Episode 8: The War Room – 2026 Legislative Intelligence
"Hope is not a strategy." With just three weeks until the gavel drops on January 12, 2026, the halls of the Iowa Capitol are quiet—but the War Room is just heating up. In this high-stakes deep dive, host Chad Benson sits down with Representative Brian Lohse (R-Bondurant), Chair of the Justice System Appropriations Subcommittee and a "System Parent" who has lived the nightmare of Iowa’s broken behavioral health system firsthand.
We aren't just playing soundbites; we are analyzing intelligence. From the "Texas Shuffle" that ships Iowa’s children halfway across the country to the "Custody for Care" crisis, we are pulling back the curtain on how the machine works and building the roadmap to fix it.
The Character Witness: Discover why Rep. Lohse—the son of a 40-year teacher and a legendary "scary" school custodian—is an ally Iowa families need right now.
The Spreadsheet Fact: The mainstream media won't tell you that 85% of Iowa’s bills are bipartisan. We reveal the path to the 51 votes needed for meaningful change.
Action Item: HF 873: We break down the "Ultimate Betrayal"—the practice of forcing parents to relinquish custody just to access mental health care. We highlight the tireless research of Nina Richtman, whose roadmap is the ammo for passing this critical legislation in 2026.
Action Item: Adoption Reform: Why families shouldn’t face a $3,000 "cover charge" to rescue a child from foster care.
The Travel Standard: Why Iowa's current system is a "catastrophic failure" compared to the professional 30/30 rule (30 miles/30 minutes) for community care and the 90-mile rule for regional hubs.
End "Custody for Care": Pass the successor to HF 873 and stop punishing parents for system failures.
A Watchdog with Teeth: Real-time fines for MCOs that deny life-saving care.
Actual Beds: Iowa is 51st in the nation for state psychiatric beds; we need brick-and-mortar solutions, not "study committees".
End the Immunity: Strip away the "King's Robes" and hold the state accountable when they intentionally harm children to save a budget line.
"Fighting" doesn't have to be a massive undertaking. Whether it's a two-minute phone call, an email during your lunch break, or a donation to fuel our boots-on-the-ground advocacy, it’s time to pick up the fight.
Join the War Room. Support the mission: https://gofund.me/775c60620
Enough thinking. Enough waiting. We’ll see you in the lobby.
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