Iowa lawmakers close with private school funds, tax breaks
1 year, 7 months ago

Iowa lawmakers close with private school funds, tax breaks

Associated Press  

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Legislature adjourned Thursday after approving most of the Republican majority’s priorities, including using public money for private school tuition, banning gender-affirming care for transgender children, removing some books from school libraries and reorganizing state government in a way that gives the governor more power over top administrators. Earlier in the session, Republicans approved the bill allowing public money for private school tuition, making Iowa among a handful of states that allows such spending with few restrictions. Democrats and educators had argued the bill to create education savings accounts would result in reduced funding for public schools, but Reynolds had pushed hard for the change. Another bill approved by lawmakers and awaiting Reynolds’ signature would require books with descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act to be removed from school libraries or classrooms.

School Iowa Public Bill Reynolds  public  state  bill  schools  signed  funds  school  iowa  reynolds  tax  lawmakers  breaks  private  close  governor

History of this topic

Federal judges allow Iowa book ban to take effect this school year
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Federal judges allow Iowa book ban to take effect this school year

Associated Press  

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa can enforce a book ban this school year following a Friday ruling by a federal appeals court. The U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a district judge’s earlier decision that temporarily halted key parts of the law, including a ban on books depicting sex acts in school libraries and classrooms. Reynolds said in a …

School grants, student pronouns and library books among the big bills of Idaho legislative session
8 months, 1 week ago

School grants, student pronouns and library books among the big bills of Idaho legislative session

Associated Press  

BOISE, Idaho — Idaho lawmakers spent much of an unexpectedly long and sometimes contentious legislative session focusing on bills targeting LGBTQ+ residents by limiting health care and reading materials and installing protections for teachers who don’t use the pronouns transgender students use. Brad Little’s Idaho LAUNCH program, which provides grants for state high school graduates to help cover the cost …

Iowa law limits gender identity instruction, removes books depicting sex acts from school libraries
1 year, 6 months ago

Iowa law limits gender identity instruction, removes books depicting sex acts from school libraries

Associated Press  

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa teachers will be banned from raising gender identity and sexual orientation issues with students through grade six, and all books depicting sex acts will be removed from school libraries, under a bill Republican Iowa Gov. Despite the opposition of all Democratic legislators, Republicans who hold large majorities in Iowa’s state House and Senate approved the …

Iowa governor signs gender-affirming care ban, bathroom law
1 year, 9 months ago

Iowa governor signs gender-affirming care ban, bathroom law

Associated Press  

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a pair of laws restricting the bathrooms transgender students can use and banning gender-affirming medical care amid a flood of legislation nationwide targeting the trans community. So I just, I hope they know that.” Her endorsement of the laws, which took effect immediately, came just one day after Arkansas’s governor …

Kentucky lawmakers pass ban on youth gender-affirming care
1 year, 9 months ago

Kentucky lawmakers pass ban on youth gender-affirming care

Associated Press  

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Republican lawmakers in Kentucky passed a measure Thursday to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors, completing whirlwind voting on a repackaged proposal that triggered outrage and tears among opponents unable to stop the sweeping policymaking on a culture wars issue. Republican House Speaker Pro Tempore David Meade, in presenting the revived bill in committee, said: “Our job …

Iowa lawmakers send school bathroom bill to governor
1 year, 9 months ago

Iowa lawmakers send school bathroom bill to governor

Associated Press  

DES MOINES, Iowa — Transgender students won’t be allowed to use a public school restroom in Iowa that aligns with their gender identity under a bill that Republican Gov. Republican Rep. Steven Holt said the bill “applies to everyone equally.” Holt said children have long used different restrooms based on biological and physiological characteristics and this tradition should continue. “Forcing …

Iowa Gov. Reynolds seeks state funding for private schools
1 year, 11 months ago

Iowa Gov. Reynolds seeks state funding for private schools

Associated Press  

DES MOINES, Iowa — Every Iowa student would have the option of using more than $7,500 in state money annually to pay for private school under a plan Iowa Gov. She outlined the private school scholarships proposal during a speech in which she also called for a new effort to improve reading in poor-performing schools, supported offering grants to encourage …

Iowa Legislature ends session known for big tax cuts
2 years, 6 months ago

Iowa Legislature ends session known for big tax cuts

Associated Press  

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa lawmakers ended their legislative session early Wednesday, about five weeks behind schedule because of a dispute over education spending. Since convening in January, Republicans who hold large majorities in each chamber did work with the governor to pass significant legislation, including big tax cuts that create a flat income tax, ends taxes on retirement pensions …

House kills Reynolds’ plan to send $55M to private schools
2 years, 7 months ago

House kills Reynolds’ plan to send $55M to private schools

Associated Press  

DES MOINES, Iowa — Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposal to divert about $55 million from public schools to private school scholarships will not pass in the Iowa House because of a lack of Republican support, House Speaker Pat Grassley said Monday. Reynolds’ plan to provide taxpayer-funded scholarships for up to 10,000 students to attend the private school of their choice was …

Alabama governor signs nation’s first bill making gender-affirming care for trans youth a felony
2 years, 8 months ago

Alabama governor signs nation’s first bill making gender-affirming care for trans youth a felony

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. We need to focus on what matters – core instruction like reading and math.” …

Restrictive transgender sports bill heads to Iowa governor
2 years, 9 months ago

Restrictive transgender sports bill heads to Iowa governor

Associated Press  

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa legislators on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill that would prohibit transgender females from participating in girls high school sports and women’s college athletics, sending a divisive bill likely to draw legal challenges to the governor. Iowa legislators on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill that would prohibit transgender girls from participating in …

Iowa House bill would halt transgender girls in girls sports
2 years, 10 months ago

Iowa House bill would halt transgender girls in girls sports

Associated Press  

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa House Republicans on Monday approved a bill that prohibits transgender girls from participating in girls sports, moving the direction of about 10 other Republican-run state legislatures in passing the controversial measure. Girls should not be sidelined in their own sports.” Democratic Rep. Mary Mascher of Iowa City said banning transgender girls and women from participating …

Discover Related