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Court upholds governor’s closure of mental health institutes

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November 10th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld a lower court ruling that said Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad acted within his constitutional authority when he vetoed funding for two state-run mental health care facilities last year and closed them.  Twenty legislators and Danny Homan, the president of the largest state employee union sued Branstad claiming a state law requires Iowa to have four mental health care institutes and limits Branstad’s ability to close the facilities by vetoing the money to run them approved by lawmakers.

The court concluded today (Thursday) that legislation doesn’t mandate the continued existence of state mental health institutes and Branstad’s veto fell within the governor’s constitutional line item veto power. The court agrees with a November 2005 ruling by District Court Judge Douglas Staskal and dismisses the lawsuit.