(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa House has voted to limit liability for bars and restaurants accused of over-serving a drunk customer. However — unlike the Republican-led Senate — House members have voted to let juries award an unlimited amount of money for “substantial or permanent” damages from a drunk driving accident, like the victim’s death or significant medical bills. Otherwise, “non-economic” damages when bars or restaurants are accused of over-serving a customer would be limited to 250-thousand dollars. Representative Brian Best, a Republican from Glidden, was given the task of managing the bill and he was the only supporter who spoke during debate.

“If someone drives down the road and they’re texting and they t-bone another car or cause an accident that causes a lot of property damage, we never go back on the cell phone company. We don’t go back on where they bought the cell phone.” Representative Clel Baudler, a Republican from Greenfield who’s a retired state trooper, voted against the bill. Baudler says current law works and doesn’t need to be changed.

“I’ve seen so much drunken death on the highways in 32 years as a trooper that I don’t think this is going to do anything to reduce drunk driving,” Baudler said. “Might even make it easier for drunk driving.” Representative Marti Anderson, a Democrat from Des Moines, is the former chief of the state’s Crime Victim Assistance Bureau. A couple Anderson counseled after their five-year-old girl playing in her own front yard was killed by a drunk driver spent well over 150-thousand dollars on counseling and her funeral.

“The grief and loss by her parents was profound,” Anderson said. “…The liability level for these cases should be determined by the courts based on the specific facts for each case.” Best says “bad actors” will still have to pay, but Best says liquor liability insurance for bars and restaurants — called “dram shop” insurance — is a century-old concept that needs to be updated.

“I don’t believe that bars intentionally over serve,” Best said. “I think there’s many times when, I know from personal experience, bar owners will call a spouse or take the person home themselves if they’ve had too much to drink.” The bill passed the House on a 61to 36 vote. It goes back to the Senate, which must consider changes made to the bill in the House.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 2:20 a.m. CDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — First, the United States imposed a tax on Chinese steel and aluminum. Then, China counterpunched Monday with tariffs on a host of U.S. products, including apples, pork and ginseng. On Wall Street, the stock market buckled on the prospect of an all-out trade war between the world’s two biggest economies. But it hasn’t come to that _ not yet, anyway.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed into law legislation that will allow people to buy a cheaper form of health insurance that skirts Affordable Care Act rules. The Republican governor said at a bill signing Monday that the law will provide relief for Iowans experiencing increases to their health insurance premiums. The law will allow Iowa’s farm bureau organization to partner with a designated insurance company to offer so-called health plans that technically aren’t defined as insurance.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state court judge has set a hearing to consider whether former Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett was legally tossed off the primary ballot to challenge Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds. Corbett filed a lawsuit in Polk County court challenging a state elections panel which rejected his ballot petition last week.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An independent state agency says the number of complaints related to Iowa’s privatized Medicaid program more than doubled in 2017. The Iowa Office of Ombudsman says in an annual report released Monday that its department received more than 225 complaints last year related to private insurance companies that run the state’s Medicaid health program for the poor and disabled. That’s more than double from the nearly 85 related complaints lodged in 2016.

Cass County Chief Deputy Sheriff John Westring, late Monday afternoon, released additional details concerning a collision northeast of Atlantic, at around 1:10-p.m., Monday. According to Westring, a Ford F-150 pickup driven by 70-year old Gerald Schaefer, of Breda, was traveling northbound on Highway 71, when a Chevy Blazer, driven by 38-year old Nancy Podewils, of Atlantic, entered Highway 71 from eastbound Fayette Road.

The pickup struck the SUV on the passenger side before the Blazer came to rest upright in the east ditch. Deputies cited Podewils failure to stop at the intersection with Highway 71, as posted. Two people in the Blazer were transported by Medivac Ambulance and Atlantic Rescue to the Cass County Memorial Hospital Monday as a result of the collision. Westring said earlier, that they suffered “substantial” injuries.

Their names have not yet been released. Gerald Schaefer refused medical attention and was transported by private vehicle to an undisclosed location.
The accident remains under investigation.

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Board of Directors, held a Special Meeting Monday evening, and approved a bid for the construction of a shelter house at the Schildberg Recreation Area. Their action followed a public hearing on the matter, during which there were no comments.

Parks Board Chair Stuart Dusenberry said there were five bids for the project. Parks and Rec Director Seth Stasshelm said Precision Concrete of Atlantic had the lowest bid at $58,450, which was below the engineer’s estimate of $63,000.

The Parks and Rec Department budgeted $81,000 for the project, which includes the engineering fees. Staashelm said construction of the 30-by-50-foot shelter is expected to begin May 16th, and conclude June 30th, weather permitting. The shelter will have a concrete pad, red metal roof shelter, electrical outlets stone structured support columns. It will be constructed on the west side of the quarry area, near the parking lot, and will have an accessibility path to the parking area. It also leaves room for a future playground on the west side of the

The Parks and Rec Board’s next, regular meeting is set for April 16th at 5:15-p.m., in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from Lorimor informed authorities on Sunday, that sometime over the past two weeks, someone entered her property and took five trail cameras. The items were valued at $500.

Deputies in Pottawattamie County arrested a man Monday who violated a protective order and forced his way into an apartment in Carson. 54-year old Troy Stuart, of Council Bluffs, was charged with burglary 1st, harassment 1st, criminal mischief 4th, false imprisonment, violation of a protection order and interference with official acts.

Troy Stuart

The incident began at around 12:20-p.m., when Pottawattamie County deputies were dispatched to 333 North Commercial Street Apartment 11 in Carson for a protection order violation.  Responding deputies arrived and were unable to locate the subject, who was identified as Troy Stuart.

At approximately 12:45-p.m., deputies were dispatched to 19900 Virginia Hills Road (a Casey’s General Store), in Council Bluffs with regard to Stuart being dropped off there. Deputies made contact with the victim, who told them Stuart forced his way into her residence, and allegedly forced her to drive him to the Council Bluffs area.

At approximately 12:52-p.m., deputies arrived in the area but were unable to locate Stuart.  About 17-minutes later, a person in the area reported seeing a man in a farm field on the west side of Valley View Drive.  A perimeter was established and K9 unit responded to assist. Stuart was located at around 1:45-p.m. in the tree line, along Mosquito Creek between Valley View Drive and Harry Langdon Blvd.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’ Office was assisted by the Council Bluffs Police Department and Council Bluffs Fire and Rescue in this incident.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed into law legislation that will allow people to buy a cheaper form of health insurance that skirts Affordable Care Act rules.

The Republican governor said at a bill signing Monday that the law will provide relief for Iowans experiencing increases to their health insurance premiums. The law will allow Iowa’s farm bureau organization to partner with a designated insurance company to offer so-called health plans that technically aren’t defined as insurance.

The plans, which won’t be regulated by the state, aren’t required to cover benefits like maternity care and mental health or offer protections to people with pre-existing medical conditions.

Specific details about what’s covered in the plans aren’t available yet. Health policy experts say the plans may be attractive to younger and healthier people, but could further destabilize Iowa’s individual insurance market.