Erin Murphy

Republican Party of Iowa Chair Jeff Kaufmann also discussed the state’s first-in-the-nation caucuses and the working relationship between Donald Trump and Kim Reynolds for Iowa PBS’ “Iowa Press”

Reynolds told reporters Wednesday she is ‘happy’ with the new law that changed the structure and funding of area education agencies

Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the measure into law Wednesday, saying it is no longer needed to boost women in government and that positions should be filled based on merit

Senate Democrats, who no longer have the numbers needed to reject gubernatorial nominations, opposed McKenzie Snow’s nomination over her lack of public education experience.

The bill’s supporters say it is needed to close a legal loophole and help pesticide manufacturers manage the costs of weed killers, while critics say Iowans who get sick from pesticides should have legal recourse, including over labeling.

Gov. Kim Reynolds calls changes to Iowa’s area education agencies ‘meaningful and necessary reform’

The legislation is a limited version of what Reynolds originally proposed, but has still been met with fierce opposition from AEA officials and statehouse Democrats

The Iowa Senate will vote whether to confirm former Trump administration education official McKenzie Snow as director of the Iowa Department of Education

A key Iowa Republican state lawmaker said the bill is being shelved this year while legislators work to better understand its potential impact

Iowa Senate Republicans voted Monday to approve their version of AEA changes, which more closely mirrors a proposal from Gov. Kim Reynolds. Now, lawmakers in the Senate and House must agree on which legislation to send to the governor.

The second legislative deadline of the 2024 session took out a number of bills of significant potential impact

Republican leaders in the Iowa House and Senate were unable to find agreement on their separate immigration policy proposals

GOP Sen. Brad Zaun said he stopped the bill, which was approved by House Republicans, over concerns it would threaten the legality of in vitro fertilization

State lawmakers say the new proposal will be an improvement upon the original, which was shut down in 2009 after an audit showed $26 million in improperly issued funds, resulting in at least seven criminal convictions.

AEAs, gender ID, school safety and many other significant bills need more legislative attention this week to survive a legislative deadline.