Week in Iowa, Dec. 12, 2022: Recap of news from across the state

Abortion law headed to state Supreme Court: A legal battle over a ban on abortion in Iowa once cardiac activity can be detected in a fetus will be appealed to the Supreme Court.

A District Court judge Monday declined Gov. Kim Reynolds’ request to reinstate a law that would ban abortions once a heartbeat can be detected in a fetus — usually around six weeks, and often before a woman knows she’s pregnant. Reynolds said she would appeal the decision to the Iowa Supreme Court, which in a June decision found there was no fundamental right to an abortion under the state constitution.

Panel expects state revenue decline: State revenue is expected to fall slightly, though not as much as previously expected, in the current budget year. A state panel estimated Iowa’s revenue will be $9.62 billion in fiscal 2023, a 1.9 percent drop from the previous budget year — and a softening of the 2.7 percent drop the panel predicted in October.

The following year, Iowa’s revenue is expected to increase by only 0.1 percent. The drop can be attributed to a tax reduction championed by Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds. The policy eliminates the tax on retirement income and, over the next four years, reduces the tax brackets until all Iowa taxpayers will pay a 3.9 percent state income tax.

Reynolds said the projections, which would still keep Iowa's revenue above spending targets, show the tax cuts were the right policy and that the state has been overcollecting from residents, while Democrats said the predictions were a warning sign for the economy.

Grassley plans to stay neutral: Iowa’s Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley said he likely won’t endorse any Republican contender ahead of the party’s 2024 caucuses in Iowa. Grassley, who usually stays neutral in caucus contests, has endorsed twice before: He endorsed Bob Dole in 1994, and George W. Bush in 2000.

The Republican Party of Iowa passed a measure this month that bars any party official, staff or committee member from endorsing candidates in the 2024 caucuses. Grassley said he agreed with the spirit of that measure. He said his endorsement could discourage candidates from coming to Iowa.

Miller-Meeks registered at state senator's home: U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks is registered to vote at the address of state Sen. Chris Cournoyer, according to records from the state auditor’s office. Miller-Meeks, who was elected in November to represent Iowa’s southeast 1st Congressional District, said during the campaign she had a residency in LeClaire after her home in Ottumwa was drawn out of the district.

The 1st District contains 16 of the 24 counties Miller-Meeks currently represents. U.S. representatives are not required to live in the district they represent, as long as they live in the same state. A spokesperson for Miller-Meeks confirmed the address as her claimed residency.

They said …

“In our Iowa Army National Guard alone, we've lost 51 service members since Biden ordered this COVID vaccine mandate … This is a clear readiness issue for our forces." — Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst on efforts to repeal the U.S. military COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

“An impartial judge has once again blocked Republican politicians’ extreme attack on Iowans’ health and freedom. While this is a positive development that will preserve Iowans’ basic rights in the near term, we all know where this is headed: Republicans want to ban abortion — at six weeks or altogether if they can. — Iowa state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines, on a district judge blocking a near-total abortion ban

Odds and ends

State auditor urges oversight: State Auditor Rob Sand suggested the Legislature should have more oversight of a $1.2 billion deal inked between the University of Iowa and a private company to take control of its utilities for the next 50 years. The deal amounts to the “largest financial obligation ever held by Iowa taxpayers,” Sand said.

Reynolds bans TikTok: Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered that the popular TikTok social media platform be banned from state-owned devices and prohibited state agencies from subscribing to or owning a TikTok account.

“It is clear that TikTok represents a national security risk to our country and I refuse to subject the citizens of Iowa to that risk,” Reynolds said in a statement.

TikTok is owned by Chinese company ByteDance.

Summit resists request for safety materials: Summit Carbon Solutions argued in a hearing this past week it should not be required to provide safety-related materials to a state board weighing giving the company a permit for a CO2 pipeline. The Iowa Utilities Board in July requested the company provide a risk assessment, a plume model in case of a rupture, and an emergency response plan. The company argued those materials can’t be required and are preempted by federal law, but opponents argued the board has a right to review them.

Water cooler

COVID continues upward trend: Iowa reported 3,704 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending Wednesday, the sixth straight week of rising cases. It marks a 6.8 percent increase over the previous week. Hospitalizations from the virus increased by only one, with 256 people in the hospital compared to 255 the previous week.

Lawsuit brings $70 million to Iowa: More than $70 million is headed to Iowa as part of a settlement agreement with CVS and Walgreens for their role in the opioid crisis. The nation’s largest pharmacy chains will pay a total of $10.7 billion to states to settle allegations that they ignored warning signs related to opioid prescription and did not do enough to prevent abuse and diversion of the drugs.