Latest news with #IowaLegislature
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Reynolds vetoes bill restricting eminent domain for pipelines. Special session possible.
Gov. Kim Reynolds has vetoed a bill aimed at curbing eminent domain use by carbon capture pipelines and other infrastructure projects, saying the legislation is written too broadly and could damage economic development in Iowa. The veto, one of only a handful this year, deals a blow to the dozens of Republican lawmakers who supported the bill and to landowners who have shown up at the Iowa Capitol for years to call for greater restrictions on eminent domain. In a veto message included with her rejection of House File 639, Reynolds said, "I've consistently said that if eminent domain is used, it must be rare, fair and a last resort." "But HF 639 isn't just about eminent domain," she said. "It goes much further — and in doing so, sets a troubling precedent that threatens Iowa's energy reliability, economy and reputation as a place where businesses can invest with confidence." Lawmakers reacted swiftly to Reynolds' veto, illustrating the deep divide among legislative Republicans over the issue. House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, released a statement saying he has asked all members of the Iowa Legislature to sign a petition to reconvene for a special session to override Reynolds' veto. Overriding a veto requires a two-thirds vote of both the Iowa House and Senate. "This veto is a major setback for Iowa," Grassley said. "It is a setback not only for landowners who have been fighting across Iowa, but for the work the House of Representatives has put in for four years to get legislation like HF 639 passed. We will not stop fighting and stand firm on our commitment until landowners in Iowa are protected against eminent domain for private gain." House Republican lawmakers have worked for years to pass legislation reining in eminent domain use, only to see their proposals fail to advance in the Senate. Finally, this year, the GOP-led Senate debated late into the night as 13 Republican senators joined with most Democrats to pass House File 639 over the objection of 21 of their Republican colleagues. Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Grimes, said he supports Reynolds' veto. "Based on the votes on that bill in the Iowa Senate, a significant majority of our caucus supports a better policy to protect landowner rights," Whitver said. "I expect that majority of our caucus would not be interested in any attempt to override her veto." The veto is good news for Summit Carbon Solutions, which is proposing to build a $9 billion carbon capture pipeline that would span more than 2,500 miles across several states, including Iowa, and connect 57 ethanol plants and bury carbon dioxide from the plants deep underground. Bruce Rastetter, Summit's co-founder, is a prominent Republican Party donor. Rastetter has given Reynolds $175,000 since 2015 in donations and in-kind campaign contributions, according to reports filed with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board. The bill would have said hazardous liquid pipelines, including carbon capture pipelines, cannot receive eminent domain powers unless they qualify as common carriers, meaning they can prove they will sell the commodity to an unaffiliated buyer. It also would have required pipeline companies to carry more insurance for their projects, allows more people to intervene in Iowa Utilities Commission proceedings and requires commission members to be present at more meetings. "We can do better," Reynolds wrote in her veto message. "And I'm committed to working with the Legislature to strengthen landowner protections, modernize permitting and respect private property." In the meantime, Reynolds said she would direct the Iowa Utilities Commission to implement two of the bill's provisions: requiring all Iowa Utilities Commission members to be present at hearings on proposed public utility regulations, electric transmission lines and pipelines and at least one commissioner to be present at informational meetings held in counties along the project's route. Supporters of the bill, including landowners who are unwilling to sign agreements with Summit, say a private company should not be granted eminent domain powers for a private project that does not serve a public use. Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, one of the bill's main supporters in the Iowa House, said in a Facebook post that Reynolds "has chosen to ignore landowners, the vast majority of the Legislature, the Republican Party Platform and the Iowa Constitution." "I am profoundly disappointed over the governor's decision to veto HF 639," Holt wrote. "The Iowa Constitution is clear that the power of eminent domain can be used only for public use projects. The Republican Party of Iowa Platform strongly opposes eminent domain for economic development projects and the CO2 pipeline specifically." Opponents of the bill say pipelines like Summit's are necessary to open new markets for low-carbon ethanol that can be used for sustainable fuel for industries like aviation and shipping. The Republicans who opposed the law said they believe it will harm Iowa's economy and land the state in a lawsuit for interfering with a project that has already received approval from the state. Several of the bill's requirements apply to hazardous liquid pipelines, which include not just carbon pipelines, but pipelines that transport crude oil, refined petroleum products, liquefied petroleum gases, anhydrous ammonia, liquid fertilizers, alcohols and coal slurries. "That's a bill that's just going to facilitate activists," Senate President Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, said June 5 on an episode of "Iowa Press" on Iowa PBS. "And there were so many problems with that and ultimately it will cost the state of Iowa money, both in economic impact as well as potential lawsuit, and I think we have to say those words out loud." Groups representing the ethanol industry issued a flood of statements thanking Reynolds for her veto. Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, said the group is "deeply grateful" to Reynolds for her veto. 'This is a classic example of why our system of government has checks and balances," Shaw said in a statement. "Any thoughtful review of this bill would determine that it would lead to higher energy prices for Iowans, hamper future economic development, hold back job creation, and stifle new markets for Iowa farmers. IRFA thanks Gov. Reynolds for listening to Iowans, studying the actual legislation, and ignoring the rhetoric that was as inaccurate as it was loud." Jeff Broin, founder and CEO of POET, the world's largest ethanol producer, said the bill "unjustly singles out CO2 projects and sends a dangerous message that Iowa is closed for business." "Thank you, Gov. Reynolds, for your steadfast support of family farms and bioethanol producers," he said in a statement. "At a time when commodity prices are low, these CO2 investments will expand market access for Iowa corn, biofuels and bioproducts across the globe, increasing the value of every bushel of corn and every acre of Iowa cropland. This decision will bring benefits to Iowa farmers for generations to come." A range of Republican and Democratic lawmakers, political candidates and landowners criticized Reynolds' veto. "The governor has failed the state of Iowa," said Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton. "She has soiled her legacy permanently." Kaufmann, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee responsible for tax policy, called Reynolds' action "unforgiveable" and said he would work to block her legislative agenda moving forward. "I vow from this moment on to not allow a single bill that she produces to move forward," he said. "I will work to kill every single piece of legislation that she initiates." David Pautsch, a Republican running against U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the 1st Congressional District, called it "a betrayal of the people." "The governor slow-walked this bill while lobbyists swarmed Terrace Hill," he said in a statement. "In the end, she sided with powerful pipeline interests over Iowa farmers. It's government-sanctioned theft — plain and simple." Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, said she was disappointed in Reynolds' veto, "but unfortunately I cannot say I'm surprised." "There is simply no amount of political posturing or legislative stonewalling that can deny the fact that Iowans' right to private property should never be infringed upon for private gain," Weiner said. House Minority Leader Brian Meyer, D-Des Moines, said "it's no surprise that Gov. Reynolds has once again sided with her political donors rather than Iowa landowners." "Iowa House Democrats and Republicans worked together to protect property rights," he said. "At the end of the day, there is only one group to blame for the failure of the eminent domain bill: Iowa Republican lawmakers." Mary Powell, a landowner in Shelby County, was one of several landowners to condemn Reynolds' action. 'Gov. Reynolds' veto of HF 639 let Iowans know that to her the Iowa motto was just empty words," Powell said in a statement. "Gov. Reynolds chose to support the millionaires and billionaires at the expense of Iowans and their property rights." If the bill had become law, it would have placed several requirements on hazardous liquid pipelines and the Iowa Utilities Commission. The bill's provisions said: Hazardous liquid pipelines could not receive eminent domain powers unless they qualify as common carriers, meaning they can prove they will sell the commodity to an unaffiliated buyer. Pipeline companies must prove that their project is insured sufficiently to cover any losses or injury from the pipeline construction and any discharge. The company would have to either buy insurance for affected landowners or reimburse them for increased insurance premiums due to the pipeline's presence. All Iowa Utilities Commission members must be present at hearings on proposed public utility regulations, electric transmission lines and pipelines and at least one commissioner must be present at informational meetings held in counties along the project's route. The Iowa Utilities Commission could not renew any permit granted to a liquefied carbon dioxide pipeline and no CO2 pipeline would be allowed to operate longer than 25 years. State lawmakers, city and county officials and 'any resident with a minimally plausible interest' would be allowed to intervene in Iowa Utilities Commission cases. The Iowa Utilities Commission could not file sanctions against intervenors unless the commission determines the intervenor was knowingly dishonest, committed a crime or caused injury to the commission. (This story has been updated to add new information.) Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@ or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Kim Reynolds vetoes Iowa eminent domain, carbon capture pipeline bill
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
911 dispatchers ask Governor Reynolds to veto bill
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Legislature passed a bill overnight before the close of the legislative session that 911 emergency dispatchers are calling on the governor to veto. Regional Water issues mandatory water rationing, water sources below capacity Specifically, emergency dispatchers are concerned about Division XII, Section 42 of the standings appropriations bill, which grants the Iowa 911 Program the authority to charge local 911 service boards for undefined 'reasonable costs' associated with delivering 911 traffic to Public SafetyAnswering Points. Todd Malone, the president of Iowa Chapter of Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, said that the bill could have dire consequences on dispatch centers. 'It's not clearly defined and there was a mention of a 30-day deadline that it would have to be paid. Some centers won't be able to budget readily for that. It could cause problems with their staffing. Some centers, you know, they could close down and move phone calls to reroute it to a different location,' Malone said. The governor has 30 days to either sign the bill or veto it. Iowa News: 911 dispatchers ask Governor Reynolds to veto bill Regional Water issues mandatory water rationing, water sources below capacity ISU President Wintersteen retires after 40 years with the school Why has it been so windy in Iowa? Get ready for a cool down this weekend in Iowa Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The credibility that Trump is dashing won't be easily re-won
What's missing in the news media is a discussion on America turning into a petty, spiteful, undependable and selfish country. We are all connected. Even poor countries have money in American bonds. And the whole world is selling our bonds, lowering their value, which causes the interest rates to go up (example: if a $100 bond purchased that gives a 5% rate now sells for $80, the return becomes 6.25%). This will raise the interest the U.S. pays on our deficit and will impact large purchases. Now business expansion plans are non-existent because of President Donald Trump's erratic leadership. Who in their right mind would want to build a factory? Tomorrow tariffs may be withdrawn or the parts you want to import may suddenly cost more than the market will bear. Like virtually everything Trump touches, this is a mess. Being wishy-washy and undependable is not a negotiating tool. It's a suicide weapon pointed at us. Turns out not following the Golden Rule (treating others as you wish to be treated) is really bad business. Terry Lowman, Ames As a local auto repair shop owner, I strongly support consumer choice. It's critical the government doesn't tell Iowa's residents what kind of car they can drive or what equipment they can use. That's why I'd like to thank the Iowa Legislature for passing House File 860. This common-sense bill protects Iowans' right to choose equipment and vehicles that work best for them – whether powered by gas, electricity, or anything else. It ensures state and local governments can't discriminate against certain engines or fuel types. That matters a lot for small businesses, working families, and everyone else. Electric vehicles still struggle with long distances, are often expensive to repair, and the batteries are less efficient in cold weather than internal combustion engines. Thankfully, this bill safeguards our ability to make the best decisions for ourselves and our families – not suffer from EV mandates or other restrictions. House File 860 doesn't pick winners and losers. It simply says the free market will guide what equipment or vehicles we buy, use, and maintain. It preserves consumer choice, flexibility, and the practicality that built Iowa. Again, I'd like to thank the Iowa Legislature for passing HF860, and I encourage Gov. Kim Reynolds to sign it into law quickly. Moutassim Meri, West Des Moines The ultra-wealthy in America chose to hold their noses and provide deep funding to help Donald Trump get elected. In return, Trump does all he can to make problematic, steep cuts in the American budget, thinking this will create the necessary money to finance the tax cuts he has promised his wealthy donors. Keep in mind, Trump has done nothing to curb his own personal spending. The rich get richer. The lack of conscience of the few now takes precedence over the morality of the people. Do billionaires really need three or more homes and other luxury goods? Is money more important to these people than caring about others or our democracy? How do they sleep at night knowing they are the cause of thousands of people losing their jobs, programs being cut across the country, and America becoming the laughingstock of the world? The love of power is destroying our democracy. Margaret Havens, Storm Lake The role of the church in society is significantly different for conservatives and liberals. Conservative Christians uphold traditional views on marriage, sexuality's, gender roles and bioethics. Liberal Christians are generally more progressive on social issues, supporting gender equality LGBTQ+ inclusion and social justice initiatives. They interpret Christian ethics through the lens of compassion, justice, and human dignity. For conservative Christians, the church's role is primarily to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and preserve doctrinal truth. Its mission is spiritual, not political, although many conservative Christians are politically active, particularly on issues they believe have moral or biblical significance. Liberal Christians often see the church as a vehicle for social transformation. They emphasize the social teachings of Jesus — caring for the poor, advocating for the oppressed, and addressing systemic injustice. As such, liberal churches are often involved in activism, interfaith dialogue, and partnerships aimed at improving society. The divide between conservative and liberal Christian theology reflects deeper questions about authority, interpretation, and the interaction between faith and culture. While conservative theology seeks to uphold the faith once delivered to the saints, liberal theology aims to adapt and articulate that faith in a rapidly changing world. Despite their differences, both traditions contribute to the rich tapestry of Christian thought and continue to shape the ongoing dialogue about what it means to follow Christ in the 21st century. Wayne Hoffman, Urbandale This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Legislature wisely supports free choice on vehicles | Letters
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Deadline double standard: Newton superintendent frustrated by stalled SSA funding
Apr. 8—Newton Superintendent Tom Messinger confronted state lawmakers for being unable to meet the school funding deadlines, which is not a luxury public school districts are afforded when they have to now provide residents with notices of the public hearings for the proposed property tax rate. It's frustrating, he said. "Schools have to send their information to the courthouse by March 7 this year, before March 15 when documents are going out to people. We're asked to share our tax rate for next year at a point where that deadline is not flexible," he said. "School funding has been set on time once in the past 10 years." Rep. Jon Dunwell and Sen. Ken Rozenboom told Newton school board members during their March 24 meeting that over 1,500 bills had been filed this year. And although Messinger sympathized with lawmakers for having such a busy session, he argued many of the other education bills introduced are not as pressing. State Supplemental Aid (SSA) for public schools has been stalled for some time, and it is in large part due to disagreements between the Senate and House. The Senate approved a 2 percent SSA rate, but the House has passed a 2.25 percent funding package. The school district has formed a budget with 2 percent in mind. Typically, legislators have until 30 days after the governor's budget is released to set an SSA rate for public schools. The deadline has long since passed. The superintendent of Newton schools said there is no room for the district to break the law and not submit its budget documents to the courthouse. "But yet we're in essence hurting the perception of transparency because we know that what we give the courthouse could be off," Messinger said of the school district's proposed levy rates, which were published and sent to residents. "How do we work around that? What can be done to address that with schools?" Rozenboom felt Messinger was asking fair questions but he was skeptical the Iowa Legislature only met its deadline once in the past decade. But neither knew for sure. Rozenboom couldn't confirm, and Messinger said there could be a chance his information is wrong but from what he could find it was one for 10. "We're very aware of what the statutory requirement is for us, and we're very aware that we've failed to do that this year," Rozenboom said, who admitted lawmakers dropped the ball. "I guess I think our track record is a little better than that. But that not withstanding it's a perennial question to a perennial problem." Education is always the most important aspect of the budget, Rozenboom added, and he wishes it was easy to figure out how to spend the state's budget of $9 billion. But the state senator understands lawmakers have put a burden on public schools by not getting their work done on time. Dunwell noted the House and Senate have passed school funding bills, it's just that the two bills do not agree with each other. In the end, three different parties — the House, the Senate and the governor — need to come to an agreement on what that SSA rate will be. Negotiations are still ongoing. "That's where we're at as an impasse," Dunwell said. "So we, as a House strategy, have talked a little bit to leadership like you and knowing 2 percent was kind of the bottom and that we were going to hold out a little bit more and see if we could twist the arm of the Senate a little bit and find some additional dollars."
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill banning handheld cellphone use while driving heads to governor's desk
After years of trying, Iowa lawmakers have sent a bill to the governor's desk banning handheld use of cellphones while driving. (Photo via Getty Images) After years of failed starts, the Iowa Legislature has finally sent legislation banning the handheld use of cellphones while driving to Gov. Kim Reynolds. The Iowa House passed Senate File 22 on a 84-11 vote Wednesday. The legislation is an expansion of Iowa's current laws banning texting while driving to cover any handheld use of a cellphone. Drivers could still use a device in hands-free or voice-activated modes under the legislation. If signed into law, the bill would be enacted July 1, 2025, when law enforcement officers would begin giving warnings for violation of the measure. Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, violations of the law would result in a fine of $100. If the incident results in an injury, that fine would increase to $500; in cases causing death, the fine would be $1,000. It's a change to Iowa law that law enforcement officers have been asking the Legislature to pass for years, as Iowa's current distracted driving laws are difficult to enforce. An officer who sees a person using a cellphone behind the wheel often cannot tell if a person was texting or using their phone for an approved function, like navigation. Though sought by law enforcement and families of people who died in accidents involving distracted drivers, the measure has for years failed to advance through the Iowa House. Rep. Sean Bagniewski, D-Des Moines, thanked the families who came to speak with lawmakers at subcommittee meetings and with committee members about the measure, saying 'their advocacy, for years now, is what brought us to this moment.' This year, the measure gained more momentum as Reynolds called for lawmakers to support a measure to ban the handheld use of cellphones while driving in her January Condition of the State address, which she said will help prevent traffic deaths. The measure received only one 'no' vote in the Iowa Senate from Sen. Kerry Gruenhagen, R-Walcott. In the House Wednesday, 10 Republicans and one Democrat voted against the measure. No representatives spoke in opposition to the bill during floor debate. Rep. Ann Meyer, R-Fort Dodge, floor manager for the legislation, thanked the Iowans who for years spoke about the need to pass a ban on the use of handheld electronic advices behind the wheel. 'Thanks to everyone who's worked on this bill over the years, especially thanks to the families — telling your story is very difficult, but it has made a difference,' Meyer said. 'I do believe this legislation will save lives.' Advocates celebrated the bill's passage Wednesday. Luke Hoffman, executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, said in a news release the bill 'will save lives and make our roads safer for all Iowans' 'Iowa urgently needs a hands-free driving law, and the Iowa Bike Coalition has worked towards this day for nearly seven years since it was first introduced,' Hoffman said. 'We have been persistent in our efforts because of the stories our advocates elevate of Iowans impacted by this issue. … We do this for them, for their families, and know that this new law will for a fact prevent unnecessary future loss of loved ones. This law is the seatbelt law of our generation, and we will be working in the coming months to educate the general public on how we can all change behavior so we can save lives, together.' The measure heads to Reynolds, who is expected to sign the measure into law.
