Sen. Winkler urges governor to fill Early Childhood Iowa board vacancies, calls move to HHS 'executive overreach'
March 18, 2026 | 2026 Senate, Legislative, Iowa
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
Sen. Mark Winkler (Senator from Scott) told colleagues on the Senate floor March 18 that the Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) state board is facing a staffing and governance crisis and urged the governor to appoint the nominees recommended by local ECI area boards.
Winkler said ECI — a 19‑member body composed of 15 citizen appointees and four state agency representatives — was moved administratively into the Department of Health and Human Services during a gubernatorial reorganization. He said HHS staff have attempted to press through organizational changes ‘‘without the legislative authority’’ to do so, calling the effort an example of ‘‘executive overreach.’’
The senator said the governor has left five citizen seats on the state board vacant and argued the vacancies dilute local voices. ‘‘Five vacant seats mean limited local voices for parents, educators, or faith leaders, leaving decisions to the few state employees on the board who have a vote,’’ Winkler said, adding that the board’s design is to ‘‘reflect local, community needs.’’
Winkler also described ECI’s role as coordinating investments in education, health and human services, workforce and economic development for children from birth through age 5. He said the state board provides oversight intended to maintain locally tailored services delivered by area boards.
In his remarks, Winkler called on members of the Senate to demand that Governor Reynolds ‘‘fulfill her executive duty to fill these positions immediately with the qualified nominees recommended by the ECI area boards as the law describes.’’ He said the vacancies have persisted for multiple years and that the governor had recommended only one appointment this year while leaving additional seats open.
No formal motion or floor action addressing ECI appointments followed Winkler’s remarks during this session. The Senate adjourned after a separate motion later in the day and did not vote on nominations or take up legislation related to ECI.
Winkler said ECI — a 19‑member body composed of 15 citizen appointees and four state agency representatives — was moved administratively into the Department of Health and Human Services during a gubernatorial reorganization. He said HHS staff have attempted to press through organizational changes ‘‘without the legislative authority’’ to do so, calling the effort an example of ‘‘executive overreach.’’
The senator said the governor has left five citizen seats on the state board vacant and argued the vacancies dilute local voices. ‘‘Five vacant seats mean limited local voices for parents, educators, or faith leaders, leaving decisions to the few state employees on the board who have a vote,’’ Winkler said, adding that the board’s design is to ‘‘reflect local, community needs.’’
Winkler also described ECI’s role as coordinating investments in education, health and human services, workforce and economic development for children from birth through age 5. He said the state board provides oversight intended to maintain locally tailored services delivered by area boards.
In his remarks, Winkler called on members of the Senate to demand that Governor Reynolds ‘‘fulfill her executive duty to fill these positions immediately with the qualified nominees recommended by the ECI area boards as the law describes.’’ He said the vacancies have persisted for multiple years and that the governor had recommended only one appointment this year while leaving additional seats open.
No formal motion or floor action addressing ECI appointments followed Winkler’s remarks during this session. The Senate adjourned after a separate motion later in the day and did not vote on nominations or take up legislation related to ECI.
View the Full Meeting & All Its Details
This article offers just a summary. Unlock complete video, transcripts, and insights as a Founder Member.
✓
Watch full, unedited meeting videos
✓
Search every word spoken in unlimited transcripts
✓
AI summaries & real-time alerts (all government levels)
✓
Permanent access to expanding government content
30-day money-back guarantee
