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.
In a debate that lasted nearly five hours, the Iowa State House passed a statewide ban on smoking in public places Tuesday night 56-44, with bi-partisan support. The bill was the strongest of several anti-smoking proposals that the legislature was set to consider this session.
Although the bill was sponsored by a large group of Democrats, eight Republicans sided with the majority party and voted in favor of the measure and eight Democrats voted against it.
“Second hand smoke kills 440 non-smokers in Iowa every year and another 4,000 Iowans die each year from smoking-related illnesses,” said State Rep. Tyler Olson, D-Cedar Rapids. “The bill approved today will save lives and protect 99 percent of Iowans in the work place and public places.”
If enacted, the legislation will ban smoking in bars, restaurants, businesses, some farms, and state-owned outdoor areas where members of the public assemble.
“We know that workers in the hospitality industry, including my sister, have a 50 percent greater chance of dying from lung cancer than the general population,” said State Representative Elesha Gayman, D-Davenport. “These hard-working Iowans do not get to decide if their workplace is smoke free and they should not have to put their health in jeopardy to provide for their families.”
The bill would also ban smoking within 10 feet of the entrance of any building that falls under the ban. And it may ban smoking on the grounds of the Iowa State Fair, though that question remained unsettled when legislators cast their votes.
Casinos, however, were exempted from the ban by an amendment.
The bill now heads to the Iowa Senate, which is also controlled by Democrats. If it passes there, it will land on Gov. Culver’s desk for signature.
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