DES MOINES – The Iowa Senate agreed Thursday to send a property tax relief issue to a House-Senate conference committee, marking the farthest point it has progressed in the split-control Legislature and raising hope a compromise could be forged this session. “That is a very hopeful step,” sais Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs. [...]

The legislative pace at the Capitol has slowed considerably as Democrats and Republicans narrow their work load to a dwindling number of priority bills they must do before they adjourn their 2013 session. Hope for hammering out an education reform compromise this week appeared to be evaporating Wednesday while House and Senate leaders hit a [...]

Senate Democrats worked Tuesday to move a priority property tax relief bill closer to a conference with the House while GOP senators unveiled a new simplified income tax plan that they hoped would become part of the overall package to be negotiated with Gov. Terry Branstad. Sen. Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, said all 24 minority Senate [...]

The clock was ticking Wednesday for a host of legislative ideas that backers were trying to keep away from the Statehouse recycling bin. Issues dealing with anti-bullying measures in Iowa schools, establishing an Iowa-based health insurance exchange, limiting the use of restraints for pregnant prison inmates, and requiring public safety officials to keep the names [...]

DES MOINES — The Democratic-controlled Iowa Senate, on a party-line 26-23 vote, approved a major expansion of Medicaid coverage for at least 100,000 needy Iowans last night over the objections of Gov. Terry Branstad and some of his GOP allies. Under the legislation, which was prompted by the federal Affordable Care Act, commonly known as [...]

ALTOONA – Top state legislators said Tuesday the odds have improved for hammering out a bipartisan plan to reduce commercial property taxes in the 2013 session but they still quibbled over how best to reduce rates without shifting tax burdens to other property classes. They also gave mixed reviews on how a gas tax increase [...]

DES MOINES — Iowa Senate Democrats retooled some of their leadership team Sunday by naming Dubuque Sen. Pam Jochum to be the chamber’s next president. “Now the hard work begins. We have to govern and that’s what we need to be focused on,” said Jochum, 58. Jochum became the first woman since Sen. Mary Kramer, [...]

Gov. Terry Branstad and top legislative leaders pledged bipartisan cooperation Wednesday after voters kept Democrats in control of the Iowa Senate and narrowed the GOP majority in the Iowa House for the next two years. “Iowa voters once again chose divided government, and their message was unmistakable: They want us to work together in moving [...]

Gov. Terry Branstad said Thursday he would consider calling a special legislative session to pass a comprehensive property tax relief package if a satisfactory compromise could be worked out with assurances the votes would be there to pass it once lawmakers returned to the Capitol. Branstad, Republicans who control the House and Democrats who lead [...]

  DES MOINES — Two Iowa lawmakers are looking to combat those who obtain access to agricultural production facilities under false pretenses. Animal abuse activists have frequently taken part in clandestine activities in recent years, such as secretly filming livestock. A bill sponsored by Sens. Joe Seng, D-Davenport, and Tim Kapucian, R-Keystone would create the [...]