Coming up this morning on abc9 news. Iowa lawmakers are debating a speed increase on state highways. Details are up ahead concerns rise over the upcoming changes to iowas medicaid program. Well head to the state house later this morning. Plus. Hundreds of siouxland women came together for a special conference. Including our own Jenna Rehnstrom these stories and more. On abc9 news this morning. Lukas good morning and thanks for joining us this wednesday morning. Im lukas voss. Lawmakers in des moines are considering bumping up speeds on state highways. The change would increase the speed from 55 to 65 Miles Per Hour on two lane highways throughout iowa. But not everyone agrees. Abc9 News Reporter jess plue has more on the pros and cons of the potential increase. If all the roads were like this, then yes, speeds could be a little higher, but Woodbury County these roads, says officer todd wingert. The roads officer todd wingert is talking about are twolane highways in iowa. On tuesday, a bill went into the hands of lawmakers to increase speeds from 60 to 65 mph. Gary worthan proposed this bill, which is one of three, as a way of keeping the state of iowa in check with other states. Of the states that surround iowa, wisconsin and illinoise are the only two that have not gone and raised their limits from 55mph on a twolane road says gary worthan, proposer of one of three speed increase bills. While most that travel these highways daily, find a potential increase to be welcomed, not all drivers think the same. If they increase it to 75mph, i can see people going up to at least 85mph which i feel like is very dangerous especily when it gets icy during the winter. I dont think its a good idea, says new driver, nicole newman. No matter what drivers opinions are on the matter, one underlying caution stays the same. Safety. Any time you increase your speed you decrease your reactionime. And people now a days, we are fighting a fight against distracted drivers with all the portable handheld devices, distracted driving is a really bad so when you increase your speed, the longer your eyes are off the road looking at your phone or looking something, youre traveling that much further than if you speed, says officer todd wingert. Lukas counties that feel their two lane highways would become more dangerous with a speed increase. Can reject raising the speed limits in their county. Lukas iowa lawmakers are also considering a bill that would change iowas texting and driving law. Right now texting while driving is considered a secondary offense. Meaning officers cant pull you over for texting unless they see you breaking another law. The new bill would make texting while driving a primary offense. The sponsor of the legislation, senator tod bowman, says its a way to toughen up iowas distracted driving laws. Bowman 5 32 18 theres people that think it would provide Police Another reason to pull you over, it does when youre doing soething harmful, it does give reason to pull y over but a legitimate reason to pull them over. This bill passed in the senate but bowman says the speaker of the house hasnt expressed interest in taking it up for debate. Lukas a federal organization known as cms is in charge of approving changes iowa wants to make with its medicaid program. But that group says there is a fairly long list of things the state needed to fix before theyll give approval to move forward. Reporter amanda krenz explains. What you see lawmakers looking at this meeting is a list a 16 items. These are criteria that the Iowa Department of Human Services had to improve before the state can switch from medicaid to managed care. Senator bob dvorsky 5 08 36 i think were misleading people, saying these things are completed when theyre not. Senator bob dvorsky says all these items arent completed if theyre still being worked on and monitored. 5 06 42 this is just some governors smoke. Where were talking about everything thats rosy, dont check anything out here. Checking things out. They dont think the state is ready for the entire medicaid system to switch to managed care on march first. Liz mathis 4 56 37 which ones have they said are completed to them . Mikki stier 4 57 15 0 4. 5. 6. 7 is a network, of those one theyre monitoring is 5. The development of our network. That one of the biggest concerns of these lawmakers, the network. Will the 560 thousand iowans on medicaid have the Health Care Providers they need within a reasonable distance. Republican senator David Johnson who represents one of the most conservative districts in the state says the whole plan needs to be revisited. 5 15 10 why was the legislature left out of this last year . Why . I really feel like we were just left out. Lukas today is the final y for individuals on medicaid to pick which of the three managed Care Companies they want for their health coverage. Plan isnt supposed to take effect until march first. Lukas barring a veto from south dakota governor dennis daugaard. South dakota is set to become the first state in the country to enact a law requiring transgender students to use bathrooms, locker rooms and shower facilities that match their biological sex. On a 2015 vote, the south Dakota Senate approved the bill tuesday. Sending the measure to the governors desk. If approved,transgender students not wishing to use those facilities would have to submit a request to School Officials asking for a separate facility. Debate over the proposed law has focused on protecting the privacy of students while opponents are calling it discrinatory. Lukas lt governor kim reynolds made a few stops in sioux city as a part of her statewide stem tour yesterday. Loess hills is currently in their second year of the stem program. Each student from second through fifth grade has their own laptop for class, even the younger ones use tablets both teachers and the principal agree that skills in problem solving and processing algorithms these children far. Any free time a child might have here at loess hills, they automatically reach for their programming programs and they like to create code says john beeck, principal at loess hills elementary, its really fun says students. You like it a lot . Asks elisa raffa, abc9 news yes. Mostly techology. So like if you want to do technology, youll have more background knowledge says students. These young girls are taking advantage of the technology they have in school. They interviewed the lt governor equipped with a microphone, camera, and some tough questions for their television program. Reynolds also visited Morningside Elementary when we come back. Ill bring you all the details on which bands will play at this years awesome biker nights. Stay tuned to find out whos coming to the hard rock this summer. Scott well have. Morning. With. Lukas voss. And meteorologist through overnight so be aware of some slick spots today. Temperatures are in the 20s and 30s. The wind is from the east and southeast between 5 and 10 Miles Per Hour. Heres the stormcast hd where well pull in a southeast wind today and tomorrow. Then that will turn west and southwest on friday really opening the door to some high heat well get into the upper 50s on friday. Lukas scott so be aware of some slick spots today. Temperatures are in the 20s and 30s. The wind is from the east and southeast heres the stormcast hd where well pull in a southeast wind today and tomorrow. Then that will turn west and southwest on friday really opening the door to some high heat well get into the upper 50s on friday. Lukas so be aware of some slick spots today. Mperatures are in the 20s and 30s. The wind is from the east and southeast between 5 and 10 Miles Per Hour. Heres the stormcast hd where well pull in a southeast wind today and tomorrow. Then that will turn west and southwest on friday really opening the door to some high heat well get into the upper 50s on friday. So be aware of some slick spots today. Temperatures are in the 20s and 30s. The wind is from the east and southeast between 5 and 10 Miles Per Hour. Heres the stormcast hd where well pull in a southeast wind today and tomorrow. Then that will turn west and southwest on friday really opening the door to some high heat well get into the upper 50s on friday. Lukas scott lukas women of siouxland gathered for the Second Annual siouxland Women Leadership conference at the marina inn yesterday. 400 women and 125 College Students gathered to hear speakers on the topics of body language, feedback and gender intelligence. 25 exhibitors were also there to sell books and provide health tips. The regional manager of the Organization Says inspire, lead and motivate women. The goal of todays conference is to have women be educated, motivated, and inspired when women that we work with on this conference are the women who really are going to make that happen says bobbi segura, regional manager of iowa women lead change. Winona laduke was the key note speaker for the conference. The harvard educated environmentalist has spent her life helping native american groups. She also ran for Vice President twice. Alongside ralph nader. Women, we share a lot of similar experiences. You know, being little ladied, being told that youre not good enough for it, or just like being really surprised when you shoup and thats the women that im with here, im pleased to be with them says winona laduke, author and executive director of honor the earth. And our very own Jenna Rehnstrom moderated a Panel Discussion geared towards preparing College Women for personal and professional success after graduation. Lukas eager ears gathered inside the anthem at the Hard Rock Hotel and casino tuesday night to find out which bands will play at the 2016 awesome biker night. The lineup includes cheap trick featuring edgar winter. In this moment with metallica, a metallica tribute. Hard rock general manager todd moyer says the hard rock promises concert goers that this years awesome biker nights will go beyond other recent events. Im real excited about the lineup. Its a great siouxland tradition and we really believe that awesome biker night and all their fans are going to love it here at the hard rock, says todd moyer, general manager at the Hard Rock Hotel and casino. Awesome biker nights is set for june 16th through the 18th at the hard rocks battery park and pearl street district in downtown. Wristbands and weekend passes for the event go on sale friday on the hard rocks website. Lukas three nights of events aimed at benefitting sioux citys boys and girls home and Family Services will begin on thursday. The 19th annual faceoff for charity is a mix of hockey fun, sports memoribillia and a special dinner served by this years sioux city musketeers players. During last years three night event. Players, staff and fans raised a record 72 thousand dollars. The total amount raised over the past 18 years rounds out to just under six hundred you can call the number provided at the bottom of your screen for reservations lukas coming up. Ill bring you the story of a boy who sent a very special thank you note to the the kansas state patrol. After saving his life. Thats coming up right after the break vo shop all makes, models and colors in your neighborhood. All with worryfree ownership. Head to your neighborhood enterprise car sales and let the people who buy more vehicles than anyone. Babys first birthday here on abc9 news this morning we will be showing your babys picture right here on our newscast. Everyone is invitedto send in a photo of your kiddos first birthday. You can email that picture to firstbirthdayat kcautvdot com. Please be sure to include your childs first and last name along with a guide on how to pronounce their name. Along with their date of birth. And we will air their picture right here during our morning show every monday. Lukas just two simple words thank you they came from a note given to the kansas state patrol by one special boy. Reporter Michael Schwanke has the story. It was a scene no mother wants to pull up to. Cop cars. Last tuesday, on the gym floor at this school in wakeeney was second grader gage hilmes. Its a scary scene to see and then you see the ambulance. During p. E. Class. Gage fell down and was unresponsive. As his mother elizabeth arrived. They were loading him into the ambulance. One of the ems ladies that was on there said just jump in and i dont remember if i shut my car off. Fast forward to this week. After some time in the hospital gage is doing better. And hes now giving back to emergency crews who were at the scene. I gave one trooper a bag of candy. Along with that bag of candy. This card. Saying simply thank you. And the reason hes doing this. Because they helped me. It will warm your heart and now a days with Everything Else going on in the world its pretty neat to have a little kid recognize us. For gage and his mother. Showing their appreciation was an easy thing to do. It was kind of simple on our part because what they did was above and beyond to us. Thats what we were appreciative about was that everyone came up and did what they could for him. Lukas and scott are chatting about gages amazing gesture. Lukas and scott are chatting about gages amazing gesture. Lukas and scott are chatting about gages amazing gesture. Lukas and scott are chatting about gages amazing gesture. Scott good morning siouxland. Weve had some very light precipitation pull through overnight so be aware of some slick spots today. Temperatures are in the 20s and 30s. The wind is from the east and southeast between 5 and 10 Miles Per Hour. The dayplanner shows that well have temperatures top off near 40 degrees this afternoon so be aware of some slick spots today. Temperatures are in the 20s and 30s. The wind is from the east and southeast between 5 and 10 Miles Per Hour. The that well have temperatures top off near 40 degrees this afternoon scott so be aware of some slick spots today. Temperatures are in the 20s and 30s. The wind is from the east and southeast between 5 and 10 Miles Per Hour. The dayplanner shows that well have temperatures top off near 40 degrees this afternoon scott heres a quick chekc outside on one of our iowa dot traffic cams areas today . Police will be runnindars, here. Indian hills drive and on outer drive. So again. Mind that speed. Lukas still to come. More on a bill that would protect High School Athletes from concussions. Its not without controversy however. Find out more. Protect student athletes from concussions while playing collision sports. The bill would require home teams at High School Varsity gas to provide a licensed trainer to assess concussions and other injuries. Varsity sporting events include, football, wrestling, plus girls and boys soccer. The estimated cost of getting trainers would be between two and five thousand dollars annually. Some local schools already struggle to havetrainers present consistently and are not sure the bill is a feasible option. When were able to, we try to have a trainer for alll our home events but its difficult. The cost is high, the availability of certified people that can come down and take care of our athletes and our opponents athletes, theyre hard to find. Half of the schools in iowa provide some coverage for athletic trainers or other professionals at sporting events. We will have more on this bill. Coming up later on in the show. Lukas and here is another reminder that the issue of concussions has very much come to the forefront in any sport. One of the wwes biggest stars suddenly called it quits after a number of concussions throughout his career. Abcs Kayna Whitworth sat down with wrestling superstar daniel bryan and his wife. [nats yes yess yes ] hes best known for making and taking big slams in the ring . But this morning former wrestling superstar, daniel bryan . And his wife brie bella . Speaking out after bryan announced his retirement on stage last week after a string of concussions natsot bryan announcing retirement i have loved this in a way that i have never loved anything else. Daniel bryan superstar the more concussions you have, the more susceptible you are to them. Some of those concussions, even leading to seizures something bryan tried to keep private at first not even telling brie, a wwe total diva and pro wrestler herself. Brie bella wwe diva i was with him with one of his seizures after a concussion. And i mean it scared me so bad. I lost it. Daniel bryan former wwe superstar i just implored her, please dont say anything to anybody. Kayna whitworth i think a lot of people think that prowrestling is fake. Is what youre doing in the ring real . Daniel bryan former wwe superstar its not real. And its not fake. When you get slammed, you really get slammed. Im helping him slam me. Injured. Sot daniel bryan former wwe superstar yes. Last year bryan was sidelined after having surgery on his neck the wwe taking him off the roster. Sot daniel bryan former wwe superstar w. W. E. s doctor said, i cant in good conscience allow you to risk yourself like that. Paul triple h levesque wwe evp, talent, live events creative athletes are like thoroughbreds. Someone has to pull the reins but some former wrestlers . Say wwe hasnt always been as protective . In 2015 . Vito lograsso and Evan Singleton filing suit . Accusing the wwe of failing to diagnose concussions . And sending athletes into the ring injured even citing the case of wrestling super star chris benoit . Famed for his headbutts . Who after his death . Was found to have suffered from severe cte . The brain disease linked to hard hits the wwe telling us that lawsuit has no merit and we will vigorously contest it paul triple h levesque wwe evp, talent, live events creative our referees are taught to look for signs. Our talent themselves are made aware of signs in themselves and in each other. As for bry and bellas