AMES, Iowa – May 17, 2012 – The Iowa Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration and Illinois Department of Transportation,...
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A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest for Wednesday, April 11, 2012: CONFERENCE COMMITTEES: House-Senate conference committee members appointed Wednesday for the following fiscal 2013 budget bills are: SF 2321, education appropriations, Republicans Cecil Dolecheck, Ron Jorgenson and Peter Cownie and Democrats Cindy Winckler and Sharon Steckman from the House; Democrats...
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DES MOINES – Iowa lawmakers are girding for the potential of another session shutdown laced with battles over public funding of abortion services. The state budget bill that deals with the politically volatile issue of Medicaid-funded “medically necessary” abortions for low-income women performed at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City...
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DES MOINES – Senate Democrats, on a party-line vote, approved their version of education reform Monday, but conceded the planned overhaul likely is far from completed given the differences with majority House Republicans and Gov. Terry Branstad’s initial assessment that the legislation is a “watered-down version” of the bold reforms he envisioned to make...
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DES MOINES – Gov. Terry Branstad said Monday he is “very hopeful” the 2012 legislative session will produce significant property tax reform and relief. The GOP governor told his weekly news conference he has had “some positive and fruitful” discussions with Democrats who are in charge of the Iowa Senate that have made him...
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DES MOINES – Members of the split-control Legislature return to the Statehouse today facing a jumble of unresolved priorities and spending differences that has eluded agreement for 13 weeks and counting. The 2012 election-year session, which began Jan. 9, enters its 14th week with majorities of Republicans in the House and Democrats in the...
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DES MOINES – Gov. Terry Branstad indicated Monday that he may intervene in a school start date controversy if the Legislature fails to address concerns by Iowa tourism officials that school districts are routine granted state waivers to begin classes before Sept. 1 as prescribed by state law. A measure is working its way...
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DES MOINES – A House-passed bill to ban traffic enforcement cameras likely will end the 2012 legislative session parked along the road to adjournment. Senate President Jack Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg, has assigned House File 2450 to the Senate Transportation Committee, which chairman Sen. Tom Rielly, D-Oskaloosa, said is not scheduled to meet again this year....
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A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest for Wednesday, April 4, 2012: BRANSTAD BILLSIGN: Gov. Terry Branstad on Wednesday signed legislation designed to strengthen Iowa’s laws regarding child pornography and human trafficking. House File 2390 allows prosecutors to bring child pornography charges based on the number of victims and broadens definitions...
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DES MOINES – State officials would be required to track available data on health care costs with an eye on finding ways to control costs and slow the growth of insurance premiums under a bill under consideration by the Democrat-controlled Iowa Senate. Senate File 2230, which cleared a Senate subcommittee on Wednesday, would require...
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DES MOINES – State lawmakers are looking at legislation designed to tax roll-your-own cigarette machines that allow Iowans to produce their own tobacco products at about half the price of buying their smokes retail. Sen. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, said owners of roll-your-machines that cost about $35,000 have set up store fronts where customers can...
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