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News Brief

Nov. 7, 2019 |  By: INS & Jenny James

Iowa Lawmakers Visit Workplace of Constituents with Disabilities

As part of October's National Disability Employment Month, Iowa state Senators Brad Zaun and Jackie Smith and Representative Tim Kacena joined two constituents at their place of employment. Brooke Lovelace with the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council says Zaun joined Jessica Williams at an Urbandale Walgreens, while Kacena and Smith visited with Billy Haberman who works for Lunchtime Solutions at South Sioux City Middle School. Lovelace hopes their visit will have an impact at the State House.

"Hopefully, they'll recognize, well, hey, I met Jeff, I met Billy .  How would this policy affect them and their supports they get to be employed and to be a part of the community?"

Haberman's job highlights the importance of government-private partnerships in furthering the disabled community's goals of acceptance and community-based employment, according to Lovelace. She worries Iowa's low unemployment rate could cause employers to overlook their diverse skills and abilities.

"It's another way to bring awareness to individuals about the importance of employees with disabilities and the contributions that they make.  They're constituents, too.  They're taxpayers.  They contribute to the economy and to their community."