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Democratic Party

The top Democrat in the Iowa Senate says the Legislative Oversight Committee will have “subpoena power” to get leaders of the Iowa Association of School Boards to testify about the association’s spending practices.  

“This thing’s a real message and we’re going to get to the bottom of it,” says Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs). 

The association’s board of directors put their executive director on administrative leave yesterday, pending the outcome of an audit. Gronstal of Council Bluffs says the information that’s already come to light is damning.

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“Ed Thomas Bill” clears House

by O. Kay Henderson 03/11/10 4:01 PM

The Iowa House has made minor changes in a bill that would require hospitals to notify law enforcement when they release someone who’s been hospitalized for a mental evaluation if that person has criminal charges filed against them or a pending arrest warrant.
Last June, Aplington-Parkersburg coach Ed Thomas was shot to death by Mark Becker, [...]

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Iowa Senate approves domestic violence gun bill

by O. Kay Henderson 03/11/10 2:24 PM

The Iowa Senate has sent the governor a bill that would take guns away from those convicted of domestic abuse and forbid those who’re the subject of a “no-contact” order from owning or selling guns and ammunition. Senator Keith Kreiman, a Democrat from Bloomfield, says the bill is intended to reduce fear. “It is intended [...]

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Democrats plot changes in state tax credits

by O. Kay Henderson 03/11/10 12:38 PM

Democrats in the legislature plan to enact a series of changes in state tax credits and they’ll continue the suspension of the state tax credit for films for at least two more years.  Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, says lawmakers want to establish a permanent “Tax Expenditure Committee” as well to monitor [...]

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Harkin encouraged by vote on biodiesel

by Matt Kelley 03/11/10 11:13 AM

A tax credit on biodiesel fuel that expired in December, virtually shutting down that portion of Iowa’s renewable fuels industry, is being revived. The U.S. Senate voted Wednesday to extend the dollar-a-gallon tax credit through the end of 2010.
Iowa Senator Tom Harkin says he’s encouraged by the vote for biodiesel. “It passed by 63 to [...]

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House debates gun rights, domestic abuse

by O. Kay Henderson 03/10/10 5:46 PM

A state legislator whose family runs a gun shop wants the state to give victims of domestic abuse a sales tax credit for buying a gun to defend themselves, but House members have rejected that plan.  
Representative Matt Windschitl, a Republican from Missouri Valley, is a former Marine.  He is a trained gunsmith, too, and Windschitl [...]

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Government reorganization bill signed into law

by O. Kay Henderson 03/10/10 1:28 PM

Governor Culver has signed a state government reorganization bill into law. It eliminates 14 different state boards and commissions and consolidates state computer systems.
It also seeks to reduce the number of “middle managers” in state government. Representative Mary Mascher, a Democrat from Iowa City, started working on the reorganization project last summer and she spoke [...]

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