Gov. Reynolds touts Iowa’s government restructuring estimated to save state $200M over next 4 years

NEED TO KNOW. OPHELIA. STACY IN APRIL, GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SIGNED A STATE GOVERNMENT RESTRUCTURING BILL INTO LAW. AND ON THE FIRST OF THIS MONTH, THAT PLAN WENT INTO EFFECT, REDUCING THE NUMBER OF CABINET LEVEL AGENCIES BY ALIGNING THEM BASED ON OPERATIONS AND MISSIONS. TODAY, THE GOVERNOR SAYS THAT PLAN IS OFFICIALLY IN PLACE AND OPERATIONAL OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW. TODAY IS A DAY TO CELEBRATE. 37 AGENCIES BOILED DOWN TO 16. THE GOVERNOR SAYS MORE THAN 2600 STATE EMPLOYEES HAVE TRANSITIONED TO A NEW DEPARTMENT. THE GOVERNOR’S ALIGNMENT LEGISLATION ELIMINATED MORE THAN 500 UNFILLED POSITIONS. NO STATE EMPLOYEE WAS LET GO. AND WE SAID WE WOULD DO IT WITHOUT LAYING PEOPLE OFF. AND WE HAVEN’T. REYNOLDS ESTIMATES THE PLAN WILL SAVE THE STATE $214 MILLION OVER FOUR YEARS. IT’S A PLAN SHE SAYS WILL BENEFIT BOTH STATE EMPLOYEES AND IOWANS. ALIGNMENT IS AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO TO CHANGE HOW WE SERVE IOWANS FOR THE BETTER. BUT IT’S ALSO SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. I’M EQUALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE WAYS THAT IT WILL CHANGE HOW STATE GOVERNMENT WORKS TOGETHER. BAUER BY ENCOURAGING GREATER COLLABORATION, AN INSPIRING INNOVATION, AND BUILDING REALLY A CULTURE THAT UNITES US AS ONE TEAM. DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE, CABINET DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS SPOKE ABOUT THE NEW STRUCTURE BEFORE ALIGNMENT. IOWANS WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THREE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS FOR BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION. NOW IOWANS CAN GO TO ONE STOP SHOP AT DIAL AND THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION DIVISION. IOWA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION IS IN AN EVEN BETTER POSITION DUE TO ALIGNMENT TO MEET THE NEEDS IN THE MISSION MISSION OF CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES AS THE GOVERNMENT CHANGES INTERNALLY, IT’S ALSO BEING REMODELED EXTERNALLY. TODAY, I AM PROUD TO INTRODUCE A NEW BRAND MARK FOR IOWA. THE NEW LOGO IS ALREADY UP ON STATE WEBSITES. IT WILL SOON BE ON THE 68TH STATE. WELCOME SIGNS ON INTERSTATES 80 AND 35. REYNOLDS HOPES THE NEW BRAND WILL TIE ALL DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER ONCE THEY ADOPT THE LOGO. THESE CHANGES COME AT A TIME WHEN REYNOLDS SAYS IOWA’S NATIONAL PROFILE IS ON THE RISE. SHE HOPES TO ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE TO THE HAWKEYE STATE. I WANT TO PROMOTE IOWA AS AN EMPLOYMENT DESTINATION ASHTON, SO WE CAN ATTRACT TOP TALENT NATIONWIDE AND BUILD IOWA’S WORKFORCE ACROSS ALL INDUSTRIES. NOW, NOW, DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN VOCAL ABOUT THIS RESTRUCTURING PLAN IN THE PAST. THEY SAY IT GIVES THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH TOO MUCH POWER BACK IN APRIL, WHEN GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SIGNED THIS BILL INTO LAW, SENATOR ZACH WAHLS CALLED THE MOVE A, QUOTE, POWER GRAB. LIVE AT THE STATE HOUSE, OFELIA

Gov. Kim Reynolds held a press conference Tuesday at 2 p.m. to provide an update on the early implementation of the government restructuring plan.The government restructuring bill was signed into law in April. The law took effect this month and reduced Iowa's 37 state agencies down to 16."I am so proud to stand here this afternoon and announce that Iowa's newly aligned state government structure is officially in place and operational," the governor said at the beginning of the press conference. The governor said more than 2,600 state employees transitioned to a new department. She also said more than 500 unfilled positions were eliminated. More than 100 state employees directly helped with implementing this plan. It's estimated that the new structure will save the state $214 million dollars over four years.Directors of three different departments spoke during the press conference on how their respective teams were handling the changes. The governor said there are a few minor details they are still finetuning. "We're working on space and some of those things because we want the team together. It's really important that we develop that culture of collaboration, and you need the team together if you're going to create that kind of culture," Reynolds said. There are also new changes to state technologies, systems and services and some state programs have been merged into single departments.Reynolds also unveiled a new state logo that will be used by executive branch departments to show that everyone "is on the same team."Full press conference: Gov. Kim Reynolds provides update on the state's government restructuring plan

DES MOINES, Iowa —

Gov. Kim Reynolds held a press conference Tuesday at 2 p.m. to provide an update on the early implementation of the government restructuring plan.

The government restructuring bill was signed into law in April. The law took effect this month and reduced Iowa's 37 state agencies down to 16.

"I am so proud to stand here this afternoon and announce that Iowa's newly aligned state government structure is officially in place and operational," the governor said at the beginning of the press conference.

The governor said more than 2,600 state employees transitioned to a new department. She also said more than 500 unfilled positions were eliminated. More than 100 state employees directly helped with implementing this plan.

It's estimated that the new structure will save the state $214 million dollars over four years.

Directors of three different departments spoke during the press conference on how their respective teams were handling the changes.

The governor said there are a few minor details they are still finetuning.

"We're working on space and some of those things because we want the team together. It's really important that we develop that culture of collaboration, and you need the team together if you're going to create that kind of culture," Reynolds said.

There are also new changes to state technologies, systems and services and some state programs have been merged into single departments.

Reynolds also unveiled a new state logo that will be used by executive branch departments to show that everyone "is on the same team."

Full press conference: Gov. Kim Reynolds provides update on the state's government restructuring plan

Gov. Reynolds touts Iowa’s government restructuring estimated to save state $200M over next 4 years

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