Articles Tagged: Iowa Legislature

Also, Iowa attorney general celebrates stay of climate rule

On this week’s episode: consumable hemp products, meat alternative labeling, and the U. S. Surgeon General talks mental health

The bill would remove the most senior judge in the district from the judicial nominating commission. Instead, the governor would be allowed to appoint an additional member. With the addition, the governor would be able to appoint six — or a majority — of the members to each judicial nominating commission.

Also, House widens police, firefighter disability help

Also, nicotine vapes that are not approved by the feds would be banned from sale in Iowa under a bill also moving in the House

Fewer women to qualify, given lower income ceiling

Senate lawmakers advanced a bill Wednesday that would lift Iowa’s statute of limitations on civil claims on sexual abuse to allow survivors of sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts of America to take full advantage of bankruptcy proceedings against the organization.

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

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday signed into law the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The signing took place during a closed-door event hosted by the Christian conservative group The Family Leader.

Also, Iowa will pay nearly $50,000 in a settlement with a reporter

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.

Iowa’s burgeoning hemp industry would be significantly regulated under a bill state lawmakers sent to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk for a signature Tuesday.

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.

Bill, which heads next to the Senate, would merge Iowa’s treatment networks for mental health and substance use issues into a unified behavioral health system. Currently, the networks are made up of 32 regions in the state — 13 for mental health care and 19 for substance use issues.

A companion bill advanced in February out of a Senate subcommittee, but the chamber has not advanced it further.