Iowa Senate Advances Bill Allowing Eminent Domain as a Last Resort
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa senators are advancing a bill to allow eminent domain for pipelines as a last resort. Debate continues in the legislature as lawmakers consider competing bills tied to the issue. A bill already passed in the House earlier this year to completely prohibit the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines. Senators believe their bill is a better compromise to create jobs and bolster Iowa’s ethanol industry. Labor groups and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association support the bill in the Senate while many landowners prefer the House bill.
Governor Reynolds Proposes Bill To Increase Charter School Funding
(Des Moines, IA) — Governor Kim Reynolds is proposing a bill that would unlock more funding for public charter schools. Reynolds notes that demand for public charter schools is growing and her bill would allow per-pupil funding to follow students from their traditional school to the charter school. Iowa has 19 approved charter schools throughout the state. The bill could pull funding from traditional schools at a time when many districts are facing budget cuts that could lead to school closures. The Cedar Rapids Community School District recently cut 13-million dollars from its annual budget and is considering consolidation plans.
MercyOne Medical Center Announces Layoffs
(Des Moines, IA) — A Des Moines hospital is laying off 67 employees next month, according to a release. MercyOne Medical Center will start laying off employees on March 17. Employees were notified earlier this week and an announcement was posted on the Iowa Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification website. MercyOne says it’s a proactive step to ensure long-term sustainability and future growth, in a statement to Iowa’s News Now. They call it a, “necessary, though painful action.”
Changes Could Be Coming To Required Iowa Hunter Education
(Des Moines, IA) — An Iowa House bill proposal would eliminate a requirement for in-person hunter safety training. State Representative Jason Gearhart says the in-person requirements are difficult for many in rural counties. A loophole in the Iowa hunting certification requirements allow safety courses from other states to be accepted as a reciprocal alternative. Gearhart said his children passed a course from North Carolina that didn’t require an in-person program. He says if that program is accepted, it doesn’t make sense for Iowa not to offer a similar option.
