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FUNDS. AS OF 2025, LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINS TO WIND DOWN. LEADERS ARE FOCUSING THEIR PRIORITIES ON STATE SPENDING AND OVERALL BUDGET. ONE ISSUE THAT’S LEAVING LEADERS IN DISAGREEMENT, THOUGH, IS BOOSTING PAY FOR PARAEDUCATORS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES. $14 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED FOR THAT IN LAST YEAR’S BUDGET, BUT IT’S NOT IN THE PROPOSAL FROM SENATE REPUBLICANS AND THE GOVERNOR. HOUSE SPEAKER PAT GRASSLEY SAYS THAT’S ONE OF THE BIGGEST ROADBLOCKS SO FAR. AND I WILL BE HONEST WITH YOU, THAT’S ONE OF THE PIECES RIGHT NOW THAT I WOULD SAY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST STICKING POINTS. OUR CAUCUS FEELS EXTREMELY STRONG THAT IF WE’RE GOING TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT THAT WE DID WITH THAT BILL LAST YEAR, THAT WE’RE NOT GOING TO GO BACK AND JUST CUT THAT AND LEAVE OUR SCHOOLS IN A SITUATION TO FIND THE DIFFERENCE. LAWMAKERS WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE WORKING AT THE STATE HOUSE UNTIL A BUDGET AGREEMENT IS REACHED, AND TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY LAWMAKERS GET PER DIEM, WHICH IS A DAILY ALLOWANCE THAT PAYS FOR EXPENSES LIKE FOOD AND COST OF LIVING. IF LAWMAKERS DON’T PASS A BUDGET BY TOMORRO