Preceded by Merlin Bartz Website Ragan's website | Name Amanda Ragan | |
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Born September 20, 1954 (age 69)
Mason City, Iowa ( 1954-09-20 ) Residence Mason City, Iowa, United States Education North Iowa Area Community College, Buena Vista University | ||
Political party Iowa Democratic Party | ||
Amanda ragan and sharon steckman hold public forum at mcpl january 22 2011
Amanda Ragan (born September 20, 1954) is an Iowan State Senator from the 27th District. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Iowa Senate since 2002. In 2016, Ragan was appointed Iowa Dem Senate "Whig". She has also served as the Executive Director of Meals on Wheels and of Community Kitchen of Northern Iowa.
Contents
- Amanda ragan and sharon steckman hold public forum at mcpl january 22 2011
- Rep sharon steckman and sen amanda ragan town hall meeting january 19th 2013
- Early life and education
- Iowa State Senate
- Immigration
- References
Ragan served on several committees in the Iowa Senate - the Appropriation committee; the Natural Resources committee; the Rules and Administration committee; the Veterans Affairs committee; and the Human Resources committee, where she is chair. She also serves on the Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, where she is vice chair.
Rep sharon steckman and sen amanda ragan town hall meeting january 19th 2013
Early life and education
Ragan was born and raised near Rockwell, and graduated from Rockwell-Swaledale High School. Ragan enrolled in North Iowa Area Community College receiving her A.A. She graduated cum laude from Buena Vista University with a B.A. in Human Services.
Iowa State Senate
Ragan is currently an assistant majority leader in the Senate. Ragan first joined the Senate when she won a special election to fill the vacancy caused by Republican Senator Merlin Bartz's resignation.
In 2005 Ragan was targeted by several groups for her opposition to a proposed amendment banning gay marriage in the state of Iowa.
Ragan was re-elected in 2006 with 15,138 votes (70%), defeating Republican opponent Kenneth D. Young.
In 2008 as chair of the Senate Human Resources Committee Ragan was a direct player in the formulation of health care legislation that would cover more Iowan children and fix health care problems in the state of Iowa.
Ragan was again re-election to the Iowa State Senate in 2010. Ragan defeated Republican candidate James Mills by a margin of 12,908 (60.4%) to 8,452 (39.4%).
Immigration
Ragan voted for an amended form of Senate File 481. This bill eliminated elements of local control by requiring a local officer to comply and detain an immigrant who is guilty of three misdemeanors, non-violent felonies, and felonies until ICE arrives. This bill was opposed by a number of organizations in Iowa, including the Iowa Police Chief Association, the Iowa Catholic Conference, the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, the Iowa Coalition against Sexual Assault, and the Iowa State Bar Association.