Stories

“No legislation taking away liberties passed by Congress in last 36 hours. Snow froze activity in DC. Our State Secy of Ag mtgs continue.”
~ Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey
“In public hearing- testimony about not closing Clarinda, not moving empowerment. Room is overflowing.”
~ Iowa Rep.Renee Schulte, R-Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — The three candidates vying to be the GOP’s nominee to face U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Mount Vernon, in November made it clear that they all believe government would be best served if it would simply get out of the way of its citizens.

Taxes aren’t the only thing Iowans for Tax Relief and U.S. Rep. Steve King want to know about on a new automated call. They also want to gauge opinion on abortion and same-sex marriage.
King, a Kiron Republican who represents Iowa’s 5th District, is the voice on the call, which is reportedly being made on behalf [...]

One perk enjoyed by state lawmakers is the ability to reserve private meeting rooms in the Capitol for personal use. The privilege is a long-held legislative tradition. But despite the fact that the space is taxpayer funded and public servants are often in attendance, there is little to no transparency or public oversight surrounding who is using the rooms and for what.

Sixteen Iowa lawmakers — 15 Republicans and one Democrat — have begun a process that could result in an amendment of the Iowa Constitution, but the focus isn’t same-sex marriage. The proposed amendment calls for the state to recognize human eggs as persons worthy of legal protection, effectively ending any access to abortion and possibly [...]

A public records request to Iowa State University has met with stiff resistance from Beef Products Inc. (BPI), a company with strong Iowa ties that pioneered ammonia-based beef processing recently featured in a national expose on pathogens in school lunches. At the heart of the disagreement is Iowa’s oft-criticized 1967 public records law.

As political strategists stamp out 2010 game plans, they would do well to keep an eye on Iowa and one former state legislator, according to The Sacramento Bee editor Dan Morain.
The politics of Sandy Greiner, a former Iowa representative and current president of the nonprofit group American Future Fund, will benefit in the wake of [...]

Mental health advocates haven’t gotten everything they’ve wanted in relation to new state policies governing psychiatric medications for individuals receiving state assistance. But they scored a big win Monday night when the Iowa Senate approved language that ensures existing patients’ medications won’t be automatically switched in order to save the state money.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) believes that one of Iowa’s Democratic candidates for senate isn’t living up to her campaign promises.
Colin Reed, spokesman for the NRSC, took note of an invitation sent by the American Association for Justice, formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, highlighting fundraising events being held on [...]

DHS officials say the change will save money without undermining overall care. Mental health advocates claim it could lead to increased homelessness and incarceration.