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Government Policy and Law

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Two new specialty license plates proposed by Iowa lawmakers

Two bills winding their way through the Iowa Legislature would provide Iowans with more choices of specialty license plates while generating revenue for the state.

Bills for both plates – “The Corn State” and “Flying…
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DHS director was ousted, in part, over deaths at Glenwood, governor acknowledges

Des Moines Register: Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds acknowledged for the first time Tuesday that an increase in patient deaths at a state-run institution for people with disabilities was one of the reasons she asked former agency …

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Reynolds signs transportation funding/student equity bill

Gov. Kim Reynolds was joined by lawmakers and education advocates today when she signed Senate File 2164, an education funding bill designed to help schools with transportation funding and per-pupil student equity. Transportation equity was …

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Top Iowa health official knew of plans for sex study at institution, emails show

Des Moines Register: A top health official for the state of Iowa knew of plans for a “sexual preoccupation” study at a state-run institution for people with severe disabilities well before federal officials began investigating the …

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Kurtenbach resigns from Iowa Department of Human Services

Jim Kurtenbach on Monday announced his resignation as director of the Iowa Department of Human Services, effective March 6, less than a year after his appointment, the Des Moines Register reported. Gov. Kim Reynolds named Kurtenbach to …

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Susan Christensen named Iowa Supreme Court chief justice

Cedar Rapids Gazette: Justices of the Iowa Supreme Court today selected Justice Susan Christensen of Harlan to serve as their chief. Christensen will succeed former Chief Justice Mark Cady, who died Nov. 15. She becomes the …

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Proposed bill raises high-speed internet grants for rural broadband services

A new bill would raise Iowa’s share of funding for broadband projects from 15% to 35% if a provider can deliver internet speeds exceeding 100 megabits per second for downloads and 20 Mbps for uploads, reports …

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IRS increases seasonal, full-time staffing at West Des Moines call center

The Internal Revenue Service has ramped up hiring at its West Des Moines service center as part of a national push to reach out to taxpayers with past-due tax balances, the agency said. The IRS …

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Public hearing scheduled on short-term rentals

The Des Moines City Council today will hold a public hearing on proposed changes to the city’s short-term rental regulations. Before a new zoning code went into effect in December, Des Moines didn’t allow short-term …

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Mobile home park bill tabled over rent control concerns

Radio Iowa: A key legislator has tabled a bill drafted in response to significant rent increases in mobile home parks in Iowa that were recently purchased by a Utah-based company. “It initiates some price controls and …