN TRYING TO DELIBERATELY STOP ACTIONS AROUND THE STATE THAT WOULD PROMOTE RACIAL COMING TOGETHER WERE STOPPED. IT IS STJU A REAL NEGATIVE, DIRE TONE. WE DON’T NTWA CHANGE, THAT WAS THE BIG MESSAGE OF THIS SESSION. WE DON’T SEE A NEED FOR DIVERSITY. WE DON’T E SEA NEED FOR COLLABORATION. IT IS OUR WAY OR THE HIGHWAY. SCOTT: UP NEXT, A DEMOCRATIC ALCHLENGER IS MAKING A PLAY FOR THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION. REPRESENTATIVE RAS SMITH WEIGHS IN ON THE GOVERNOR’S NEW LAW AND WHY HE BELIEVES HE’S BETTER FITT ♪ SCOTT: GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SHA HER FIRST CHALLENGER. DEMOCRATIC STATE REPRESENTATIVE RAS SMITH IS THE FIRST TO THWRO HIS HAT INTO THE RING. KCCI’S CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER CYNTHIA FODOR TALKED WITH HIM 1-ON-1 AFTER HIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN WATERLOO. CYNTHIA: YOU ARE THE FIRST PERSON ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, WELL, THE FIRST PERSON TO ANNOUNCE. [LAUGHS] THE GOVERNOR HAS NOT MADE IT OFFICIAL YET. YOURE A THE FIRST BLACK PERSON TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR. WHY ARE YOU THROWING YOUR HAT IN THE RING? >> IOWA IS MY HOME. MY WIFE AND I ARE PROUD TO RAISE OUR DAUGHTERS HERE. FOR MY FAMILY’S STRAWBERRY FARM TO THE CHURCH GOI TO, MY MOTHER IS THE PASTOR. IT MADE ME WHO I AM. IT SHOWED ME THE MEANING OF COMMUNITY BUT WE ARE NOT JTUS DEFINED BY THE WORK OR JOBS WE DO. I’'S ABOUT WHAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS AND I THINK IAOW DESERVES A GOVERNOR WORTHY OF THAT WORK. SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN IN THEIR SHOES AND UNDERSTANDS THE GOAL OF THE OFFICE SHOULD BE ABOUT RETURNING POWER TO THE PEOPLE AND ALLOWING THE PEOPLE TO NOT BE PERFECT, BUT COME AS THEY ARE AND BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY. ALLOW THEM TO BE A CONTRIBUTGIN MEMBER OF THE IOWA WE WANT TO BUILD FOR THE FUTURE. CYNTHIA: IS THIS SOMETHING, REPRESENTATIVE, THAT YOU ALWAYS ASPIDRE TO OR WERE YOU PUSHED BY THE SESSION? I OWKN DEMOCRATS HAVE A LOT OF FRUSTRATION IN TRYING TO GET THEIR AGDAEN ACCOMPLISHED GIVEN REPUBLICANS CONTROL THE HOUSE, THE SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR’S SEAT. >> FOR ME, IT IS NOT SOMETHING I PLAN TO DO. I NEVER ANTICIPATED TO BE STATE REPRESENTATIVE. AS A MAN OF FAITH I DO BELIEVE GOD PUT YOU IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS FOR A REASON. I BELIEVE IN THIS MOMENT I’M HERE TO UTILIZE MY VEDLI EXPERIENCES TO DEMONSTRATE AS A BLACK MAN THAT I AM JUST AS MUCH IOWA AND AS ANYBODY ELSE. CYNTHIA: LET’S TURN TO THE BACK THE "BLOOMBERG SURVEILLANCE". -- BACK OF THE BLUE BILL. I BELIEVE YOU VOTED AGAINST THAT. WHY? >> IT WAS NOT BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE GOVERNOR’S TASK FORCE. IT WASN’T IN LINE WITHHE T ANTI-RACIAL PROFILING. IT WASN’T IN LINE WITH OUR SHEDAR GOALS THAT WE SET FORTH LAST YEAR AFTER WE PASSED TO THE PERFECT UNION. THIS WAS MORE PANDERING AS OPPOSED TO BEING ABLE TO UNITE FOLKS LIKE LAST YEAR. THIS WAS REALLY GEARED TOWARD POLITICAL GAIN AND PANDERING TO ONE GROUP AS OPPOSED TO MOVING FORWARD. SCOTT: STILL AHEAD, SOCIAL DISTANCE DISRUPTN.IO WE GO CLOSE UP INTO HOW ISOLATING TO KEEP EACH OTHER SAFE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED OUR MENTAL HEALTH. ♪ SCOTT: THIS PANDEMIC HAS BEEN WEIRD, OVERWHELMING AND ISOLATING AT TIMES. AS WE’RE GETTING TO BACK NORMAL, KCCI’S RHEYA SPIGNER TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MENTAL AFFECTS IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD. RHEYA: SOCIAL ISOLATION. WE ALL OF HAVE PROBABLY SEALED OURSELVES OFF IN SOME YWA BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THE PANDEMIC. I SPOKE THWI MTAENL HEALTH CLINICIAN BREANNE WARD FOR A CLOSE UP CONVERSATION ABOUT BEHAVIORS FOUND DURINGHE T PANDEMIC FROM HEIGHTENED ANXIETIES AND WORRSIE TO ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS AMPLIFIED DURING ISOLATION. AND HOW FAST IS TOO FAST TBEO BACK OUTSIDE IN THE WORLD? THIS IS A CLOSE UP LOOK AT SOCIAL ISOLATION AND HOW TO MOVE FORWARD. I AM HERE THWI BREANNE WARD, A MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIAN, AND WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOCIAL ISOLATION. A LOT OF US HAVE DONE THAT DURING THIS PANDEM.IC LET’S GET INTO HOW WE ARE DEALING WITHT I POST-PANDEMIC AS WE ARE INCHING OUR WAY BACK TO NORMAL, RIGHT? BEFORE THIS LET’S TALK ABOUT THE ANXIETIES PEOPLE MIGHT HEAV MET BEFORE EVEN GOING INTO THE PANDEMIC OR DURING THE PANDEMIC. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU SAW FROM PEOPLE? >>OU Y KNOW, I SAW A LOT OF ANXIETY. I ALSO SAW A LOT OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS. : THE GAS -- CALL IT THE GAS PEDAL THAT FUELS ANXIETY. AFTER YOU GET TIRED YOUR BODY SAYS SHUT DOWN. IT STARTTOS OO LK LIKE DEPRESSION. A LOT OF THE THOUGHTS THAT WERE HAPPENING WITH THE PERSONS I WAS SERVING WAS IF I GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, CAN I MAKE ENOHUG MONEY, IS THERE ENOUGH HOURS AT MY JOB, I THINK I HAVE PEOPLE BUT DO I REALLY HAVE SUPPORT? THE WHOLE FAKE PHENOMENON OF FAKE FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMRSBE. KIND OF WORKING THROUGH THOSE ISSUES AS WELL AS THE BASIC NEEDS AND FINANCIAL ISSUES. THAT W HASAPPENING BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. RHEYA: BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND THEN YOU ADD SOCIAL ISOLATION TO EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID AND THAT CREATES WHAT? >> IT MAGNIFIES THOSE ISSUES SO, IF YOU ARE "TERMINATED" OR LAID OFF, IT IS ALMOST LIKE I WILL NEVER. IT BECOMES THIS FIDXE MINDSET THAT WAS HAPPENING WITH ISOLATION. IF I DIDN’T VEHA SUPPORT, NOW I WILL NEVER HAVE SUPPORT. IT WAS THIS IDEA OF HOW TO US AS CLINICIANS ASSIST PEOPLE WITH SEEING "THE SILVER LINING" OR HELPING NAVIGATE TIRHE STRENGTHS TO CREATE THE OUTCOME THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE? EVEN IN ISOLATION AND IT HAS BEEN A TASK. RHEYA: WHY WOULD YOU SAY IT HAS BEEN A TASK? IS IT BECAUSE OF THAT INTERPERSONAL RELIOATNSHIP OF NOT BEING ABLE TO BE IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY? WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT? >> AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE TO ADD TH E PANDEMIC HAPPENED BECAUSE OF COVID-19. I DON’T WANT TO TGE SICK, I SEE SICKNESS ALL OVER TV AND SOCIAL MEDIA, I AM NOT QUITE AWARE IF I CAN GET SICK. IT’S THIS IDEA OF I’M JUST GOING TO CLOSE MYSELF OFF FROMHE T WORLD UNTIL IT IS PERCEIVED AS SAFE. HOWEVER, WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I CLOSED MYSELF OFF I’M THWI MYSELF MORE OR WITH MY TRIGGERS MORE. I’M WITH MY STRESSORS MORE. WE WERE ABLE TO SEE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GOT UP, HUNGEGOR UP, WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF SEE CHILD NEGLECT GO UP. THE REASON WHY I SAY KIND OF IS BECAUSE THE CHILDREN WERE NOT IN A SCHOOL BUILDING. THE REPORTING KIND OF WENT DOWN ON THAT BUT WHENOU G YET CLIENTS THAT COME IN FOR TEENS THAT COME IN AND SHARE FEARS AND ANXIETIES YOU PINPOT,IN OH, SOMETHING IS NOT HAPPENING WHILE AT HOME. SOCIAL ISOLATION CAUSED A LOT OF PEOPLE TO SIT WITH THEMSELVES OR THINK THEY WERE DESTRUCTIVE WITH OTRHE THINGS TO BE AWAY FROM. RHEYA: OK. NOW THE TRANSITION. GOING BACK INTO THE WORLD BECAUSE I ELFE LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE EAGER TO DO THAT. ,OH THINGS ARE OPEN, LET ME DIVE BACK IN. IS THAT SMA?RT SHOULD WE BE PACING OURSELVES TO GO BACK OR WHAT IS THE PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE WITH THAT? >> EVERYONE WILL SAY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I WODUL SAY WE ARE ON A CONTINUUM, RIGHT? WE ARE ON THE SPECTRUM. SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOING AND LIVING THEIR BEST LIFE EVEN DURING COVID AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE. BUT THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE, I DON’T KNOW. IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE ON ETH CONTINUUM OF SOCIAL SAFETY. HERE’S WHAT I THINK IS BEST. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY PACE OURSELVES INTO SOCIAL TEINRACTIONS OR BEING, YOU KNOW, BACK TO NORMAL. GO AND DOOME S EXPERIMENTAL TYPE THINGS. GO SIT IN A COFFEE SHOP AND ESE HOW YOU FEEL. IF YOU ARE NOT EVEN THEER YET, GO SIT IN A PARKING LOT AND SEE HOW THAT MAKES YOU FEEL. GO AND GROCERY SHOP. I STARTED DOING ONLINE SHOPPING. BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO MY LIFE. [LAUGHTER] I WOULD PROBABLY NEVER GO BACK. JUST KIND OF DO SEOM EXPERIMENTAL TYPE THINGS. GO TO PLACES YOU USED TO GO TO. GIVE YOURSELF SOME TIME AND ASSESS HOW YOU FEEL. IFOU Y FEEL OK, STAY A LITTLE LONGER. IF YOU ARE LIKE, TOO EARLY, GO BACK HOME. RHEYA: SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. I WILL BE FOLLOWING THAT AS WELL. [LAUGHTER] AS FAR AS EAG GROUPS OR ANY DEMOGRAPHIC, IS ONE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO ANXIETIES EITHER PRE-PANDEMIC OR POST-PANDEMIC? IS EVERYONE KIND OF ON THE SAME PLAYING FIELD AND WHAT ARE SOME THINGS WE NCA DO BESIDES WA DING BACK IN THAT WOULD EASE THE PROCESS? >> I ALSO THINK -- I HAVEN’T REALLY SEEN AGE DIFFERENCES. FOR INSTANCE, SOME OF MY, YOU KNOW, 30 AND UPPER LIKE, I’M A HOMEBODY SO THIS DIDN’T BOTHER ME. THEN YOU HAVE YOUR EARLY 20’S AND TEENS WHO ARE LIKE, I CAN’T DO THIS ANYMORE. I’M GOING TO, THE PARTY I’M GOING TO THE KICKBACK. THERE HAS BEEN SOME OF THAT -- YOU KNOW THERE ARE RISKS. I’M OK. YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE. I THINK THE IDEA IS BASICALLY TO SCAN NOT JUST AGE BUT ALSO TO SCAN READINE.SS THAT COULD BE AT ANY AGE FMERA OR TIMEFRAME. WHAT I WILL SAY THOHUG IS WE CAOTNN DEMONIZE SOMEBODY FOR WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. WE CANTNO SCOLD SOMEBODY FOR WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. I THINK THE BEST THING WEAN C DO IS MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THEIR SAFETY PARAMETERS IN PLA ACEND ALLOW THEM TO USE THAT AS THEY WANT. ANOTHE TRHING I WOULD ALSO SAY IS I AM FULLY VACCINATED. BUT I HAD PEOPLE CLOSE TO ME AND NEAR ME IN MY CIRCLES THAT WERE PDYING. WE MIGHT WANT TO TALK ABOUT VACCINES TOO. THE BENEFITS OF BEING VACCINATED SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THOSE FREEDOMS TO DO WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO. RHEYA: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. >> YOU’RE WELCOME. RHEYA: WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THIS. Y4BY5Y Y12FY SCOTT: NEW CDC DATA SHOWS IOWA IS DOING WELL WHEN IT COMES TO CARING FOR THOSE LIVING WITH HIV OR AIDS. THE REPORT IS FROM DATA COMPILED IN 2019. IOWA IS THE 2ND BEST STATE AT GETTING THOSE LIVING WITH HIV ON VIRAL SUPPRESSANTS. THE STATE HAS REDUCED THE NUMBER OF DIAGNOSIS FROM 2015 TO 2019 BY NEARLY 30%. LAST YEAR’S DATA IS SUPPOSED TO BE COMING OUT SOON. BUT WHILE WE CONTINUE TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT LGBTQ+ ISSUES THIS PRIDE MONTH WE’RE TAKING A LOOK AT THE MISCONCEPTIONS THAT PERSIST ABOUT HIV AND AIDS. >> WHEN PEOPLE RECEIVE THEIR DIAGNOSIS OF HIV AND COME TO THEIR FIRST VISIT A LOT ARE VERY DISTRAUGHT. I THINK THE CONCE IRNS THEY HAVE THIS VISION OF WHAT HIV AND AIDS WAS LIKE IN THE 1980’S BEFORE WE HAD MEDICATIONS. WHAT I TEND TO TELL PEOPLE IS REASSURE THEM THAT THE DIAGNOSIS OF HIV IS NO LONGER A DEATH SENTENCE AND HASN’T BEEN THE PAST DECADE OR SO. IF WE CATCH SOMEONE WHO HAS HIV AND THEY CAN GET A DIAGNOSIS BEFORE THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS DAMAGED AND GET THEM ON MEDICATIONS, THAT NCA ESSENTIALLY MAKE IT SO THE VIRUS IS NO LONGER CIRCULATING IN THREI BLOOD AND CAN PREVENT THE HIV FROM PROGRESSING TOWARD AI.DS WE DON’T HAVE A CURE FOR HIV YET, SO EVEN THOUGH WE CAN GET THE LEVELS TO DECREASE IN THE BLOOD IT IS STILL HIDING IN THEIR BODY, BUT IT DOESN’T CAUSE THE IMMUNE SYSTEM DAMAGE. HISTORICALLY IT SWA FELT TO BE THAT IS THE HIGHEST RISK PEOPLE BUT THEY HAVE FODUN RECENTLY, YOU KNOW, THE RATE OF HIISV RISING IN HETEROSEXUAL PEOPLE AS WELL. I DO THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE IT IS NOT JUST A DISSEEA THAT MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN GET BUT CAN BE TRANITSMTED THROUGH HETEROSEXUAL ENCOUNTERS AS WELL. AND ALSO THISNG LIKE IV DRUG USE. SCOTT: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US . HA AVE GREAT SUNDAY.
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Close Up: Reynolds takes legal action to "back the blue" with new law
Iowa took new steps to "back the blue" legally. Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a law that fulfills her and other Republicans' campaign promise to protect police officers while keeping Iowans safe from violent protests. "Iowa felt its share of unrest," Reynolds said. "The Back the Blue Act responds by making rioting a felony. So if you riot, if you loot, if you attack our law officers then you will be punished to the full extent of the law."
DES MOINES, Iowa —
Iowa took new steps to "back the blue" legally. Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a law that fulfills her and other Republicans' campaign promise to protect police officers while keeping Iowans safe from violent protests.
"Iowa felt its share of unrest," Reynolds said. "The Back the Blue Act responds by making rioting a felony. So if you riot, if you loot, if you attack our law officers then you will be punished to the full extent of the law."
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