(Des Moines, Iowa) – Griswold District 18 Republican Representative Thomas Moore, Thursday, issued a summary of bills that passed this week, and other matters discussed in the Iowa House.

Moore says 24-bills passed the House, with 21 passing with bipartisan support. Topping his list of bills that passed, was Teacher Empowerment (HF604), which passed Wednesday afternoon.

It includes teacher whistleblower protection, and lays out a 3 strike system for student discipline. First offense, meet with school counselor and one day of in-school suspension. Second offense, meet with school counselor and 5 days of in-school suspension. Third offense, remove student from that class and if in high school, not receive credit for that class.

In summary, Moore says, the bill includes authorizing the ombudsman to investigate complaints received by individuals who hold a license, certificate, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners, modifying the responsibilities of school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools, and authorizing teachers employed by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, or charter schools to remove disruptive students from the classroom.

Another bill that passed dealt with Eminent Domain. HF565 relates to the CO2 Pipeline utility construction project requirements, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

“It is my belief ,” Moore said, “that the pipelines will still go forward even with the increased regulations.. The bill requires a liquefied carbon dioxide pipeline company to get voluntary easements for 90% of the affected route miles before being granted the right to use eminent domain. It says the IUB (Iowa Utilities Board) shall not grant a liquefied carbon dioxide pipeline company the right of eminent domain unless 90% of the affected route miles have been achieved through voluntary easement. The company shall submit regular reports on its progress in acquiring voluntary easements as determined by the board.

Other bills that passed through the House the past few days include (But are not limited to):

·     HF253, which allows charter school students to participate in activities in their resident district if their charter school doesn’t offer an extracurricular activity. Charter school students will be counted as 1/10 of a pupil in the school district.

·     HF349 that makes changes to the probation code section. It allows a person on probation to earn credit for working, education, and staying in compliance with probation requirements.

·     HF595 increases penalties for fentanyl related crimes and for those who manufacture or possess controlled substances around a minor. It enhances the sentence for a person who causes the death of another through controlled substance use and doesn’t seek medical help. It also expands who can provide and possess opioid antagonists.

Representative Moore can be reached at tom.moore@legis.iowa.gov and (712) 789-9954.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports 39-year-old Robert McAtee, of Glenwood, was arrested Wednesday. He was taken into custody for Aggravated Assault. McAtee’s  bond was set at $2,000 (cash or surety).

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa will -not- take part in the Center for Disease Control’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior survey, which asks kids about their drug use, sexual behavior, mental health and other behaviors. Instead, the state will focus on its own Iowa Youth Survey to monitor at-risk behavior. Child advocates are concerned. Anne Discher, executive director of Common Good Iowa, says the Iowa Youth Survey doesn’t ask questions about students’ gender identity, unlike the C-D-C’s survey.

“It’s really the only one that allows us to see the specific needs of trans kids,” Discher says. “So we’re doing away with the opportunity to really have fine grade data around health and mental health that includes trans kids.” Discher says it’s important to ask questions about gender identity, given the recent passage of several controversial pieces of legislation by state lawmakers that affect transgender children.

“What it looks like to me is, we are going to make life harder for trans kids,” Discher says, “and then conveniently, we’re not going to gather any data that would prove that it actually the things we do make their lives worse.” Not all states participate in the C-D-C’s survey. Colorado, Florida and Idaho say they are also opting out of it, starting this year.

(reporting by Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans in the Iowa Senate have approved most of the elements in the governor’s wide-ranging education bill. The legislation would require educators to tell parents if a child asks to be known by a different name or gender at school and it would prohibit teachers from leading discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through sixth grade classrooms. Senator Ken Rozenboom, a Republican from Oskaloosa, says those topics are totally unnecessary for elementary students. “Parents and guardians that wish to have that conversation with their child can do so,” Rozenboom said, “…but to have that in the public school most of us, many of us believe is inappropriate.”

The Senate bill also calls for removing books from school libraries that describe or depict sex acts. Democrats in the Senate voted against the legislation. Senator Molly Donahue, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, is a teacher. “This country is supposed to be a country of freedom — freedom of speech, freedom of ideas,” Donahue says. “But those freedoms end when politicians begin censoring certain ideas because they find them uncomfortable.”

House Republicans have approved elements of the governor’s education package as separate bills. Republican legislative leaders now have to decide whether to approve the policies separately or together in one large bill.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports a woman from Ringgold County was arrested Wednesday afternoon for Failure to Appear. 25-year-old Casandra Dawn Allen, of Tingley, was taken into custody at a residence in the 500 block of N. Division Street a little after 3-p.m., and transported to the Union County Jail. She was subsequently released per an Order from a Judge.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Applications are now being accepted for the 14th Annual Trevor Frederickson Memorial Scholarship. Applications may be obtained from the Atlantic High School guidance office at 1201 E. 14th Street or the Atlantic High School website: www.atlanticiaschools.org. Fund spokesperson (Trevor’s mom) Melanie Petty says up to two $750 scholarships are available to those graduating from Atlantic High School in the spring of 2023. Applicants must plan to attend a college or vocational school, show involvement in school and/or community activities, supply a copy of their college acceptance letter, provide two letters of reference along with their 7 semester transcripts, and maintain academic achievement of 2.5 or better. The scholarships will be awarded at the Atlantic High School Class Night held in May.

Trevor Frederickson graduated from Atlantic High School in 2006. He went on to further his education at Southwestern Community College in Creston where he studied automotive mechanics and played baseball for the Southwestern Spartans. Two additional $750 scholarships will be available for Southwestern Community College students this fall. Trevor, who passed away in 2009, had plans of pursuing a career in law enforcement and returning to his hometown of Atlantic. Melanie Petty says “Anyone who knew Trevor, knew he valued family, life and community. Trevor continues to live on in our hearts and minds. To this day, Trevor is still giving back to the community he loved to be a part of.”

Trevor Frederickson

Funds for the scholarships are raised at an annual golf tournament. Plans are already in the works for the 15th Annual TFred Memorial Golf Tournament to be held on Saturday, June 17th, 2023. Organizers look forward to another successful tournament so they can continue to grant scholarships for many years to come.

(Radio Iowa) – A judge has approved a request from one of the teens accused of killing a Fairfield teacher to have the state pay for an expert witness when he goes to trial. Willard Miller’s attorneys asked for the expert witness and also filed a motion asking to suppress evidence from a search warrant of his home. K-C-R-G T-V reports the request for the witness was granted — and a hearing on the request to suppress the evidence is set for March 29th.

Miller is charged with first-degree murder along with classmate Jeremy Goodale in the death of their Spanish teacher Nohema Graber. Graber’s body in a park by the high school in November of 2021.

Miller’s trial is scheduled for April 21st. Goodale’s trial is set for May 15th.