Under the Golden Dome: Objections 3/30/2018
On Monday, Gov. Kim Reynolds talks about firing the Director of Iowa Finance Authority, Dave Jamison. She says he was terminated for credible allegations of sexual harassment. She reiterates her zero...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Raising Penalties 4/6/2018
At this point, it's common to hear bills being enrolled. This means both chambers have approved a bill and it awaits the governor to sign it in to law or veto. Because the chambers are controlled by...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Taxes, Trade, & Personal Points 4/13/2018
There are only a few days before per diems stop for legislators. It's the goal for the session to end by the 100th day -- April 17th -- but with two different tax codes in the works and no fiscal year...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Leaving Late 4/20/2018
Every seat in the House and half in the Senate are up for reelection later this year. Twenty-two legislators are choosing not to come back. In the final days of a general assembly, many give...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Challenges Ahead 5/9/2018
The legislature went 18 days past the planned 100 when it finally adjourned on May 5th. The biggest reason for the delay is because House and Senate Republicans took a long time to find agreement on a...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: The Plan
Like with the last Iowa General Assembly, Republicans control the House, Senate, and the governor’s office. But this session begins without a revenue shortfall. It also begins in the first few weeks of...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Consideration
IPERS is the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System, and has 360,000 members. In 2017, a bill in the Senate proposed creating an alternative defined contribution plan for new state employees, but it...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: First Division
This week, the Iowa House voted for the first time in this General Assembly, but there wasn’t anything ordinary about this one. During the election for House District 55, the incumbent Rep. Michael...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Legalize It?
Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, wants to expand marijuana access in Iowa. Bolkcom says marijuana should be regulated and taxed like alcohol. Other states have legalized marijuana use in some form but it...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Amends
To amend the state constitution, two consecutive Iowa General Assemblies must approve a resolution. Then it must be approved by Iowa voters. But first, the Secretary of State must publish the amendment...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Exempting
A House subcommittee bill is discussed that would prohibit a person from running as a non-party political organization candidate if they lose a Democratic or Republican primary. Another bill with a...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Access
Part of a 2017 law that banned abortions after 20 weeks included a provision that a woman must wait 72 hours after the initial doctor consultation to have the procedure. In June, the Iowa Supreme Court...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: In the Middle of It
March 8 was the deadline for most bills and resolutions to pass a House or a Senate committee. Most of those that haven’t are no longer eligible for a subcommittee. Exceptions include appropriations,...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Appointing
The governor appoints hundreds of people to serve in state departments. The roles range from board member, director, or member of a judicial nominating commission. All of these individuals require...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Work, Power and Health
There are around 650,000 people enrolled for Medicaid in Iowa. Around 170,000 are through the Iowa Health and Wellness plan. Under a bill in the Senate, 40 percent of those on the Iowa Health and...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Banning, Expanding & Broadening
Every year, the Herbert Hoover Foundation awards two members of the Iowa legislature the Uncommon Public Service Award. Only a few people in the House and Senate chambers know who the recipient of the...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Second Deadline
Some bills move through a chamber quickly. A bill changing the testing to obtain a teaching license passes in the Senate after three and half minutes of discussion. In the House, the discussion is...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Financial Roads
In the first month of the legislative session it’s common to see heads of large departments visit a committee to explain their budget requests. In January, the Department of Transportation asked for...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: Splitting the Difference
Gov. Kim Reynolds invited Republicans to a press conference to announce the creation of a Flood Recovery Advisory Board. She says it will help decide what to do and how to use funds from the federal...
View ArticleUnder the Golden Dome: End Game
This is the last week for the 2019 Iowa Legislative Session. It was scheduled for 110 days,but ended a bit early on day 104. This is also the last episode for this year’s podcast. On this final...
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