The book ban signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2023 has once again been blocked by a federal judge. On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Locher issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the state from enforcing the law requiring schools to remove all books with “descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act,” […]
Gov. Kim Reynolds
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GOP bill to eliminate rights of trans Iowans passes subcommittee and committee in less than a day
Hundreds gathered in the hallways and rotunda of the State Capitol to protest the attempt to strip transgender Iowans of civil rights and stop the state government from recognizing the existence of their identities via a bill Republicans are fast-tracking through the Iowa House. “Trans rights are human rights” and “Say no, fight back,” they […]
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‘Pointless, unnecessary and unbelievably cruel’: Rep. Steve Holt proposes bill eliminating civil rights protections for trans people
Iowa would make history by gutting protections enshrined in its Civil Rights Act for almost two decades to make discrimination against transgender Iowans legal, if a bill introduced in the Iowa House on Thursday becomes law. HSB 242 would also alter definitions used in state law to eliminate acknowledging the existence of transgender people as […]
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Reynolds threatens to cut off state funding to Winneshiek County after sheriff says he won’t comply with ‘unconstitutional’ requests from ICE
On Wednesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds threatened Winneshiek County with the possible loss of all state funding after the county’s sheriff publicly restated his “long-time stance on not recognizing detainers” issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In a post on Tuesday on the department’s Facebook page, Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx explained he and his […]
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Locals form spontaneous march protesting Trump and Reynolds policies during ‘A Day Without Immigrants’
Businesses closed across the country on Monday as people participated in a Day Without Immigrants to protest the hostile actions and rhetoric from the Trump administration targeting immigrants and their communities. In Iowa, a group of Latino activists organized a Day Without Latinos as a way to support all immigrants on the day of protest. “In […]
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More than 150 community groups make final plea to Gov. Reynolds: Don’t refuse federal aid for food-insecure Iowa kids
As 2024 draws to a close, the Iowa Hunger Coalition (IHC) is making one final push to persuade Gov. Kim Reynolds to participate in the USDA Summer EBT for Children program in 2025. That program, also known as SUN Bucks, provides $40 a month per child to a family’s SNAP benefit card during the three […]
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In a history-making pick, Gov. Reynolds appoints Sen. Chris Cournoyer to replace Adam Gregg as lieutenant governor
Gov. Kim Reynolds has appointed Chris Cournoyer lieutenant governor. The LeClaire Republican was in her second term in the Iowa Senate, representing District 35 — which covers Clinton County, as well as parts of Scott and Jackson counties — when she was selected for her new position. Chief Justice Susan Christensen administered the oath of […]
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State officials cancel Iowa Satanic Temple celebration, claiming it’s ‘harmful to minors’ without stating why
Last year on Dec. 14, the Satanic Temple (TST) of Iowa’s sanctioned holiday display in the Iowa State Capitol rotunda was vandalized. The culprit was a failed Republican congressional candidate from Mississippi who traveled more than 800 miles just to smash the display, which consisted mostly of electric candles and a cloaked mannequin with a […]
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Iowa Hunger Coalition calls on Gov. Reynolds to stop rejecting millions in federal aid for food-insecure Iowa kids
The Iowa Hunger Coalition has renewed its call for Gov. Kim Reynolds to have the state participate in the USDA’s Summer EBT program. The program provides direct funds to families with children receiving federal food assistance to help them cover the increased cost of food during summer months when kids aren’t in school. Iowa was one […]
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Under a near-total abortion ban, crisis pregnancy centers peddling free, phony care are even more dangerous
Chances are, you’ve seen a crisis pregnancy center — also known as a CPC, anti-abortion center, pregnancy resource center or fake clinic — without realizing it. They market themselves as healthcare clinics for women facing unintended pregnancies while targeting women who are considering having an abortion. They make it seem as though they will walk […]
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Iowa scientists address ‘climate despair’ and individual action as disasters from human-driven climate change increase
For the first time in its 14-year history, the Iowa Climate Statement is focused on what individuals can do about climate change. “We want to be clear that the solution is bigger than individual action, and we need leaders at all levels to enact policies if we want to avert even greater disasters than those […]
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All of the ‘Big 5’ publishers are now suing Iowa over its school book ban
All of the “Big 5” publishing houses are now suing Iowa to overturn the state’s school book ban signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds in May 2023. Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, MacMillan Publishing Group and Simon & Schuster have joined Penguin Random House as plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit challenging the book ban. […]
