Throughout his eight-year tenure as Iowa 6th District Senator, Mark Segebart says he has been most proud of his work on one polarizing issue.
Republicans in the Senate were able to take several steps on the abortion issue during those eight years. In Segebart’s first term, Republicans were the minority, but gained majority in his second term, at which time he became chair of the Human Resources Committee. This oversees the Health and Human Services budget and policies, encompassing Planned Parenthood and abortion.
He says that bi-partisan nearly unanimous vote surprised many and led the way to several other bills aimed at eradicating abortion. As Segebart nears retirement in January, there is one particular bill he wished he had been able to see adopted.
The bottler receives a nickel when their product is purchased by a retailer and when redeemed, they are to pay back the recycler that nickel and one penny. Segebart’s proposal increased the bottlers’ payback to a nickel plus two cents. He says only a certain percentage of cans are returned and the bottler is making a net profit on the venture. The COVID-19 pandemic and the death of George Floyd made Segebart’s final general assembly a memorable one and he was proud to be part of the law enforcement bill that passed prior to closing out the session.
Segebart is honored to have served the residents of the 6th District and says one of the most satisfying parts of his job was helping find solutions for constituents who came to him with their problems. He also sends a sincere thank you to those who supported him over the last eight years. Segebart is working on transitioning out of the family farming operation near Vail. His wife, Cynthia, is a retired school teacher and the pair look forward to spending more time with family and being able to travel once the pandemic eases.
