State Senate
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Challenges pile up for Iowans with disabilities
Eight years after Medicaid privatization, Iowans with disabilities face 7-year waitlists, ‘forced poverty,’ and more. There are 402,615 Iowans who report having a disability, making up nearly 13% of the population. These Iowans face significant challenges in accessing the services they need to live and work. While Iowans largely regard themselves as compassionate and supportive…
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Before you vote: Here are 6 anti-worker laws passed by the Iowa Legislature
Let’s look at six of the most egregious anti-worker policies of the last few years—and which state legislators on your ballot have voted for them.
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Iowa’s coming tax cuts wouldn’t cover current spending
The impact of Republican tax slashing is on the horizon as projections for state tax cuts dip below current state spending. The state is spending more money than it will be taking in under future tax cuts. Under Gov. Kim Reynolds’ leadership, the Iowa Legislature has cut income tax rates for individuals and corporations. Those…
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Here’s what else is on the ballot in Iowa in 2024, besides President
It’s 2024, which means we’re voting for President this year. But there are other elected officials on the ballot in Iowa this year, too. Here’s who they are. Everyone will see Presidential candidates on their ballot. That will include Democratic and Republican ones, as well as Libertarians, Greens, and a few others. After that, you’ll…
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Mike Pike, self-described ‘cultural warrior’ wants to ‘go in guns blazing’ on vouchers, abortion bans in Iowa Senate
Republican Mike Pike, a plumber and business-owner running for a seat in the Iowa Senate, recently shared his political views in a town hall event hosted on X (formerly Twitter), including many stances that may be too far for voters in the relatively moderate district he seeks.
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Driven by public service, Matt Blake aims for education, reproductive rights reset in Iowa Senate race
When Matt Blake moved to Urbandale, he got involved in the community almost immediately and volunteered to help with the annual 4th of July parade. Within a few months, he’d been appointed the leader of the organization. A few years later, he was inspired to run for Urbandale City Council. “I’m a big believer that…
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Iowa senators voting against birth control part of a pattern
Republicans say they support birth control access, but for years they’ve failed to vote on protections to guarantee access stays safe. When the federal Right to Contraceptive Act failed in the US Senate last week, state Sen. Zach Wahls, a Democrat representing Coralville, saw a parallel to what happened when Iowa Democrats introduced a Right…
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Iowa legislators benefit from government subsidies while blocking assistance to others
About a fourth of the 150-person Iowa Legislature benefits from some form of farm subsidies. Here’s who they are and how much they are getting from the federal government.
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AEAs cutting workers in wake of Republican legislation
Iowa legislators said a new bill cutting money for agencies that help students with disabilities wouldn’t affect services. But area education agencies (AEAs) across the state are now beginning to cut their budgets, and staff, because of it. “This is a day of grieving,” one staffer at the Green Hills AEA wrote on Facebook last…
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Iowa slated to ban all future basic income programs
Sen. Bill Dotzler, 75, called the last two legislative sessions the “worst attack” on low-income and working-class Iowans he has ever seen. The Democrat from Waterloo—who has served in the legislature for over three decades—made those remarks Tuesday as the Iowa Senate spent a portion of the 100th day of the legislative session debating a…
