DES MOINES, Iowa – State Senator Kevin Kinney, D-Oxford, announced today that he will seek reelection in the newly drawn Iowa Senate District 46 which includes Johnson, Washington, and Iowa counties. The district in Johnson County excludes Coralville, North Liberty, Solon, and Iowa City.
“I am proud of my bipartisan accomplishments in the State Senate, but there is more work to be done to improve public safety and give a hand up to hardworking Iowans,” Kinney said. “I am running for reelection to continue my bipartisan work in the legislature and to improve public safety, provide justice for crime victims, and help build an economy where hardworking Iowans can get ahead.”
In the legislature, Kinney said he has worked with Republicans and Democrats to pass significant pieces of legislation into law. These laws include “Noah’s Law” which closed a loophole by requiring people to report a known injury or death to the authorities. This bill is in response to the tragic drowning of Tiffin resident, Noah Herring, who passed away in April 2020. Kinney has also successfully led the efforts to create the Office of Human Trafficking within the Department of Public Safety, increase penalties for elder abuse, expand the threshold for tax credits for beginning farmers, and allow for the growing of industrial hemp.
“Senator Kinney has been a tireless advocate for public schools and working people in Iowa County and across the state,” said Brad Fox, an educator who lives in Iowa County. “Kevin understands the needs of rural Iowans and what we have been struggling with. I know that I can count on him to put aside partisan politics and get things done for a change. We need his leadership in the legislature.”
Kinney has been farming for more than 30 years. He owns and operates his family’s century farm, raising livestock and row crops. He is a retired Lieutenant in the Investigations Division of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and served his community for 28 years in law enforcement. Kinney also served three terms on the Clear Creek Amana School Board.
“There aren’t enough workers in Iowa; you can’t go anywhere without seeing a help wanted sign,” added Kinney. “We have to help rural small businesses attract more workers and become more profitable. All Iowans should get paid fairly for their hard work. Government shouldn’t take more than it needs from hardworking Iowans and retirees. We need to reduce crime and make our communities safer. Those are the priorities I’ll keep fighting for in the State Senate.”
He currently serves as the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture and Judiciary committees. He also served on the Senate Ethics Committee and Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee.
Kinney was named the 2014 American Legion’s Midwest Region Law Enforcement Officer of the Year and was the national runner-up for the American Legion National Law Officer of the Year in 2014. In 2012, he received the Law Enforcement Victim Service award, as well as the Continuous Service Award from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Kinney is an active member of several community organizations, including the Farm Bureau, Knights of Columbus and the Johnson County Cattlemen’s Association. He has also served on various law enforcement boards with the goal of increasing public safety in Iowa.
Kinney has been serving in the Iowa State Legislature since 2015 and currently represents old Iowa Senate District 39. Kinney and his wife Debbie live in Oxford, Iowa, where he was born and raised. They have two grown children, Shaun and Megan.
