[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6127495,"mediaKeyId","2663125-04a6b4ea5db0f2c744384c22c03376e4","parentId",2663125,"title","Senator raises concerns about judicial nominating commission and public confidence in courts during call-up of Senate File 407","audioSeconds",155,"startMs",153000,"endMs",308000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2663125-04a6b4ea5db0f2c744384c22c03376e4&start=153&end=308","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2663125-04a6b4ea5db0f2c744384c22c03376e4/thumbnail_153000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6127495/Iowa/Senator-raises-concerns-about-judicial-nominating-commission-and-public-confidence-in-courts-during-call-up-of-Senate-File-407","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6127495-a424b228d01c7b0d759e62cde1b48321/orig.mp4?Expires=1771015514&Signature=Rhq4GZJ0B2780WXbOp1S70~xACKMj52CdGHegqEFPzr2d9DrwvvGft04i5DyEyPI5drohAKGlHzpK2VFmHSCTFS8iMqcMUu0Z6VspFW2vuOhroz8y1C3rWG-I37LF8DK0QHlgqo-qoXWT6KO3BJ5fpXMcyF3E9oqeoWUK0cyqzQppg9w4HXSLunv7e0MFHNxjUWXN4dbqz6Mj4J6wd-p7p7MHeoZEgFilYJy5bPW-3iToA9qC4JyAw6L5l4a1RAdbAe7muy8L3h~x1W6P6y7U4K9NLwwMn8ur9Pqh-4OMnDdND91t5saOC0TxARN34owtrSppHh9ozQGrRlJ1zT2Sg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Iowa State Legislature","date","2025-03-17T00:00:00Z","article","Senator Whitver, the senator from Polk, called up Senate File 407 on the floor.

Following that call, a senator who was not identified by name in the transcript criticized perceived political influence in the judiciary and discussed the composition of judicial nominating commissions. “I think that, right now, the judge just has too much influence,” the senator said, adding that public confidence in the judicial system “has been in serious decline.”

The senator defended the current state-level nominating process as balanced. “Complaining about having attorneys on a nominating commission makes about as much sense as complaining about having doctors on the board of medicine,” the senator said. He described the current system as having “an equal number of attorneys selected by the bar and an equal number of ordinary citizens selected by the governor,” and said that balance helps keep local courts “free of the kind of political taint that we have seen at the state and federal levels.”

The senator also said he had received a text from a local attorney who is “very concerned about Senate File 407” and read portions of that text on the floor. He prefaced the reading with a disclosure about the sender’s past political opposition: “Full disclosure, he ran against me once upon time and gave me a pretty good run for my money.”

Nut graf: The floor remarks frame the debate over Senate File 407 in terms of public confidence in the judiciary and the appropriate balance of professional and citizen representation on judicial nominating commissions. The provided transcript excerpt records discussion and expressed concerns but does not show a formal vote or final action on Senate File 407.

Details: The excerpt records floor-level argumentation and a citation of messaging from a local attorney; it does not identify the speaker by name in the transcript for the substantive remarks, so quotes are attributed to an unnamed senator. No amendments or formal outcomes for Senate File 407 are included in the provided excerpt.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Action (2025-03-17)","oneSentenceSummary","After Senator Whitver called up Senate File 407, a senator on the floor said judges have 'too much influence,' defended balanced nominating-commission membership of attorneys and citizen appointees, and read a message from a local attorney expressing concern about the bill.","taxTitle","House of Representatives, Legislative, Iowa","taxId",27260,"location","Iowa","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":44,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6127499,"Senate advances bill to create PBM reverse auction for public employees' drug purchases",82,71000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2663125-04a6b4ea5db0f2c744384c22c03376e4&start=71&end=153","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2663125-04a6b4ea5db0f2c744384c22c03376e4/thumbnail_71000.jpg","/articles/6127499/Iowa/Senate-advances-bill-to-create-PBM-reverse-auction-for-public-employees-drug-purchases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6127499-26f35e70c0abd33657f8d3d86793a429/orig.mp4?Expires=1771015514&Signature=hFwyASD5iyxzTGoOL6HltZS2TkDuRFoXbgOKXRGz4CkZyFSc95zWmLcO77PUwnfa2xcjYPfaNvG1ch72KiRoLjECfJ~Me-5xXXAM7GLBnUMLO144lDr9ZcJNZd62ED63y-ILKWNeaLrjogCMLxxANc5n4pSUhJqBgs7K9Y1qe6acWliTsLwwAbbMxusnQiUwPxz5W6y037xi3EMsPebjb10GSmPydqcGQ8xyA5LTlmcDzBPi9hCpwvUhzSvDC7fPYxUjbLKlXKgL29VaXd~rzW5BzRxquCmQhCmWxB4RthA~-WttV4rZteMSNB~JkwRJkRu7wLEWkWfCbGkXz-Ev2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Webster, the senator from Scott, introduced Senate File 315 as legislation to add a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reverse auction for public employees' health plans.

“Senate file 315 is a bill that establishes a PBM reverse auction as part of public employees health plans,” Senator Webster said. He described the mechanism as “a transparent and competitive bidding process for qualified PBM bidders to submit proposals to an online system and allow counter offers for the lowest price pertaining to a health plan prescription drug purchasing group.” He added that the Department of Administrative Services is “currently undertaking this process as we speak.”

The bill drew no extended debate on the floor. Senator Klimesh, the senator from Winneshiek, moved that Senate File 315 be read for the final time and placed on its passage; the motion prevailed on a voice vote. Later on the floor the secretary was instructed to open the voting system so senators could record final passage votes.

Senator Whitver, the senator from Polk, asked unanimous consent to immediately message several files, including Senate File 106, Senate File 140, Senate File 257 and Senate File 315; the presiding officer said, “Hearing no objections so ordered,” and the files were ordered messaged.

Nut graf: If enacted, the change would alter how the state’s public-employee prescription drug purchasing group contracts with PBMs by establishing a competitive reverse-auction mechanism that proponents say is intended to secure lower prices. The Department of Administrative Services was cited on the floor as already pursuing a related bidding process.

Details and next steps: The floor record shows the bill was set for final reading and senators were called to record their votes; the roll-call result for final passage is not specified in the provided transcript excerpt. The Department of Administrative Services was named during the opening comments as the agency currently engaged in the procurement process described in the bill.","Senators discussed Senate File 315, described as creating a PBM reverse auction for public employees' health plans; the measure was moved for final reading and senators gave unanimous consent to message the bill to the next step while the Department of Administrative Services is already pursuing a related process.","actionData","errors"]

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Senator raises concerns about judicial nominating commission and public confidence in courts during call-up of Senate File 407

Senate advances bill to create PBM reverse auction for public employees' drug purchases