Articles Tagged: Iowa Legislature

In other state government news Monday, Gov. Kim Reynolds has ordered flags across Iowa fly at half-mast to honor Pope Francis, who died Monday.

After more than two years of budget reductions — which included closing an elementary school in Hills — the Iowa City Community School District is “not in a cutting mode” this fiscal year.

A bill advanced from the Iowa House last week that would regulate anaerobic digesters, or systems that break down organic material in an oxygen-deprived system to produce usable biogas and fertilizer, at animal feeding operations.

Early voting begins this week as Republican Bernie Hayes faces Democrat Angel Ramirez to represent southeast Cedar Rapids in the Iowa House.

The outstanding questions and the complexity involved of trying to change Iowa’s convoluted property tax system — with just weeks left in the session — has prompted many to question what, if anything, lawmakers will do on the topic this year.

This week on the podcast: We cover a couple of topics as we pretend anything else is anywhere near as important as Gov. Kim Reynolds announcing she’s not running for re-election next year.

Nearly a year after Iowa saw historic flooding and fatal tornadoes, legislation proposed by Gov. Kim Reynolds that would help fund and streamline the assistance process for rebuilding after natural disasters is going to her desk for approval.

Legislation adding new requirements to Iowa's open records laws was amended in the Iowa Senate on Thursday to bar the public from accessing Iowa Capitol security camera footage.

Also in the Capitol Notebook: Iowa House amends, sends prenatal education requirement back to the Iowa Senate

The proposal, which would abolish a board formed in Cedar Rapids after Black Lives Matter protests, needs only Gov. Kim Reynolds’ signature to become law.

Also in the Capitol Notebook: Iowa House committee moves ahead breaks on sales tax

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors took the first steps Wednesday in a process that will create districts for their representation of the county, as is now required by a bill signed into law last week by Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Iowa Judicial Branch officials testified in a two-hour Iowa House Oversight Committee hearing on $27.5 million in misdirected court fees.

Also, a bill mandating the creation of a Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa heads to the governor.

The winner of the April 29 special election will represent southeast Cedar Rapids in the state Legislature.