Legislators (from left) Dave Heaton, Rich Taylor, Kevin Kinney and Jarad Klein meet with constituents at January’s legislative briefing in Washington. Photo by Sally Y. Hart

Four area legislators will meet in Washington Saturday for the second legislative briefing of the year. Republican Representatives Jarad Klein and Dave Heaton, and Democratic Senators Kevin Kinney and Rich Taylor will provide updates of what is going on in Des Moines and then answer questions from constituents in the audience. At the January meeting collective bargaining, education funding, health care, water quality, and texting and driving were discussed.

At the last briefing, Heaton expressed concern for the quality of services in the state and said the slogan “Smaller, Smarter Government” makes for great campaign material, “We’re getting to the point folks, where the quality of services that we’re supposed to provide for the public good, and public safety, and the education of our children, we’re getting to the point where ‘Smaller, Smarter Government,’ I think we’d like to be smarter, but I think we’re getting to the point where the ‘smaller’ part of it is starting to hurt. And we’re not promoting a better life for the people that live in our state. I think, we’re putting the squeeze on to put on the squeeze. And I’m starting to get concerned about how far we’re going to go.”

The briefing will begin at the Washington United Methodist Church at 10 a.m.