Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a bill into law that may finally supply taxpayer-funded accounts to all households who’ve youngsters in non-public faculties. It moved swiftly by way of the Home and Senate simply two weeks after the governor proposed the plan throughout her Condition of the State address.
The plan will begin phasing on this fall.
Now, Republican leaders say they will begin discussing public faculty funding, and Democrats have criticized them for addressing non-public faculty funding first. Reynolds is anticipated to introduce a invoice associated to what she calls “dad and mom’ rights” and transparency in faculties. Lawmakers additionally plan to work on proposals for recruiting and retaining academics within the state.
Lawmakers have superior new payments
Lawmakers are additionally transferring ahead with different proposals. One invoice proposes modifications to who ought to be eligible for public help, including SNAP and Medicaid.
The invoice bought numerous consideration for its provision that might solely enable SNAP contributors to purchase sure meals off a restricted checklist that excluded contemporary meat, but lawmakers running the bill said they’re taking that out and solely need to limit purchases of sweet and soda. The change would require federal approval.
The invoice would additionally put limits on what belongings Iowans might maintain to qualify for SNAP and would request federal permission to require some Medicaid recipients to work 20 hours every week. Republicans have thought-about payments like this for a number of years, saying they need to make certain taxpayer {dollars} are going to those that really want the assistance, however the payments have by no means handed.
Opponents say the invoice might result in low-income Iowans dropping the assistance that they want.
Proposed modifications to medical malpractice lawsuit payouts
One other of Reynolds’ priorities is placing limits on payouts in medical malpractice lawsuits. The invoice superior by Senate Republicans final week would cap noneconomic damages in medical malpractice judgments at $1 million. Medical suppliers in favor of the invoice say large medical malpractice verdicts and excessive insurance coverage charges in Iowa are driving the well being care workforce scarcity and contributing to a scarcity of well being care entry in rural Iowa.
Attorneys and a few victims of medical malpractice say the invoice would deny justice in circumstances the place Iowans are severely injured or killed by medical negligence. Some Republican opponents of the invoice accused their colleagues of hypocrisy after they say they’re pro-life, then assign a $1 million price ticket to an individual’s life.
