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Government Policy and Law

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ICE arrests 32 in raid at MPC Enterprises in Mount Pleasant

Cedar Rapids Gazette: Federal and local law enforcement officials arrested 32 men on what they described as administrative immigration violations during a raid in Mount Pleasant on Wednesday. Iowa State Patrol officers blocked off the entrance …

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Iowa Finance Authority suspends credit card use amid financial reviews

KCCI-TV/Associated Press: The Iowa agency that promotes affordable housing has suspended the use of credit cards that were issued to employees outside the state’s normal program. The move by the Iowa Finance Authority comes as the …

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Reynolds defends Iowa utilities, energy efficiency changes

Quad-City Times: Gov. Kim Reynolds defended changes in Iowa utility regulations she signed into law last week as a compromise that will save ratepayers’ money while maintaining a “robust” energy efficiency program. The law will make …

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University Research: How genetic testing data affects the insurance market

OVERVIEW
As the cost of genetic testing continues to drop and people gain more widespread access to information about their individual risk for serious health conditions, policymakers will need to weigh whether prevailing laws are …

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Tax reform bill allows cities to vote alone on local option sales tax

The Iowa Legislature will give Des Moines and West Des Moines, along with other Polk County cities, another shot, or as many as it takes, at passing a local option sales tax, this time without …

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Secretary of state announces Cybersecurity Working Group

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announced formation of the Iowa Election Cybersecurity Working Group on Friday, which will identify challenges to election cybersecurity and potential solutions ahead of the 2018 elections, Pate said. The …

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Business groups praise Iowa Legislature’s tax cuts, other action

The Iowa Legislature adjourned Saturday after passing a tax system overhaul long sought by business groups.

Iowa had been dinged in some business conditions ratings because the tax code had elements that made the corporate …

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Justice Zager to retire from state Supreme Court

Iowa Supreme Court Justice Bruce Zager said today he will retire Sept. 3, ending a 19-year judicial career that includes 12 years as a district judge. He began serving on the Supreme Court on March …

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State ‘backfill’ for local property taxes phased out by Iowa Senate bill

Des Moines Register: The Iowa Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a bill Thursday to gradually eliminate state payments to local governments that lawmakers had promised when they approved sweeping commercial property tax cuts five years ago. Democrats …

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Mercy division agrees to pay up to settle claims it overbilled state Medicaid program

Catholic Health Initiatives Health at Home, doing business as Mercy Respiratory Care and Med Supply, has agreed to pay $189,061 to the federal government to resolve allegations that it overbilled Iowa’s Medicaid program for purchases …