Tom Barton

Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ahsley Hinson and Iowa GOP Sen. Joni Ernst met with Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this month in Ukraine.

Among the new initiatives in next year’s budget are increased salaries for judges, funding for a new state Division of Special Education, and funding to increase accessibility at Iowa’s state parks.

Trained school staff will be allowed to carry firearms on school grounds under legislation signed into law by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Lawmakers faced a Friday deadline for Iowa victims to have full access to the Boy Scouts settlement

Critics argue accelerated cuts hurt schools, public services

A plan to overhaul and combine Iowa’s delivery system for mental and behavioral health services is headed to Gov. Kim Reynolds to be signed into law.

A bill requiring Iowa schools to adopt new social studies and civics education standards with a focus on Western civilization, U.S. and Iowa history is headed to Gov. Kim Reynolds to be signed into law.

Bill waiting to be signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds

The state has made significant tax law changes for tax year 2023.

Lawmakers face April 19 deadline to change the law

Senate removes school security personnel grant program

Opponents to the new law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds organize protests and consider a court fight.

The bill, which would temporarily lift limits that would apply to the Boy Scouts, now heads to the Iowa House for consideration. Lawmakers face an April 19 deadline.

The measure, which Gov. Kim Reynolds called for in her annual Condition of the State address in January, sailed through the Legislature with unanimous support in February.

Rules meant to carry out a blocked Iowa law banning abortions early in pregnancy will move forward, while later this week the Iowa Supreme Court will consider a legal challenge to the constitutionality of the state ban.