James Q. Lynch

Lawmakers are seeking a way to maintain Iowa’s four-decade-old Iowa bottle bill and address retailers’ safety and health concerns about handling dirty beverage containers in their stores.

Subpoenas are expected to be issued early next week as part of the investigation into conduct that led Gov. Kim Reynolds to reject two nominees for an open judgeship. The committee is seeking documents and testimony from people involved the judicial nominating process.

A proposal to enable parents to start legal proceedings against schools or educators who distribute books or materials the parents deem obscene advanced Wednesday at the Iowa Capitol. Also advancing was a bill that would require Iowa, ISU and UNI sports teams to schedule games against each other.

The bill, one of three GOP tax relief plans under consideration, would phase in a four-year gradual reduction in Iowa’s personal income tax rate from the current top rate of 8.53 percent for the highest wage earners to 4 percent for all taxpayers.

The goal, the bill’s sponsor said, is to make sure that “Iowans have access to their memories.” However, critics said the Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union and others have indicated they may end their relationships with Iowa PBS if the station cannot protect its content.

Majority Republicans in the Iowa Senate are proposing a state budget of just more than $8.2 billion. Also, a ban on the use of eminent domain — the practice of the government claiming private land for private business projects — passed the first step of the legislative process, but only with hesitant support.

There’s a lot of money at stake, a lobbyist told lawmakers. An estimated 2 billion cans and bottles covered by the bottle bill are sold in Iowa each year. That represents $10 million in deposits or 200 million nickels.

If enacted, applicants would have to complete an authentication process to confirm their identity. In addition, HSB 698 would require the Department of Human Services to cross-check information about Iowans enrolled in a food assistance program or Medicaid using federal databases.

HF 2309 would require any Iowa schools that get public funding to designate sports programs as one of the following: open to biological females, open to biological males or coeducational.

Similar to previous hearings, speakers on Monday were divided between those who said a flatter tax rate would make Iowa a more attractive place for businesses and employees, and those who said the plan benefits the wealthy while doing little to help lower-income workers.

During a rally at the Iowa Capitol on Monday, a coalition of advocacy organizations called for a moratorium on new factory farms. Elsewhere at the Capitol: Senate Republicans advance changes to Iowa’s unemployment system, including a reduction in the time to receive benefits.

Although the bill doesn’t mention COVID-19, the bill, in general, would ban mask requirements as well as prohibit businesses and government entities from offering incentives to be vaccinated, and include penalties for policies resulting in “forced medical treatment.”

K-12 school funding will grow to $3.6 billion, about 44 percent of the state’s general fund budget, under a package approved by the Iowa House.

A lawmaker said livestreaming K-12 classes would nurture parental interest in education that increased when students were engaged in remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic.

But opinions diverge on other abortion-related bills now moving forward in the Iowa House.