State Government

During a rally in the Iowa Capitol rotunda, landowners and pipeline opponents urged the Legislature to follow in the footsteps of South Dakota, where Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden recently signed a law banning the use of eminent domain in that state to gain easements for carbon dioxide pipelines.

Cellphones should not be allowed in students’ hands during class or in drivers’ hands while on the road, Iowa state lawmakers decreed Tuesday as they moved the proposals closer to becoming state law.

Also, Senate Republicans once again approved bills banning citizen police review boards and adding a gubernatorial nominee to district judicial nominating commissions

The group hopes to expand the 3 Dimensions of Education program to a total of 22 Iowa schools and 13,640 student by 2030.

Deere and Co. would have to give back money from state tax credits after it laid off workers last year under a bill in the Iowa House.

State lawmakers once again are working to make Iowa’s election recount laws more consistent, while also considering other changes to elections laws.

The Trump administration on Friday moved to dismiss lawsuits against Iowa and Oklahoma brought by the Biden administration’s Department of Justice, which challenged the states' immigration laws making it a crime for someone to be in the state if they are in the U.S. illegally.

Also, House lawmakers advance bill to extend biofuels tax incentives

Majority Republicans said the revenue picture looks exactly like they expected with the enactment of recent state income tax cuts, while Democrats criticized the GOP for the cuts causing state revenue to dip below current spending levels.

Also, lawmakers in the Iowa House voted Wednesday to expand legislation that would provide professional right-to-carry permits for judicial officers, members of the Attorney General’s Office and state lawmakers.

About a quarter of Iowans would no longer pay co-pays and deductibles for supplemental and diagnostic breast exams under legislation that unanimously passed the Iowa House and advanced Wednesday in the Iowa Senate. But insurers say health care costs would rise for everyone.

Summit Carbon Solutions wants the schedule of proceedings for its South Dakota permit application “paused for review and adjustment” after that state’s Legislature and governor approved a ban on the use of eminent domain for carbon dioxide pipelines.