(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa Republican Representative Thomas Moore, from Griswold, was one of the State Legislators who voted in favor of a bill calling for a five-year moratorium on new casinos in Iowa. Moore represents District 21 in the Iowa Legislature. The bill cleared the Iowa House Thursday afternoon. The same proposal was also approved by a committee in the Senate. If the bill becomes law by next Thursday morning, it will block state regulators from taking a vote on the application for a new casino in Cedar Rapids. The bill prohibits the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission from issuing new licenses between January 1, 2025, and June 30, 2030. Additionally, the commission cannot issue any licenses after July 1, 2030, until the required report on the socioeconomic study has been issued by the commission for calendar year 2029.

Moore says he twice voted Yes, previously, on supporting a moratorium, because he believes the state has reached a saturation point for casinos in the state, and he cannot support cannibalizing other casinos for the profit of a new casino.” And, with regard to an increase in School Supplemental Aid (SSA), Moore says…

He says the House is waiting for the Senate to send them a bill with a 2% SSA increase. Moore suggests Iowans contact their Senator and ask “why they are intent on reducing funding to our schools?”

Rep. Thomas Jay Moore (R-Griswold) (official photo)

Moore says on Monday, Health and Human Services Appropriations had a presentation about Medicaid given by Iowa’s HHS Director, Kelly Garcia. The focal point of the presentation, he says, surrounded the Medicaid Redesign Project. The project, he says, “Aims to strengthen and redevelop the waiver system. This restructuring,” according to Moore, “would allow for the use of need based waivers.” The presentation also highlighted the Home and Reach Program,which Thomas Moore says “will have multiple benefits including individualized services and budget certainty.” The program will fully launch in 2027.

Moore said Tuesday was a busy day filled with meeting for Health and Human Services, Labor and Workforce, and Education. His morning began with an HHS meeting.

Eyanson and Todd, he said, proposed a unified statewide approach to behavioral health. The new approach, according to Moore, would create faster and easier access to health services. Constituents wanting to reach Representative Thomas Moore, can e-mail him at tom.moore@legis.iowa.gov , and/or (712) 789-9954.