State Government

On this week’s edition of the On Iowa Politics Podcast: filing deadline, funnel week at the Capitol and Covid march madness.

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.

Legislation moved forward Thursday that would prevent school personnel accused of misconduct, including sexual abuse, from resigning to avoid investigations and discipline -- despite the sponsor’s concession it wasn’t ready for prime time.

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.

Concerns about the possible use of eminent domain have increased over the past year as three companies have proposed building underground pipelines across Iowa. At informational meetings around the state since November, many landowners have raised concerns about eminent domain, safety of the pipelines and whether the companies should get tax credits for projects that may make money for the owners but not help Iowans or the environment.

They opposed Senate File 2263, which would end the requirement the Senate confirm a governor’s appointments to about two dozen state boards and commissions. Currently, those appointments must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the 50-member Iowa Senate.

The Eastern Iowa Airport will be eligible for $28.4 million, which will enable the airport to complete the fourth and final phase of its terminal upgrade project.

One bill would create a state-funded psychiatry residency program in cooperation with the state’s mental health institutes, resource centers, training school Iowa Medical and Classification Center. Another would help mental health professionals pay school loans.

According to the National Council on Aging, about one in 10 Americans aged 60 or older have suffered from at least one form of elder abuse. In Iowa, the Department of Human Services saw a 37 percent increase in dependent abuse reports from the first half of 2020 to the second half of 2021, with 5,800 cases.

Iowa’s annual winter home heating moratorium will end April 1. The Iowa Utilities Board encourages energy assistance customers currently protected from service disconnection to contact their utility company to discuss payment options.

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.