Senator Zimmer urges prioritizing judicial funding after attending Supreme Court arguments

Senator Zimmer (Clinton) described attending Supreme Court oral arguments and said the experience reinforced the need to consider the judiciary when setting legislative budgets. "Access to due process must be accessible to all Iowans," he said, arguing that budgeting should make the judicial branch a priority rather than an afterthought.

Zimmer recounted that justices took different approaches to statutory interpretation and noted the case discussed centered on due process and appeals. He suggested legislators apply a deliberative ethical test to their work and to be mindful of the separation of powers when framing statutes and budgets. He did not propose specific funding figures on the floor during his remarks.