Steckman gives retirement speech in Iowa House (AUDIO)

DES MOINES — As the Iowa Legislature is heading into its final days, legislators are giving their retirement speeches. Mason City Democrat Sharon Steckman, who announced in February that she would not be seeking another term in the Iowa House, delivered her retirement address earlier this week.

Steckman says it’s been an honor to serve north-central Iowa in the legislature.  “I so appreciate my constituents back home who put trust in me and have afforded me opportunities I never thought I would have. When you think about people you get to meet because you are in this position, the things you get to see and do, the privileges you have, it’s incredible, and we owe it to our constituents who brought us here.”

Steckman recounted the time when Republicans voted to ban other House members holding up visual aides like graphs and charts during debate on the floor.  “So they made a rule that you can’t hold up visual aides while you are speaking…like this one that shows tax credits…or like this one that shows educational funding…or my last one that shows small, medium and large CAFOs in our state,” she said to the laughter of the entire chamber. “My favorite quote from that whole debate trying to get that rule passed, and of course it did pass because we are in the minority, but my favorite quote, I stood up and said, ‘So I could bring a gun into the House, but I can’t hold up a picture of one’. I’ll never forget that quote because I couldn’t hold up a visual aid.”

Steckman concluded her speech thanking her fellow lawmakers and staffers.   “I want to end by saying thank you to you all. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you. We all came to improve this great state, and let’s continue to move in that direction. Thank you.”

Steckman has served in the Iowa House since 2009.

Democrat Jeremy True and Republican Christian Hermanson, both of Mason City, are running for Steckman’s House District 59 seat, which includes all of Mason City as well as the communities and surrounding areas of Plymouth, Rock Falls, Dougherty, Rockwell and Swaledale.  

Listen to Steckman’s retirement speech here