Escucha Mi Voz, a nonprofit organization that works with immigrants in the Iowa City area, filed a formal civil rights complaint Friday against the Iowa State Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after seven Latin American construction workers were stopped while driving home from work last week near Dubuque.
The suit, filed by Gov. Kim Reynolds and announced by her office Friday, aims to stop the release of several office communications to the Des Moines Register on the grounds of “executive privilege.”
In other Capitol new, the Iowa House advanced a bill that would exempt laundry soap and detergent from sales tax.
If it becomes law, House File 1032 would award matching funds up to $100,000 to grocery stores in rural areas for projects including utility upgrades, equipment, furnishings, professional services and technology.
Also in Capitol Notebook: Gov. Kim Reynolds’ child care and preschool proposal passes the Iowa Senate
During a public comment meeting Wednesday, Iowans voiced their frustration and concern over a proposal by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to require most able-bodied Medicaid recipients to work at least 100 hours per month.
Raw milk could be sold in grocery stores and farmers markets under an Iowa House bill advanced Tuesday that drew strong warnings and objections from public health professionals, veterinarians and the Iowa State Dairy Association.
Also, Iowa house approves bill that would allow Iowans to establish catastrophic savings accounts
The bill’s sponsor said events that could qualify for grant funding would be “larger scope, things like PGA, NFL, NBA or NCAA” and “Taylor Swift concerts at Kinnick” to make Iowa competitive with other states trying to attract high-profile events.
South Dakota is a crucial part of the 2,500-mile pipeline across five states -- including Iowa -- estimated to cost $8.9 billion
In other state government news Monday, Gov. Kim Reynolds has ordered flags across Iowa fly at half-mast to honor Pope Francis, who died Monday.
A bill advanced from the Iowa House last week that would regulate anaerobic digesters, or systems that break down organic material in an oxygen-deprived system to produce usable biogas and fertilizer, at animal feeding operations.
Early voting begins this week as Republican Bernie Hayes faces Democrat Angel Ramirez to represent southeast Cedar Rapids in the Iowa House.
Eastern Iowa nonprofits are preparing for change as the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services works to finalize details of its new behavioral health districts, which will go into effect on July 1.
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