Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Steen launched his “99 Strong” statewide tour in Marion on Saturday, pledging to champion skilled trades, parental rights, property tax reform and local control. Steen also vowed to oppose eminent domain for pipelines and defend “Iowa’s culture and values.”
Iowa’s Medicaid program is projected to face tens of millions in deficits in coming years. State Auditor Rob Sand accused Republican leaders of irresponsible budgeting, while GOP lawmakers argue the state’s reserves can cover rising costs.
In her first extended statement since Friday’s arrest of Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Saturday called the incident “shocking“ and said, ”We must enforce the law every time to protect our families and our future.“
Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education announced that Iowa was one of six states selected for a 2025 federal Charter Schools Program Grant to State Entities issued by the U.S. Department of Education.
Iowa Sen. Mike Klimesh, of Spillville, is the new legislative agenda-setting leader of the Iowa Senate, as selected by his Republican colleagues Wednesday
Kelly Garcia was the agency’s director through the COVID-19 pandemic, its consolidation into the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and a redesign of the state’s mental and behavioral health care system.
Iowa Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Rob Sand blasted Gov. Kim Reynolds’ efficiency task force as partisan, vowed to veto changes to Iowa’s public pension system, and pushed for more oversight of private school vouchers at a Cedar Rapids town hall.
New public employees would be given the opportunity to opt out of the state retirement program, and teachers would receive financial bonuses for student achievement under recommendations being put forward by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ citizen-run task force on government efficiency.
Iowa’s recidivism rate hit a 10-year low in the state’s most recent figures, but criminal justice experts say recidivism rates are limited in their portrayal of a criminal justice or state correctional system.
Steen, a former state agency head, laid out top policy positions Monday during a meeting of the Warren County Republicans
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is leading an eight-day trade mission to India, returning with a delegation of Iowa officials and business leaders to strengthen relationships she says are already showing results from her initial visit last year.
At a town hall Thursday, Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand was pressed to define how he would protect transgender Iowans’ rights — drawing the sharpest exchanges of the evening and setting the tone for a wide-ranging discussion on water quality, education, school vouchers, mental health and child care.
Iowa will now have open-seat elections for governor and the U.S. Senate for the first time in nearly six decades, and half of the state’s federal delegation likely will feature new representation after the 2026 elections.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has granted 55 pardons since taking office, more than double her predecessor and mentor, former Gov. Terry Branstad; commuted sentences have been exceptionally rare under both governors.
Also in today’s Capitol Notebook, the Iowa Department of Education announced $8 million in a new round of grant funding to recognize and reward teacher excellence.
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