Week in Iowa, July 3, 2023: Recap of news from across the state

Reynolds calls special session: Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Wednesday called a special legislative session for the purpose of enacting new legislation that restricts abortion. The rare move comes after the Iowa Supreme Court denied Reynolds' request to reinstate a six-week abortion ban from 2018.

The session will be held Tuesday. Republicans hold a majority in the Legislature, and many expect to pass the same six-week ban passed in 2018, inevitably setting it up for another court challenge. With state and federal court decisions last year, Iowa's legal landscape around abortion was loosened, and lawmakers were given more authority to restrict abortion.

Planned Parenthood threatens lawsuit: Planned Parenthood of the North Central States CEO Ruth Richardson said the organization is prepared to sue to block a new abortion restriction. While the Iowa Supreme Court declined to reinstate a six-week abortion ban last month, it left open the possibility of a new law testing Iowa's legal standard for abortion.

$500 million waiting to be claimed: Iowa State Treasurer Roby Smith said half a billion dollars in unclaimed property is in the state's possession and waiting to be claimed by Iowans. The program, known as the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt, attempts to reconnect this property with owners. The most common items are utility refunds, forgotten bank accounts and uncashed checks, among other things.

Education Savings Accounts outpace plans: More than 29,000 students applied for Education Savings Accounts through a new state-funded private school program, twice the amount of accounts the state had budgeted for. The program has no set cap, and each approved account will be funded.

State officials had previously budgeted around $107 million for the program, but the cost will likely be millions more. Not every application may be approved, and not every family approved may be able to use state-funded assistance, as space in Iowa's private schools is limited. Private schools have roughly 9,000 slots open across the state for the next school year.

Pence, Trump make visits: Former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence held separate campaign events in Iowa this past week, as each is seeking the Republican nomination for president and courting Iowa Republicans ahead of the 2024 caucuses. Pence made stops in Des Moines and Sioux City, while Trump held a rally in Council Bluffs that followed a panel on agriculture.

Electric vehicle use rising: Electric vehicle registrations in Iowa went up 28 percent in 2022, but there are only about 16 percent more charging stations in the state compared to a year ago. Metro areas have the largest number of charging stations, but many rural communities lack electric vehicle infrastructure.

They said …

“Iowans have elected representatives willing to stand up for the rights of the unborn and, in doing so, they have voted strongly in support of pro-life principles and against the arbitrary destruction of innocent, defenseless lives." — Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds calling for a special session on abortion

“Now is the time for Iowans to fight back against an extreme abortion ban that will cost women their lives as well as their freedom. Iowans see how abortion bans have caused heartbreak, complications, and death in other states. We won’t stand for it here.” — Iowa Senate Democratic leader Pam Jochum on the special session

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Odds and ends

Caitlin Clark hits the course: University of Iowa women's basketball star Caitlin Clark took part in the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill., as an amateur this past week. The 2023 Naismith Player of the Year played the front nine holes with Swedish pro Ludvig Aberg and the back nine with Iowa native Zach Johnson.

Mamas for DeSantis: Casey DeSantis visited Iowa this past week to campaign for her husband, presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The event was billed as a "Mamas for DeSantis" launch and focused on parents' rights in education. The Florida first lady appeared alongside Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Water cooler

Fairfield hearing: A sentencing hearing for one of two Iowa teens accused of killing their teacher with a baseball bat in 2021 started last week. Both teens pleaded guilty this year, and Willard Miller's sentencing hearing was held first. He was sentenced Thursday to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 35 years.

Muscatine parade: A Fourth of July parade entry in Muscatine left spectators outraged and puzzled. The entry featured a woman on horseback, pulling a rope that was used to bind the wrists of a woman in Native American dress. The people involved in the display said they were portraying history in support of Cherokee National Treasure, an organization that honors Cherokee Native Americans.