Articles Tagged: Iowa Legislature

A bill dealing with property rights, eminent domain and pipelines advanced through an Iowa Senate committee for the first time in four years, but an amendment dramatically altered the proposal

Also, the Iowa House halted a bill that would have changed the makeup of boards that nominate Iowa judges.

The bill, named “Mason’s Law,” would create a pediatric palliative care license to establish residential care facilities for those under 21 with chronic and life-threatening illnesses who are expected to have shortened life expectancies.

Iowa will join 30 other states that passed laws making it illegal to handle a cellphone while driving, starting July 1. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the new law Wednesday, surrounded by people who have lost loved ones to distracted driving.

Republican Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is leading a legal brief in support of President Donald Trump’s executive order to redefine birthright citizenship. Also in the Notebook, Iowans rally in opposition to a bill shielding pesticide companies from lawsuits over cancer risks.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposed energy legislation includes a right of first refusal to incumbent energy companies to build new transmission projects

Also in the Capitol Notebook: An Iowa House-passed ban on requiring DEI courses at public universities for graduation is moving in the Senate.

Iowa House Democrats highlighted their plans to end state taxes on tips and overtime pay as the session’s second legislative deadline approaches at the State Capitol this week.

Disability benefits for Iowa firefighters and police officers would be expanded to cover all cancers — beyond the 14 currently covered — under legislation that advanced Monday in the Iowa Senate, the place where previous attempts to move the proposal have faltered.

As the University of Iowa works to comply with Board of Regents directives and legislative mandates to curtail diversity, equity, and inclusion work across campus, its philanthropic foundation – the UI Center for Advancement -- is grappling with how to handle the tens of thousands donated to a longstanding diversity fund.

Iowa local governments and business groups say they generally support getting rid of the state’s complicated property tax rollback system, but continue to explore the fiscal toll they would face from statehouse Republican’s proposed “reboot” and overhaul the state’s property tax system.

The physician shortage is not exclusive to Iowa, as the projected physician shortfall could reach as high as 86,000 physicians by 2036, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. But compared with other states, Iowa’s shortage is one of the most dire.

Iowa Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham’s proposal was considered publicly for the first time Thursday by lawmakers and stakeholders

Also, House lawmakers passed a bill Thursday that would make it a crime to send unsolicited sexually-explicit photos or videos. One legislator dubbed it the “anti cyber flashing” bill.

The appropriation would be contingent on the U.S. Department of Agriculture approving a waiver for exemptions that would strike certain food products from SNAP eligibility, which food accessibility advocates argue would limit access to food.