Companies would no longer be able to use eminent domain to appropriate privately owned land for carbon pipeline projects under a bill approved by the Iowa House on Wednesday. HF 2104 passed with bipartisan support, 64-28. Ten of the House’s 33 Democrats joined 54 of the chamber’s 67 Republicans in voting for the bill. “I […]
Bobby Kaufmann
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa GOP leaders stress unity, throw digs at Rob Sand as 2026 legislative session opens
As the state Legislature is set to tackle some potentially contentious issues in the 2026 legislative session, Iowa Republican leaders emphasized “unity” as they gathered for the GOP legislative breakfast Monday before gaveling in. There have been multiple leadership changes leading into the session that could shift dynamics in the Legislature. Iowa Senate Majority Leader […]
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Poll: Kim Reynolds remains America’s most unpopular governor
Gov. Kim Reynolds remains the most unpopular governor in America, according to the latest poll by Morning Consult. Reynolds is once again the only governor whose disapproval rating is higher than their approval rating in the opinion research firm’s quarterly survey of the approval ratings of governors. Reynolds has ranked the least popular governor in […]
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‘Spitting in the face of landowners’: Iowa House Republicans denounce Reynolds’ veto of eminent domain bill, call for special session to override it
Republicans in the Iowa Legislature have rarely publicly disagreed with Gov. Kim Reynolds during her eight years in office. Even when they didn’t support her position on an issue, they would downplay any differences. That all changed on Wednesday, when Gov. Reynolds vetoed HF 639, a bill that would have added new requirements on projects […]
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Gaming panel hears public comments on Cedar Rapids casino proposal
Members of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission heard mostly favorable comments Wednesday about a proposed new casino in Cedar Rapids, as well as some concerns from people affiliated with a group, Iowans for Common Sense, launched to oppose casino expansion in the state. The IRGC meeting was held at the Kirkwood Center in Cedar […]
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Cedar Rapids’ chance for a casino will be blocked by surprise amendment to gambling bill
Cedar Rapids’ latest attempt to add a downtown casino encountered an unexpected problem on Monday, when the Iowa Legislature approved a bill with an amendment that prohibits the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) from issuing any new casino licenses before June 30, 2024. “This is incredibly unfair,” Cedar Rapids Democrat Rep. Kirsten Running-Marquardt said. […]
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UI to hold graduation celebration at Kinnick Stadium in May
The University of Iowa announced on March 1 that it would be adding an “in-person option to celebrate graduation for our students and their families” for its spring 2021 commencement, and on Friday the university released more information about its plans. The official commencement ceremonies will still be held virtually, but there will be an […]
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UI now planning in-person commencement ceremonies after Republican lawmaker introduces bill that would mandate them
The University of Iowa has reversed its decision to hold only virtual commencement ceremonies for its spring 2021 graduates in an attempt to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and will hold in-person ceremonies. UI announced on Feb. 3 it would be holding a virtual ceremony. In its statement, the university acknowledged “how much [in-person] […]
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State Republicans pass bill to restrict early voting, voting by mail and voting on Election Day in Iowa
Just eight days after it was introduced in the Iowa Legislature, a bill that would make it harder to vote but easier to remove people from voting rolls, and creates new criminal liability for local election officials, received its final approval. On Wednesday night, the Republican-controlled Iowa House of Representatives sent the bill to Gov. […]
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‘It’s voter suppression’: Iowa Republicans target voting access, citing Trumpian election conspiracy theories
At least 33 state legislatures around the country, most of them controlled by Republicans, are working on bills that restrict voting. Iowa is one of them. “These bills are an unmistakable response to the unfounded and dangerous lies about fraud that followed the 2020 election,“ the Brennan Center for Justice said in a report on […]
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Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek is running for the Iowa House of Representatives
Lonny Pulkrabek announced on Thursday he is running for the Iowa House of Representatives in District 73, which covers eastern Johnson County and all of Cedar County. Pulkrabek, who has been Johnson County sheriff since 2005, said in May 2019 he would not seek another term as sheriff. “After 35 years in law enforcement, I’ve […]
