Reynolds signs child care bill, ban on local natural gas laws

Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday signed a bill increasing the number of children who can be cared for at an unregulated caregiver’s home.

House File 260 defines a “child care home” as one that can care for five or fewer children. The maximum number can rise to six if one of the children is school-aged. The bill increases by one the number of children a provider can care for without facing state regulations for child care.

Also Monday, Reynolds signed House File 552, which allows an unarmed dog handler without a hunting license to help a hunter track a wounded deer. A state commission has the right to set rules governing implementation of the bill.

And Reynolds signed House File 555, which bans cities and counties from regulating the sale of propane or natural gas. The Iowa Environmental Council and organizations representing cities and counties opposed the bill, arguing it could expose Iowans to safety threats and higher energy costs. The bill also could impede efforts to shift to alternative energy sources, they said.