Articles Tagged: Iowa Senate

Democrats and Republicans praise “scrappy” Bolkcom

A bill waiting for Gov. Kim Reynolds to sign into law would strip local city councils of regulating the sale of fireworks, frustrating efforts of cities like Cedar Rapids and Iowa City to crack down on the consumer explosives in response to citizen complaints and a rise in injuries.

There appears to be some significant ground to cover before the Republican-led Iowa House and Senate reach an agreement on those issues.

Previously, the House passed its own version, which differs in many key ways

Iowa Senate Republicans say their plan would breathe new life into the state recycling program, while Senate Democrats say the plan would strangle the program to death.

“Service has been central to my life,” said Colman Silbernagel, one of three candidates in the June 7 primary for the Republican nomination. He looks forward to representing the district “to defend life, protect our Second Amendment rights and fight for family-supporting jobs.”

Sen. Dan Dawson says a proposal to swap taxes in order to fund conservation and water quality could still pass the Iowa Legislature

Also, Gov. Reynolds signs into law two bills relating to Israel

Schools would be required to post their classroom materials and library books online for parents to see — but not twice annually as previously proposed — under school transparency legislation moving in the Iowa House.

State lawmakers have given the first stage of approval to a proposed state constitutional amendment that would clarify what happens when Iowa’s governor must be replaced.

This week was the second key deadline of the 2022 session of the Iowa Legislature.

The newly amended bill would increase the fee paid by distributors to support redemption centers. It would also soften the requirements for where redemption centers must be located.

With just 23 calendar days — which means closer to 18 actual legislative work days, since lawmakers rarely work on Fridays — remaining until lawmakers’ expense reimbursements run out, the push to adjournment begins in earnest next week.

Sen. Jason Schultz, a Republican from Schleswig, falsely claimed during a Senate committee meeting Wednesday that the COVID-19 vaccines are not effective or safe.

Among the bills that need at least some movement to survive this week’s funnel deadline are Republicans’ attempts to address what they consider transparency in public school curriculum.