Iowa District 79 Representative Dustin Hite will enter his second general assembly at the Iowa State House this January after running unopposed in the November general election.

Hite says while a strengthened Republican majority will have several party priorities identified in the coming month ahead of legislators returning to Des Moines, he believes the overall focus will remain on the budget and the impact of COVID-19, which he says is stronger than many would expect considering spring-time shutdowns and the challenges faced in the national economy, following the December release of projections by the Revenue Estimating Conference.

“The final picture in the State of Iowa overall is looking pretty good especially when you consider all that we’ve been through this year and what other states are looking at,” he says. “I believe that the Revenue Estimating Conference says next year should be up $296 million in additional revenue, and what that means is we should have some money to address some of those COVID-19 issues and maybe fund some priorities we’d like to get done.”

Hite believes one issue that will carry over from his first term and an area exposed by the increase in remote working and learning is the lack of consistent broadband internet infrastructure across the state, especially in rural areas. He expects legislation to address those inequities to take shape when lawmakers return to Des Moines.

Stay tuned to 92.1 KRLS to hear from Hite during the 2021 Iowa Legislative Session, which begins on Monday, January 11th.