Action Alert: Protect the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund

Posted on February 27, 2025 in Blog

Update 3/4:

Senate Joint Resolution 6 is on the agenda for the Senate State Government Committee for tomorrow, March 5 at 11 a.m. There is no opportunity for public comment at the meeting, so it's important you contact the full committee ahead of time and ask them to oppose SJR 6. A full list of committee emails is below.

Despite overwhelming opposition to this bill, SJR 6 takes the first steps toward repealing the constitutional amendment passed by Iowa voters to create the Trust Fund.

Senate Joint Resolution 6 has to pass with a majority of votes in the Senate State Government Committee by March 7 in order to survive the legislative funnel. We want to make sure that doesn't happen.

Please contact the full Senate State Government Committee now!

ken.rozenboom@legis.iowa.gov
jeff.reichman@legis.iowa.gov
cindy.winckler@legis.iowa.gov
kevin.alons@legis.iowa.gov
tony.bisignano@legis.iowa.gov
matt.blake@legis.iowa.gov
mike.bousselot@legis.iowa.gov
doug.campbell@legis.iowa.gov
claire.celsi@legis.iowa.gov
dawn.driscoll@legis.iowa.gov
jesse.green@legis.iowa.gov
dennis.guth@legis.iowa.gov
carrie.koelker@legis.iowa.gov
sandy.salmon@legis.iowa.gov
jason.schultz@legis.iowa.gov
art.staed@legis.iowa.gov
thomas.townsend@legis.iowa.gov
scott.webster@legis.iowa.gov
cherielynn.westrich@legis.iowa.gov

Update 2/27:

A bill in the Iowa Senate that would repeal the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund remains alive with just a week before the first legislative funnel. While nature advocates like you have asked for the legislature to fund the Trust for the last 15 years, some are now trying to do away with it entirely.

We need your voice now. Tell your legislators to reject the proposal to repeal the Natural Resources & Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund.

In order for Senate Joint Resolution 6 to survive the legislative funnel, it would have to pass with a majority of votes in the Senate State Government Committee by March 7. We want to make sure that doesn't happen.

Here is how you can help:

Call or email your legislators and ask them to oppose SJR 6.
Contact the full Senate State Government Committee and ask them to oppose SJR 6.

Attend one of the following forums this weekend and ask them to oppose SJR 6 and fund the Trust!

Ankeny Office Hours with Rep. Heather Matson
Friday, February 28 at 9:00 AM
Main Street Cafe (2510 SW White Birch Dr, Ankeny)

Greater Iowa City Legislative Forum with Rep. Adam Zabner
Friday, February 28 at 2:00 PM
Iowa City Area Association of Realtors (847 Quarry Rd, Coralville)

Iowa City School District Legislative Forum with Reps. Elinor Levin, Adam Zabner, Dave Jacoby, and Amy Neilsen
Friday, February 28 at 4:00 PM
Iowa City Community School Districts Office (1725 N Dodge St, Iowa City)

Colfax Coffee and Conversation with Reps. Megan Srinivas and Jon Dunwell
Saturday, March 1 at 8:00 AM
Sheepgate Coffee (15 E Howard St, Colfax)

Wilton Legislative Forum with Rep. Taylor Collins
Saturday, March 1 at 9:00 AM
Wilton City Hall, Community Room (104 East 4th Street, Wilton)

Dubuque Legislative Forum with Rep. Lindsay James
Saturday, March 1 at 9:30 AM
Diamond Jo Casino (301 Bell Street, Dubuque)

Hiawatha Legislative Office Hours with Rep. Aime Wichtendahl
Saturday, March 1 at 10:00 AM
Roaster's Coffee (1059 N Center Point Rd, Hiawatha)

Des Moines Office Hours with Reps. Megan Srinivas and Brian Meyer and Sen. Tony Bisignano
Saturday, March 1 at 10:00 AM
Southside Public Library, Meeting Room (1111 Porter Avenue, Des Moines)
Wapello Legislative Forum with Rep. Taylor Collins
Saturday, March 1 at 11:00 AM
Wapello City Hall, City Council Chambers (335 North Main Street, Wapello)

Webster City Eggs & Issues Forum with Sen. Dennis Guth
Saturday, March 1 at 11:00 AM
Iowa Central Community College, Tom Chelesvig Building (1725 Beach Street, Webster City)

Des Moines Office Hours with Rep. Rob Johnson
Monday, March 3 at 9:00 AM
Mars Cafe (2318 University Avenue, Des Moines)

Osceola Legislative Forum with Senate President Amy Sinclair and Rep. Bubba Sorensen
Monday, March 3 at 10:00 AM
Revelton Distilling Company (1400 West Clay Street, Osceola)

Des Moines Office Hours with Rep. Megan Srinivas
Monday, March 3 at 11:00 AM
DMARC (100 Army Post Road, Des Moines)

Update 2/21:

The voters spoke. Voters created the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund. Voters have urged the legislature to fund the Trust for the past 15 years, which the legislature has failed to do. Now, some legislators claim that voters no longer care about this protected trust fund for clean water, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation and agricultural conservation.

Tell your legislators that your vote still matters and to reject the proposal to repeal the Natural Resources & Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund.

Senate Joint Resolution 6 passed out of a three-person subcommittee this week and could be brought to the full Senate State Government Committee as early as next Wednesday.

Despite an overflow crowd mostly in opposition to the bill, SJR 6 is still alive, and we need your voice to help stop it. Tell members of this committee that you still support the Trust Fund, and that it would be a violation of voters’ will to try to kill it with this unnecessarily divisive bill.

We should be investing in clean water, healthy soil and outdoor recreation opportunities instead of limiting our ability to do so.

Here are three ways you can help:

Call or email your legislators and ask them to oppose SJR 6.
Contact the full Senate State Government Committee and ask them to oppose SJR 6.

Attend one of the following forums hosted by members of the Senate State Government Committee this weekend and ask them to oppose SJR 6.

Oskaloosa Eggs & Issues with Sens. Ken Rozenboom and Adrian Dickey, and Reps. Helena Hayes and Barb Kniff-McCulla
Saturday, February 22 at 8:30 AM
Smokey Row Coffee (109 South Market Street, Oskaloosa)

Fredericksburg Town Hall with Sen. Sandy Salmon
Saturday, February 22 at 9:00 AM
Upham Memorial Library (138 West Main Street, Fredericksburg)

Windsor Heights Talk with Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, Sen. Claire Celsi, and Mayor Mike Jones
Saturday, February 22 at 9:00 AM
Iowa Realty Office, Aisha R. Syed Board Room (2830 100th Street, Suite 110, Urbandale)

Allison Town Hall with Sen. Sandy Salmon
Saturday, February 22 at 11:00 AM
Allison Public Library (412 3rd Street, Allison)

Update 2/19: SJR 6 has moved to the full Senate State Government Committee. A meeting considering the bill has not yet been scheduled. We are grateful to everybody that advocated for the Natural Resource and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund by attending the subcommittee meeting in person or by calling or emailing your representative.

Your voice is needed now!

Senators in the Iowa legislature are trying to kill the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund, and they need to hear from you that Iowans still support cleaner water, healthier soil, more wildlife habitat and more opportunities to get outdoors.

A bill has been introduced in the Senate State Government Committee that takes the first steps toward repealing the constitutional amendment passed by Iowa voters to create the Trust Fund.

A subcommittee hearing on Senate Joint Resolution 6 has been scheduled for tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. at the Iowa State Capitol. It is the only opportunity to make your voice heard on this bill in person, so please join us to tell legislators that Iowans still support the Trust Fund.

Subcommittee:SJR 6
Members: Bousselot-CH, Green, Staed
Date: 02/19/2025 11:30 AM
Location: Room G15 (Ground Floor of Capitol)

Please contact your legislators and the members of the Senate State Government committee and ask them to oppose SJR 6.

Even though the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund has yet to be funded, it has consistently polled highly among Iowans of all parties. Some legislators believe people have moved on from the Trust Fund, but we still believe it is our state’s best opportunity to invest in our natural resources.

If you have questions, please contact INHF Public Policy Director and Counsel Anna Gray at agray@inhf.org.

Thank you for using your voice to protect smart conservation in Iowa!