Gov. Reynolds Signs Bill To Increase Public School Aid By $82M
(Des Moines, IA) — Governor Kim Reynolds is increasing state aid to public schools by 82-million dollars this year. She signed a state bill into law on Thursday that calls for a two-percent increase in aid per student for the fiscal year of 2027. With the inclusion of state, local and federal funding, Iowa schools are expected to receive more than nine-point-one billion dollars for the upcoming year. Reynolds says it shows how the state emphasizes education. The two-percent increase is a compromise from an original bill for a one-point-75 percent increase and five-percent request from the Iowa State Education Association.
Police Identify Man Killed During An Officer-Involved Shooting
(Des Moines, IA) — Three Des Moines Police officers are on leave after shooting and killing 24-year-old Hunter Munoz. The shooting happened on Thursday at the Polk County Life Service Center after police received a call that Munoz stabbed a security guard. When officers arrived at the scene, Munoz was discovered holding a knife and allegedly did not comply with officer’s orders. That is when one of the officers deployed Taser on Munoz, but it was not effective. As Munoz advanced in the officers direction, two of them fired their guns at him and hit him. Body cameras on the officers recorded the incident.
Democrats Say Report On Misallocation Of $27.5 Million Is Overstated
(Des Moines, IA) — Democrats in the state House say a report on the misallocation of court fees is overstated. The report claims more than 27-million dollars were misallocated but Democrats argue that the total, “overstates both the nature and impact” of the error and, “relies on emotionally charged rhetoric.” An investigation released in 2024 shows a coding error caused erroneous allocations of court fees over the course of four years. Funds paid from the courts are designed to go to various accounts for victim compensation, emergency services, infrastructure and others. The report, issued by House Republicans, criticized the judiciary and Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand for not taking quicker action on the errors.
Iowa Lawmakers Push Use Of Federal Databases For Verifying Immigration Statuses
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa lawmakers are advancing bills to require verification of immigration statuses for voters and government employees. The state Senate passed five bills to require the use of the Systematic Alien Verification For Entitlements or SAVE system to verify people in certain situations. The bill was pressed forward after the arrest of former Des Moines Superintendent Ian Roberts on federal immigration charges. Democrats expressed concern the bills would create unnecessary barriers for people registering to vote. The legislation passed through the Senate by a vote of 34-to-13.
