Page 51 - Senate Study News Today

DES MOINES - A Democratic Eastern Iowa senator Monday accused his GOP counterparts of voting to defund police by approving legislation that would ban most traffic enforcement cameras, cutting ticket revenue that cities use to fund public safety.

Although several lawmakers and lobbyists last week praised an Iowa House version of a public education free speech bill that stripped references to banning certain types of diversity training, a

State legislators are looking at lowering the penalty for possessing small amounts of marijuana to a simple misdemeanor on a first offense, but Republicans say legalization is not an option.

A roundup of legislative and state government news items of interest from Monday: RELIGIOUS FREEDOM BILL ADVANCES: Individuals and businesses in Iowa would be granted broader legal protection to take actions guided by their religious beliefs under a bill approved Monday by a Senate State Government subcommittee. Sen. Dennis Guth, R-Klemme, said Senate File 436, known as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, provides that government shall not substantially burden a person’s exercise of rel...

by Ken Rozenboom Next week is the first funnel week of this legislative session, meaning all Senate policy bills need to be out of Senate committees in order to be considered for the rest of the year. This deadline forces us to focus on the bills that have enough support to advance through the process. I was happy to hear Governor Reynolds has signed Senate File 269, which was the education funding increase we passed last week. Setting this increase early in session is important so local school...

As the Biden administration begins to withdraw federal approval for Medicaid work requirements in several states, the Republican state senator who has previously introduced work requirement bills in Iowa says he doesnt plan to resume his push this year. Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, said he is putting his effort on hold because he has other responsibilities as the new chairperson of the Senate Commerce Committee. However, he said he hopes to bring his bill back in the future. "You ca...

Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, said he is putting his push for Medicaid work requirements on hold this year. "Expect to see it next year," he said.

DES MOINES - Members of a Senate committee clashed Thursday over legislation that would delay and reduce the unemployment benefits paid Iowans - with backers saying the changes would still keep Iowas program among the nations most generous while critics called them cruel and ill-timed during a pandemic.

CEDAR RAPIDS — A proposal to ban traffic cameras throughout Iowa — except on the dangerous S-curve on Interstate 380 by downtown Cedar Rapids — got the green light Thursday from the Iowa Senate Judiciary Subcommittee. Senate Study Bill 1176 seeks to bar Iowa communities from using automated traffic enforcement systems, reviving lawmakers’ on-again, off-again attempts for years to regulate or eliminate them. Some lawmakers see the cameras as traffic safety tools that reduce p...

A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest for Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021: