Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police officers fired several tear gas canisters and flash grenades late Wednesday to disperse protesters in Iowa City who were advancing toward Interstate 80. Hundreds of protesters were met by a line of Iowa State Patrol and Iowa City police officers on Dubuque Street blocking their path to the busy highway. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that a speaker identifying himself as a patrol officer ordered the crowd to disperse and warned that the failure to do so would result in the deployment of chemical munitions. The newspaper says that officers fired tear gas canisters when the crowd continued marching north. In the following minutes, the crowd backed up, attempted to rally and again march forward, but eventually were forced back.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill Thursday that will allow convicted felons to get their voting rights back only after they have paid full restitution to victims. The bill becomes effective if the legislature passes a proposed constitutional amendment automatically restoring voting rights for convicted felons. Reynolds, who has pushed for restoration of felon voting rights, initially opposed Republican lawmakers’ efforts to pass the restitution requirement. However, she changed her position once GOP senators said they would not pass the constitutional amendment unless she agreed to the repayment requirement. It’s unclear if the bill will withstand a court challenge since a similar measure in Florida was struck down as unconstitutional.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Democrats and black leaders are calling for urgent action by state lawmakers to end racial injustice and have proposed several bills during the shortened legislative session. One bill would make it illegal for police in Iowa to use a choke hold or neck restraint unless a person poses an imminent threat. Another would make it illegal for Iowa police departments to hire officers who were fired or resigned while being investigated for serious misconduct or excessive force. Republican leaders in the House and Senate said they’d consider the ideas.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Waterloo police charged two people after an attack on a reporter during a late-night protest. Police Thursday charged 29-year-old Irwin Leon Wade III, of Waterloo, with disorderly conduct and rioting, and set his bond at $11,000. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports a 16-year-old also was arrested on similar charges. They were arrested in connection with an attack during a march in Waterloo just before midnight Tuesday. Wade allegedly demanded that Courier reporter Jeff Reinitz leave and then tried to hit him when he refused. Wade then is charged with punching another demonstrator who tried to help the reporter. Reinitz was also allegedly struck by the 16-year-old.