Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
A bill extending health care coverage to 30,000 currently uninsured Iowa children will be debated today in the House Human Resources Committee at 2 p.m.
Senate File 389 would also set up a commission to help Iowans find affordable health insurance. It passed the Iowa Senate last week on a 30-18 vote, with Democrats Swati Dandekar and Rich Olive joining 16 Republicans in opposition.
An earlier version of the bill would have authorized small businesses and nonprofit organizations to buy into the state government’s health insurance plan. Now a commission will consider that idea then return to the legislature next year with proposals.
The bill also increases income limits for eligibility to 300 percent of the poverty level, or about $64,000 for a family of four.
Most observers believe Democrats will have a much more difficult time passing the measure in the House and expect lawmakers to make changes to the Senate’s version of the bill.
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