Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CDT

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge has ruled a man accused of killing two people in Mason City is now mentally competent to stand trial. The Globe Gazette reports that the judge issued the ruling Tuesday in the case against Peter Veal. Veal has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the November deaths of Caleb Christensen and Melinda Kavars.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine U.S. Sen. Susan Collins is among a group of senators that is trying to make some types of hearing aids more easily accessible and more affordable. Collins, a Republican, is sponsoring the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2017 along with Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Iowa Republican Sen. Charles Grassley. The senators say only about 14 percent of people with hearing loss use assistive hearing technology such as hearing aids, and one of the biggest obstacles is price.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A quick transition is expected for Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds to take over as governor now that Terry Branstad has been confirmed as the next U.S. ambassador to China. Branstad will resign as governor Wednesday in his formal office at the Capitol. Reynolds will then be sworn in as governor in the Capitol rotunda. Reynolds will inherit a range of issues, including a constrained state budget and questions about the future of water quality initiatives.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a sentencing appeal by a father and son whose Iowa-based egg production company caused a massive 2010 salmonella outbreak. The rejection Monday means Austin “Jack” DeCoster and his son Peter DeCoster will be required to serve prison time for misdemeanor food safety violations. The appeal was denied without comment. The DeCosters were sentenced to three months in prison in 2015.