Articles Tagged: Iowa Legislature

Advocates call on supporters to contact legislators before Tuesday’s special legislative session

The state said Thursday it has approved more than 17,500 applications. The majority of those approved applications have come from students who already attend a private school.

Statehouse Republicans appear poised to once again pass a law that would ban abortions once a fetus’ heartbeat can be detected.

No student should ever be made to attend a school for the sake of supporting it financially

Starting today, Iowa teens ages 14 to 17 can work more jobs at longer hours, low-income families will face new requirements for receiving public benefits such as food assistance, and more Iowa parents will qualify for child care assistance, but will have to work more hours to remain eligible.

Interest among Iowa families for a new state-funded private school financial assistance program continues to grow -- as does the potential cost to the state.

As drifting smoke from ongoing wildfires across Canada create curtains of haze causing unhealthy air quality throughout Iowa and the Midwest, environmental activists and Democratic lawmakers worry local efforts to regulate and improve air quality could be at risk under a state law taking effect Saturday.

While an Iowa Supreme Court decision this month means abortion remains legal in Iowa until roughly 20 weeks of pregnancy, lawmakers and activists on both sides of the issue are gearing up for another protracted battle.

Iowa Democratic lawmakers have implored Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to apply for federal assistance to help provide food for Iowa school children during summer break. For the summer, families in participating states with children eligible for free or reduced lunch during the 2022-23 school year will receive up to $120 per child.

New law adds requirements for Iowans receiving public assistance benefits, including an asset test and regular checks to determine their eligibility for programs.

‘We live to fight another day,’ state senator says

A 3-3 decision by the Iowa Supreme Court on a so-called fetal heartbeat bill means abortion remains legal in Iowa, for now, until the 20th week of pregnancy. The ruling throws the issue back to state lawmakers.

At an education roundtable, school leaders lament lawmakers showing ‘no trust’ in local level decisions.

IowaWORKS.gov replacing Teach Iowa as main listing for teaching jobs July 1

Mike Gronstal, a former Iowa Senate majority leader, was let go by the Iowa State Building and Construction Trades Council as its Capitol lobbyist.