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School groups say staff would have to review thousands of books if governor’s bill passes
Lobbyists for schools and teachers’ groups told lawmakers the provision in Gov. Kim Reynolds’ “parental rights” bill requiring removal of all books with depictions of sex acts from school libraries would be difficult for Iowa schools to accomplish. “I’m not quite sure how we’re going to find all of those books without having to read […]
House panel advances restrictions on state auditor’s access to information
Staff with the auditor’s office told a panel of lawmakers Wednesday that proposed privacy protections passed by the Senate would keep the office from effectively stopping and preventing misuse of taxpayer funding. Senate File 478, which passed the Senate earlier in March on a 33-16 vote, would prohibit the state auditor’s office from accessing information […]
Governor signs ‘Rural Emergency Hospital’ licensing into law
Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed into law a measure intended to help keep some hospitals open in rural Iowa. House File 75 creates a state licensure process allowing some hospitals to get a “Rural Emergency Hospital” (REH) designation. The designation comes from a federal program, in which hospitals stop providing inpatient services but are able […]
Iowa House raises trucker liability caps to $5 million
The Iowa House sent trucking liability legislation back to the Senate Tuesday with a higher noneconomic damages cap and fewer limits on employer liability than originally proposed. The changes adopted to Senate File 228 represent a compromise reached through weeks of discussion with trucking companies, victims and legal advocates, Rep. Bill Gustoff, R-Des Moines said. […]
Iowa House panels advance bills creating new eligibility hurdles for public assistance programs
Advocates for low-income Iowans told lawmakers Tuesday that proposed changes in eligibility rules for Iowa’s public assistance programs will hurt families struggling to make ends meet. Iowa House members held a series of meetings Tuesday on bills making changes to eligibility for Iowa’s public assistance programs. Senate File 494 would add new asset tests and […]
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson nears decision on 2024 presidential race
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson plans to announce in April whether he’ll run for president, he told reporters Monday in Des Moines. It was Hutchinson’s third trip to Iowa in 2023 and he’s hired a field organizer, indicating he’s likely to join the crowd of candidates seeking the 2024 Republican nomination. He said his events […]
Constitutional amendment would require supermajority approval for tax increases
Future lawmakers would have a harder time raising taxes under a constitutional amendment that legislators discussed Monday. The amendment proposed in Senate Study Bill 1207 would require that any bill aimed at increasing individual or corporate income tax rates be approved by at least two-thirds of each chamber. It would also enshrine the Iowa Taxpayer […]
Iowa lawmakers move toward raising penalties for fentanyl distribution
As law enforcement agencies grapple with a spike in fentanyl overdoses, the Iowa House moved forward this week with a measure increasing penalties on distribution of the drug. House File 595 is another of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ priorities for the 2023 legislative session. Overdose deaths caused by synthetic opioids like fentanyl are rising in Iowa. The […]
House Republicans propose higher budget target with goal of aiding nursing homes
House lawmakers are aiming for a higher budget target than the governor’s and Senate’s proposals, House Speaker Pat Grassley said Thursday. House Republicans are aiming for nearly $50 million more in general fund appropriations for the 2024 fiscal year than other Republican leadership’s proposals. Grassley said the additional spending would address other issues GOP representatives […]
Iowa senators propose resolution condemning jail treatment of Jan. 6 rioters
Six Republican state senators have introduced a resolution condemning the treatment and punishment of people jailed and charged for participation in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection. Senate Resolution 8 would have the Iowa Senate denounce the federal and District of Columbia’s governments for the “abject dereliction of duty to ensure cruel and unusual punishments […]
Senate votes to restrict school books, teaching related to sex, LGBTQ identities
The Iowa Senate passed a bill Wednesday restricting books and instruction related to LGBTQ identities in Iowa classrooms and libraries. Lawmakers changed language in Senate File 496 Wednesday, before passing it 34-16. The amendment to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ “parental rights” bill added requirements that school libraries not include materials which depict, visually or textually, any sex […]
Governor signs transgender medical care, bathroom use bills into law
Transgender youth can no longer receive gender-affirming care or use school bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity under laws signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds. The governor signed 10 bills into law Wednesday, including a ban on gender-affirming care for minors and a requirement that people can only use school bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond […]