Ty Rushing

The 2023 Iowa Legislative wrapped up in early May, but the ramifications of what one Democratic lawmaker called “the most harmful and destructive” session ever will be felt for a while. The opening days of the session were all about rushing through Gov. Kim Reynolds’ taxpayer-funded private school tuition voucher plan, which predictably led to private…

The cost of attending a private K-12 school in Iowa will go up for many families in the 2023-24 school year even after Iowa Republicans at Gov. Kim Reynolds’ behest approved using hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars to supposedly make private education affordable to all who want it. The first bill to pass in…

Iowa Senate Republicans—for the second time—voted overwhelmingly in favor of a bill that limits the ability of State Auditor Rob Sand’s office to monitor government funds. In a 33-16 vote, Senate Republicans approved SF 478, which they argued will protect Iowans’ privacy and keep the auditor’s office in line with standard government operating procedures even though…

Valley High School Senior Luke Rowley remembers what it was like going to school the day after the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting in which 19 children and two adults were killed by a gunman. “I remember a sense of dread in the hallways, students at Valley were terrified for their life—students everywhere were,” he said.…

Sen. Claire Celsi (D-West Des Moines) didn’t bite her tongue during the Iowa Senate’s second debate over Gov. Kim Reynolds’ education bill: “I’m ashamed of being a part of this body that has so callously cast our citizens aside.” Celsi’s frustrations were twofold. One, Reynolds’ education bill has been blasted by LGBTQ people and advocates…

Iowa Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls (D-Coralville) accused Iowa Senate Republicans of leaning into “authoritarianism” after they refused to answer questions during a debate on their child labor bill late Monday evening. “This is a really serious breach of tradition in the Iowa Senate and I think it marks a really sad development for the…

Iowa Senate Republicans have a solution for the state’s ongoing workforce shortage: Child labor. In a 32-17 vote just before 5 a.m. Tuesday morning, the Senate advanced SF 542, which relaxes Iowa’s child labor laws and allows teenagers to work in more hazardous job conditions, including some that contradict federal law. Sens. Charlie McClintock (R-Alburnett)…

Despite objections from working-class and low-income Iowans, food banks, and more than 200 Iowa religious leaders, Iowa House Republicans advanced a bill on Thursday to cut food and health-care benefits for thousands of Iowans. After a marathon debate, the Iowa House advanced SF 494 in a 58-41 vote. All 35 Iowa House Democrats voted against…

Iowa House Republicans voted on Wednesday to make it easier to bring guns on the campuses of Iowa schools, community colleges, and universities and to require public schools to implement K-12 gun safety curriculum that was developed by the National Rifle Association (NRA). HF 654 passed 62-37, with only two of 64 Republicans voting against…

Rep. Bobby Kaufmann (R-Wilton), son of Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann, is attempting to stop Iowa Democrats’ plan for a modified caucus that relies on mailed presidential preference cards. The younger Kaufmann introduced a committee bill on Monday that prevents anyone who is not physically present at the location of a precinct caucus from participating…