State Government

Republican Rep. David Young of Van Meter, an assistant Republican leader in the House, expressed skepticism about the bill’s future in the chamber,

An Iowa House subcommittee unanimously approved a bill to allow the Iowa Legislature to intervene in a permitting process of a pipeline or other energy project seeking to use eminent domain.

The Satanic Temple has filed a damage estimate putting the cost to replace the statute at $3,000. The group is also requesting $3,299.55 in restitution for “travel and security expenses” for “food, lodging, van rental, communications equipment and bullet proof vests that were a necessity in completing the task of removing our holiday display at the state capitol.”

Also, lawmakers advance a bill allowing families to monitor nursing home residents.

Civil rights and some business groups oppose proposal, citing ‘legal chaos’ and economic consequences.

Over the protests of immigrants and activists who filled Iowa State Capitol committee rooms this week, Republican lawmakers advanced bills that would put stricter limitations on undocumented immigrants.

Sen. Brad Zaun has pushed to ban the traffic cameras ever since he received a citation in 2011 after a camera captured his son speeding while driving the senator’s vehicle in Cedar Rapids.

Iowa Senate Democrats, meanwhile, unveiled a package of ‘reproductive freedom’ bills, while Republicans advanced bills regarding teaching human development and child support requirements.

Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposal received bipartisan support in its first legislative step; a Republican senator dismissed concerns over lack of transparency called for in the bill.

While Reynolds’ original bill would have restricted AEAs to providing only special education services, under the proposed amendment the state’s nine area education agencies would be allowed to continue offering education services as well as media services to school districts who request it, if approved by the state.

As written, the bill would make anyone convicted of first-degree murder eligible for the death penalty. But lawmakers said they would amend it to pertain only to someone who murders a law enforcement officer.

Iowa statehouse Republicans have proposed multiple changes to state law that would allow them greater access to the judicial process when a state law is challenged in court