Active Infections In Iowa Prisons Drop To 143, With 18 Deaths Of Inmates And Staff

A total of 143 prison workers and inmates are are currently infected with coronavirus, according to the Iowa Department of Corrections.

U.S. Senate Agriculture Panel Approves Vilsack As Ag Secretary In Bipartisan Vote

The Senate Agriculture Committee on Tuesday unanimously approved Tom Vilsack’s nomination to lead USDA.

Lawmakers Consider Eliminating City Bans On ‘Bully Breed’ Dogs

Colombus, a 6-week-old mixed-breed puppy, attended his first Senate subcommittee meeting on Monday.

GOP Senators Score Meeting With Biden To Discuss More Modest Relief Plan

Ten Republican senators on Monday took up President Joe Biden on his calls for working across the aisle on coronavirus-related relief.

Colleges Couldn’t Require Off-Campus Masks, Distancing Under Proposed House Bill

College campuses are a whole new world in 2021 as schools work to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Black Hawk Sheriff Says He’s Been Urged To Run For Governor

He was re-elected in November to a fourth four-year term as sheriff over County Supervisor Dan Trelka, Waterloo’s former police chief.

Special Audit Rakes State’s Targeted Small Business Program; State Agency Points To Updates

While Sand noted some improvements, IEDA officials said auditors didn’t do enough to learn of changes in the program.

Panel Advances Bill On Rental Discrimination Controversy

A bill that would allow landlords to reject renters who want to pay with federal rent vouchers advanced Tuesday in the Iowa Legislature.

Iowa Judge: Mask Policy Didn’t Violate Worker’s Religious Rights

An Iowa judge has denied unemployment benefits for a dental technician who cited religious reasons for refusing to wear a face mask.

Iowa Still Lags On COVID-19 Testing, Has Third-Highest Positivity Rate

Iowa continued to log the smallest number of tests per capita of any U.S. state in the past week, the Washington Post reported.

Dems Protest GOP’s Choice Of Lawmaker Who Cast Doubt On School Shootings For Education Panel

House Democrats are denouncing GOP leaders for tapping Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to serve on the Education and Labor Committee.

State Suspends Law License Of Public Defender Who Served On City Council

The Iowa Supreme Court has suspended the law license of a public defender and former Council Bluffs City Council member.

Iowa Voters Will Decide Gun-Rights Constitutional Amendment In 2022

Iowans will vote on a constitutional amendment protecting the right to bear arms in 2022.

Legislature Moves To Require Schools To Offer 100% In-Person Classes

Iowa schools must offer 100% in-person instruction under a bill passed by the Iowa Legislature on Thursday.

Lawmakers Puzzle Over Year-Round Daylight Saving Time

Like most states, Iowa currently switches between Central Standard Time, which takes place from November until March.

Republicans Press HUD Nominee Fudge For Saying They ‘Have No Decency’

President Joe Biden’s pick to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development faced questions from Republicans.

Granholm Vows To Create New Jobs, Cleaner Solutions As Energy Secretary

Her remarks came as the Biden administration released a raft of executive orders Wednesday on climate change.

Democratic Senator Floats Trump Censure As Senate Prepares For Impeachment Trial

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine says he’s been talking privately with his Senate colleagues about censuring former President Donald Trump.

Lawmakers Consider Including ‘Political Ideology’ Under Iowa Civil Rights Act

Iowa Republican lawmakers say they are confronting “cancel culture” with a proposal to make political ideology a protected class.

Iowa House Advances Proposed Constitutional Amendment Restricting Abortion Rights

After two and a half hours of debate, the resolution passed the House, 55-44.

Almost Half Of Iowa’s Prison Employees Have Refused COVID-19 Vaccine, Despite Deaths

Almost half of Iowa’s prison workers are refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Iowa Department of Corrections.

Proposal Would Allow Iowa Dentists To Give COVID-19 Shots

Supporters of the measure argued that Iowa needs “all hands on deck” in the battle against COVID-19.

Biden Administration Unveils Boost To State COVID-19 Vaccine Shipments

The Biden administration says it is boosting the number of doses sent to states each week and will be giving state officials more certainty.

After Two Deaths And A Series Of Outbreaks, Infections Drop In State-Run Care Facilities

In the wake of two coronavirus-related deaths at six of Iowa’s state-run care facilities, the number of infections has dropped dramatically.

Bill To Protect Donor Privacy Brings Together Conservative And Progressive Groups

Supporters noted that some donors won’t continue to give to organizations that disclose their personal information.

Half Of Iowa Care Facility Workers Refuse Vaccination, Creating A Stockpile Of Unused Vaccine

With half the state’s nursing home workers having refused the COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. Kim Reynolds declined to say Wednesday whether empl ...

Biden To Pause New Oil And Gas Leases On Public Lands In Sweeping Climate Order

President Joe Biden is set to sign a host of executive orders on climate Wednesday that will put a hold on new oil and gas leases.

Animal-Welfare Group Asks Judge To Consider Heavy Fines And Jail In Cricket Hollow Case

The critical issue facing the court is when the Sellners disposed of those animals.

Reynolds Looks To Add To Multimillion-Dollar Aid For Biofuels

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday pledged to work with the Biden administration and state lawmakers in a multimillion-dollar effort.

Hawley Pushes Ethics Probe Of U.S. Senate Democrats Who Filed Complaint Against Him

Seven U.S. Senate Democrats urged the chamber’s ethics panel to investigate Sen. Josh Hawley’s role in the pro-Trump assault on the Capitol.

Report: One In Five College-Bound Students In Iowa Don’t Enroll Immediately

One in five Iowa high-school students who intend to enroll in college immediately after graduation don’t follow through.

Report: Fewer Than Half Of Iowa Veterans Home Workers Were Given COVID-19 Vaccine

Fewer than half the workers at the Iowa Veterans Home have received the coronavirus vaccine, according to the American Legion of Iowa.

Iowa Reclaims Its Title As The State With The Lowest Rate Of COVID-19 Testing

The Washington Post reported Monday that Iowa has reclaimed its status as the state with the lowest rate of testing in the nation.

Iowa Legislation Could Strip Licenses From Firms That Employ Undocumented Workers

Senate File 84 drew opposition from business organizations, advocates for immigrants and at least one immigration lawyer.

Hart Attorney: Miller-Meeks’ Opposition To Election Appeal ‘Preposterous’

Miller-Meeks has been sworn in as the new representative of southeastern Iowa after the state certified her as the winner by six votes.

Lawmakers Advance Governor’s Plan To Expand State Support For Non-Public Schools

Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, identified both issues as priorities for the legislative session.

More Than 40% Of Iowa Veterans Home Workers Are Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine

So far, 21 of the home’s 415 residents have contracted the coronavirus and five of them have died.

Iowa Ag Secretary: Biden’s Waterway Regulations Could Hurt Farm Interests

Democratic President Joe Biden spent part of his first week in office inserting himself into one of agriculture’s hottest policy debates.

Miller-Meeks Argues Against Hart Election Challenge In Iowa’s 2nd District

Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks is calling for the dismissal of a challenge filed by her Democratic opponent.

Iowa’s COVID-19 Death Rate Outpaced That Of 47 Other States This Past Week

Iowa recorded 51 additional coronavirus-related deaths on Thursday, along with 1,653 new infections, the New York Times reported.