State officials would be required to draw up standards for high school courses on the Bible if a bill that has cleared a House subcommittee becomes law. The bill’s backers say an elective course on “the Hebrew Scriptures or the New Testament of the Bible” will help students better understand politics, society and culture. Chuck Hurley is vice president of The Family Leader, a Christian evangelical organization that supports the bill.

“Biblical principles helped lead to the unalienable rights that we ensconced in our Constitution,” Hurley says. “For students not to be aware of that background would be, in my opinion, educational negligence.” Opponents of the bill say some educators might use the course to preach rather than teach and they fault the bill for picking one religious tradition to the exclusion of all others. Daniel Zeno of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa says a third of Iowa schools are already offering courses about religion.

“As long as they are academic courses, we don’t think there’s any problem,” Zeno says. “…There are ways that school districts can do this right now without singling out the Bible.” The bill HAS cleared a three-member House panel and is now eligible for debate in a full House committee. If the bill becomes law, Iowa school districts would not be forced, but could choose to offer a Bible literacy course. At least seven other states let local school boards choose to offer a Bible literacy course as part of the social studies curriculum.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The federal tax cut could save up to $147 million in utility bills for Iowa residents as the state’s investor-owned utility companies pass along some of their giant tax reductions.

The Des Moines Register reports that utility companies, like MidAmerican and Alliant, will save millions as part of the new tax law signed by President Donald Trump in December. Legislation lowering the corporate federal income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent took effect Jan. 1.

Companies have yet to decide how they’ll return savings to customers. Some are considering lowering rates or providing monthly bill credits.

MidAmerican Energy estimates returning between $90 million and $112 million to customers. Interstate Power & Light says it may return between $18.6 million and $19.6 million. Alliant’s gas customers could see between $500,000 and $3.7 million.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police say a northwestern Iowa teen accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend and another teen to death has told investigators he wanted the girl “to feel the pain he was feeling.”

Television station KTIV reports that 18-year-old Tran Walker, of Sioux City, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the early Sunday stabbing deaths of 17-year-old Paiten Sullivan and 18-year-old Felipe Negron Jr., also both of Sioux City. Walker remains jailed on $1 million bail.

Police say Walker was in a car with the other two when he began to stab Sullivan, his ex-girlfriend, because he was upset that she had broken up with him. Police say when Negron tried to intervene, Walker stabbed him, too. Both of the victims died.

Walker’s preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 8.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports that they responded on Tuesday to an incident of burglary and criminal mischief at the Rialto Theater in Villisca. The investigation determined that sometime in the last few months multiple persons entered into the theater through a side door and damaged the interior. The damage included but was not limited to broken bathroom fixtures, damage to props and equipment, paint damge to the carpet, walls, and seating. The amount of damage is still being assessed but is believed to be several thousand dollars worth.

The Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in finding information about the damage done. Anyone with information may call the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 712-623-5107 or Crimestoppers at 1-888-434-2712.