(Radio Iowa) – A bill to ban guaranteed income programs in Iowa is eligible for debate in the Iowa House. The bill would affect the UpLift pilot program in Polk, Warren and Dallas Counties which is giving 110 low income households five-hundred dollars a month. The bill would let those payments continue until next January — four months before the program is scheduled to end. Republican Representative Steven Holt of Denison says government programs should connect people to jobs. “That’s how we get out of poverty. Fostering hard work, independence, not dependence on government and socialist programs that will not be sustainable,” Holt says. “They’re not sustainable.” Holt says the bill is socialism on steroids.

“This is an attack on American values. This is an attack on the work ethic in this country when we already are struggling,” Holt says. “Every employer that I speak to is struggling to find employees that are willing to work.” Luke Elzinga of the Des Moines Area Religious Council testified against the bill during a subcommittee hearing last month. Elzinga says basic income programs like UpLift show what low income people need extra money for. “In pilot after pilot across the country participants have used the vast majority of basic income to support their families’ basic needs of food, housing, health care, transportation and clothing,” Elzinga said.

The bill passed the House Judiciary Committee yesterday (Thursday). Democrats say the bill is a roadblock to an effort to reduce poverty in working families and will interrupt research on how recipients use the five-hundred dollar monthly stipend.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – State Representative Thomas Moore, a Republican from Griswold, has released his weekly report on activities in the Iowa Legislature. He started off by saying an education related bill is dead. HSB 542 is an act relating to education, including modifying provisions related to the number of area education agencies in this state, the calculation of the teacher salary supplement district cost per pupil, and minimum teacher salaries, and including transition, effective date, and applicability provisions.

Moore said also, he signed to Co-Sponsor Representative Steve Holt’s bill regarding illegal immigration and human smuggling. And, work he said, continues on HSB 589.

During the Health and Human Services Committee six bills were passed that now move to the House floor. Among them was…

Also…HF537 allows for live-streamed cameras in nursing homes and clearly outlines processes for residents or their legal representative to request a camera in their room. It includes protections for shared rooms and gives roommates the authority to determine whether a camera is in their room. HF2056 allows 16- and 17-year-olds to provide child care to children up to 5 years old, as long as there are two additional adults in the child care center.

(R) Rep. Tom Moore

HF2057 makes updates to the MOMS (More Options for Maternal Support) program. It allows DHHS to administer the program directly through pregnancy resource centers or through a 3rd party, strikes the requirement that the 3rd party have 3 years of experience managing pregnancy support service subcontractors, and allows for additional pregnancy support services to be provided to pregnant women beyond counseling.

Moore says the Education Committee passed five bills that move on to the House Floor:  HF134 strikes the requirement that districts must both agree before the receiving district school bus can enter into the resident district to pick up students.

It also strikes the provision that IPI enrolls not more than four unrelated students and does not charge fees or tuition. IPI is required to provide students with instruction appropriate to the student’s age, grade level, or achievement level. Students receiving IPI don’t need to be related to the primary instructor and establishes that IPI is not an accredited nonpublic school. HSB564 provides that a three-year limitation on being able to file a complaint does not apply if the conduct constitutes soliciting, encouraging, or consummating a romantic or otherwise inappropriate relationship with a student. HSB567 refers to BOEE reporting requirements. The BOEE shall report the investigative information to the proper law enforcement agency if the investigative information in the possession of the board indicates that the crime has been committed by either a licensed or non-licensed school employee.

Representative Moore can be reached at tom.moore@legis.iowa.gov and (712) 789-9954. If you would like to set up an in-person meeting or would like to visit the capitol, please let him know.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The driver of an SUV was cited Thursday night, following a non-injury accident at the intersection of Broadway Street (Highway 48) and W. Joy Street, in Red Oak. Authorities say a 1999 Chevy Tahoe driven by 63-year-old Jeffrey Wayne Halvin, of Red Oak, and a 2008 Ford Fusion driven by 18-year-old Hallie Straw, of Villisca, were both northbound on Broadway at around 7:20-p.m.  When Straw went to turn east onto W. Joy Street, the SUV struck the passenger side of the car. Halvin told Red Oak Police he was reaching for a falling soda pop and didn’t see the Ford begin to slow down and turn.

Damage from the collision amounted to $2,000. Police cited Halvin for Following too closely. Both vehicles were able to be driven from the scene.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Police in Council Bluffs report a woman from Mills County faces a trio of charges, following an investigation into a fatal vehicle-pedestrian accident that occurred in December, 2023. 47-year-old Angela H. Thurman, of Pacific Junction, was charged with Homicide by Vehicle, OWI/3rd Offense, and Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd offense, along with Control of Vehicle, in connection with the death of 74-year-old Juan Avalos, of Council Bluffs. Police determined Thurman was allegedly “under the influence of multiple controlled substances” the morning of the crash.

Angela H. Thurman (Council Bluffs PD photo)

As previously reported, the accident happened near the intersection of Poplar Drive and Birch Street in Council Bluffs, at around 3:21-a.m. on Dec. 24th. Avalos was near a vehicle on the street when he was struck by a vehicle allegedly driven by Thurman. He died at the scene. Thurman was not injured. She was being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail on $150,000 bond.