Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 2:40 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A plan by Republican lawmakers to quickly pass a bill that would drastically cut collective bargaining rights for Iowa public workers has several similarities to Wisconsin’s signature 2011 law that led to massive protests in that state. Labor experts say the 68-page bill introduced recently by Iowa GOP lawmakers has provisions that mirror Wisconsin’s law, which prohibited public sector unions from negotiating workers’ benefits such as health insurance and working conditions.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana’s large utility companies want state lawmakers to pass a law that critics say would muscle out smaller competitors from the emerging solar energy market. Solar power provides only about 1 percent of the country’s energy, but employment is growing rapidly. Indiana legislators will debate Thursday a proposed law that would eventually eliminate much of the financial benefit Indiana homeowners, businesses and some churches reap from harvesting the sun’s rays.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The head of Iowa’s prison system has ordered a temporary shutdown of several satellite prison units to deal with a $5.5 million budget cut to the agency. The Des Moines Register reports that Iowa Corrections Director Jerry Bartruff said Wednesday that units at Harpers Ferry, Clarinda and Fort Madison, which currently hold nearly 400 prisoners, will be shut down. Bartruff says services also will be suspended at the Sheldon Residential Treatment Facility, which houses 26 offenders.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad has signed into law a K-12 education funding bill that school officials argue is inadequate. Branstad signed the legislation Wednesday. It would add about $40 million to Iowa’s roughly $3 billion K-12 education budget for the spending year that goes into effect in July. Democrats say the amount would lead to bigger classroom sizes, delayed curriculum offerings and teacher layoffs. Republicans say the amount is responsible spending as the state faces some budget constraints.