Full text of Rep. Todd Prichard’s speech

(The text of the speech of Rep. Todd Prichard, D-Charles City, the Iowa House Minority leader, regarding HF-148, aka “Logan’s Law,” on the House floor, Tuesday, April 23, 2019. The bill passed the Iowa House unanimously, 98-0, and will be passed into law when Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signs it.)

“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I have with me Logan’s family — his mother and father, Leonard and Wendy, his brother and sister, Landon and Lily, and his grandparents. … They are honored to be here today and to watch us do this, to watch us pass this bill.

“July 4 in Charles City is a big day. Like many small towns across America, it’s one of those days you just look forward to all year. We have a big parade and a festival in the park. In my neighborhood, we usually have a big block party, with a few hundred people to celebrate after the parade.

“On July 4, 2017, the Lufts were noticeably absent that day. They had other plans. A tragedy. I remember when the news came — that there had been an ATV accident with young Logan. When the news like that comes, one of the things about living in a tight-knit community is, when news like that comes, your heart just sinks. ‘I hope he’s all right. I hope he’s going to be OK.’ Everyone knew, we heard the sirens, we all received text messages.

“As the next couple days came and went, we all followed on Facebook and through word of mouth about what was going on with Logan, at Mayo in Rochester. And then we learned that he wasn’t going to make it, and that he was being kept alive artificially to be an organ donor. And, as somebody who considers the Lufts to be some of my closest friends, I served with Lenny in the army for almost 20 years, and Wendy is a Realtor and lawyer. … All the fun — and all the trials and tragedies we shared together as friends and members of the same community — I knew it was time to pay my visit.

“And so, Sunday afternoon … I made my way to the Lufts’ house and I knocked on the door. I didn’t want to do it. I knew it would be hard. But I knew I had to — I had to check in on my friends and pay my respects. Wendy met me at the door, and said ‘I’m glad you’re here. Lenny will be happy to see you and have someone to talk to.’ And so I was happy that I would be able to console my friend.

“So we sat on the front porch … and we talked. We talked for about three hours. And I was amazed at what I found. Because in the middle of this tragedy — we’d just lost Logan, who was a wonderful young man. … And so we talked, and I didn’t find tragedy from my friend Lenny, I found hope. He explained the process of organ donation, and how they were so happy that this donation was going to expand and be used for the legacy of Logan. And I was just overwhelmed, I was just overwhelmed.

“So we had a funeral, and the entire community turned out, enough to fill a gymnasium. … And then we moved on as a community. We remembered the life and we tried to get back to normal. And it was probably nine months or so, and we were at a track meet. And Lenny and I were talking, and he said, ’Hey, I heard on the radio about what Minnesota does, for putting organ donation as an option for hunting and fishing licenses. Do you think we could do that in Iowa?’ And I said, ‘I’m gonna try. And let’s called it Logan’s Law.’

“What this gave me, as a friend who was also grieving from the loss of this bright young man, was a way to help my friends. And now, through this generosity of Logan, and through this generosity of giving — you all now, with your vote, are also part of that circle of spreading this gift. You are giving the education and the opportunity for other people who are impacted with tragedy. You are giving them the opportunity to find their hope in the middle of a tragedy like we had.

“And so, for the city of Charles City and the county of Floyd County, and for the wrestling community and the outdoors community and the law enforcement community and the military community — and all these communities that we’re involved in, in our little section of Northeast Iowa — it’s a bright day. There’s hope, in a new way.

“I want to recognize Rep. (Robert) Bacon for helping steer this through the process. … And everyone else on the committee and subcommittee. I want to recognize my friend Sen. Waylon Brown, who brought this through the Senate, and Speaker (Linda) Upmeyer, I really appreciate your work on this bipartisan bill. This is a good day for this community of ours, and for this state. I ask for your support for Logan’s Bill. Thank you.”

— Iowa House Minority Leader Todd Prichard, D-Charles City