A bill that would have the state labor commissioner regulate professional and amateur mixed martial arts matches and events is one of 21 bills the Iowa Senate is scheduled to take up for debate today, iowapolitics.com reported today. Other bills slated for debate include ones dealing with domestic abuse, campaign finance and the doubling of fines and penalties in disaster areas. Click here to see the Senate debate calendar.

Friday is the nomination deadline for the annual Live United awards. The recognition program is United Way of Central Iowa’s tribute to companies, organizations and individuals who show outstanding community support across the categories of give, advocate and volunteer. Nomination information and forms are available by clicking here. .

Mercy College of Health Sciences has been awarded a $3.4 million competitive grant by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration. The grant, a collaborative effort with Iowa Workforce Development, the Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services and a number of employment partners, will help remove barriers faced by up to 274 legal refugees and immigrants pursing higher education. It will do this by providing health science course content that has a modified curriculum in pace and teaching style to meet the needs of the students.

Members of the Iowa Transportation Commission will travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with members of Iowa’s congressional delegation March 3-4 to discuss the federal surface transportation bill reauthorization, an update on the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the annual and long-term funding needs.