Reynolds' education priorities see mixed results
After two subcommittee hearings on Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposal to overhaul the state’s special education system, the governor’s bill – with amendments – advanced in the Iowa Senate, but not the House. Speaker Pat Grassley says Republicans are still working to move forward with some changes for the state’s Area Education Agencies.
Republicans release plan to eliminate state income tax
Republican Senate and House tax committee leaders released their plans to eventually eliminate the state’s income tax. The proposal would have Iowa’s public employee pension system invest and manage the taxpayer relief fund, which currently has more than $3 billion stored up. As the investment grows, new money would be put towards ratcheting down Iowa’s income tax rate. In response, House Democrats released a package that would aim to lower costs for Iowans by extending the state’s two-day sales tax holiday, raising the minimum wage, assisting child care providers, and helping Iowans with disabilities access health services more quickly.
Reynolds proposes putting sex change information on driver’s licenses, birth certificates
The governor filed a bill Thursday that would require transgender Iowans who change their gender on their driver’s license or birth certificate also to have their sex assigned at birth on their ID. The bill also says “separate accommodations are not inherently unequal” and mentions certain places where splitting people up based on their sex assigned at birth shouldn’t be considered discriminatory. Reynolds says she thinks this bill will protect the rights, safety and privacy of women in places like domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers.
The bill became public just one day after Republican lawmakers rejected a bill that would have removed gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act.
Lawmakers attempt to halt eminent domain use, again
A House subcommittee advanced a bill last week that would create a path for lawmakers to stop eminent domain proceedings. Under the proposal, it would take either 21 representatives or 11 senators to pause proceedings – and a supermajority vote to restart. The bill comes as the Iowa Utilities Board is considering whether eminent domain can be used for a pipeline proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions.
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