Iowa
Iowa House caps commercial truck liability at $5M
This file photograph exhibits semi-trailer vehicles parked close to Williamsburg. The Iowa Home on Tuesday handed a invoice that may cap damages at $5 million in lawsuits in opposition to truckers and drivers of different business automobiles. The cap is increased than the $2 million cap authorised by the Iowa Senate final week, so the variations have to be reconciled earlier than the invoice can transfer to Gov. Kim Reynolds for her consideration. (The Gazette)
DES MOINES — Lawsuits involving truckers and drivers of different business automobiles could be capped at $5 million below a invoice handed by Home lawmakers Tuesday, however variations between the Home and Senate variations have to be reconciled earlier than the invoice may go to Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Senate File 228 would cap damages associated to ache, struggling, dying and different non-economic damages at $5 million in lawsuits in opposition to business car drivers and firms. Financial damages wouldn’t be capped, and all punitive damages would go to the plaintiff.
The Senate handed the invoice in February, however the Home amended it to take away a lot of the legal responsibility safety for employers that was included within the Senate invoice; slim the definition of business car; and enhance the non-economic damages cap from $2 million to $5 million.
“This was the results of loads of work and compromise by disparate events,” stated Rep. Invoice Gustoff, R-Des Moines. “The trial legal professionals and truckers associations — a handful of individuals concerned simply attempting to work by means of it and attain an affordable deal.”
Rep. Invoice Gustoff, R-Des Moines
The invoice handed the Home, 58-42, with six Republicans becoming a member of all Democrats in voting in opposition to it.
Supporters stated the invoice is meant to stop so-called “nuclear” verdicts, which have been seen in different states granting tens or a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of {dollars} to plaintiffs in wrongful dying or damage lawsuits.
The supporters additionally argued it will convey certainty to the insurance coverage marketplace for Iowa trucking corporations, bringing down charges and spurring financial exercise.
Gustoff stated the prices related to increased insurance coverage charges get handed on to customers, and certainty available in the market would rein in these prices.
“These prices get handed alongside,” he stated. “So it’s exhausting on trucking corporations, it prices farmers, it prices staff, it prices customers. As a result of the whole lot we eat, put on, use, when you’ve got it, it got here on a truck.”
Opponents
Opponents stated the Home’s amended model is an enchancment over the Senate model however that the invoice would take away Iowans’ proper to a trial by jury to pretty decide how a lot an individual ought to be compensated for life-altering accidents.
Rep. Megan Jones, R-Sioux Heart, who voted in opposition to the invoice, stated her nice aunt died as an adolescent in an accident with a semi truck, which had been parked on a roadway at night time. The household determined to not sue, however she stated she didn’t wish to take away that call from different Iowans.
“I don’t see this invoice as being beneficiant to victims,” Jones stated. “Iowans aren’t trying to get run down by semi vehicles. Legal professionals aren’t taking dangerous, frivolous instances. Iowa juries aren’t awarding greater than an individual deserves.”
Rep. Sami Scheetz, D-Cedar Rapids, listed the names of Iowans who had died or been severely injured by accidents with business vehicles and stated the Legislature mustn’t restrict the losses incurred by these households.
“This invoice restricts the juries’ talents to make victims of negligence entire following a catastrophic loss,” Scheetz stated. ”That’s essentially unsuitable.”
Rep. Sammi Scheetz, D-Cedar Rapids
He additionally stated the invoice would make Iowa the one U.S. state to particularly cap damages for business automobiles. Whereas some states have limits on non-economic damages for civil lawsuits generally, none specifies caps on business automobiles.
Two variations
Beneath the invoice handed within the Senate, business car employers could be shielded from legal responsibility stemming from direct negligence in hiring, coaching, supervising or trusting an worker if the harm was brought on by the worker’s negligence.
However the amended Home invoice solely protects employers from legal responsibility for direct negligence in hiring, leaving potential for employers to face damages for negligence in coaching, supervising and trusting an worker.
The Home modification additionally limits the definition of “business motorized vehicle.” That checklist consists of automobiles weighing greater than 26,000 kilos, automobiles transporting hazardous supplies, some livestock transportation automobiles and highway tractors. It doesn’t embody automobiles designed for 16 or extra passengers, together with buses, or supply or pickup vehicles used for business functions, which had been included within the Senate invoice.
The invoice specifies conditions the place the cap on damages could be waived. A business car driver who’s concerned in an accident whereas doing one of many following wouldn’t be topic to the cap:
• Working with an alcohol focus of 0.04 % or extra.
• Working below the affect of a drug.
• Refusing to undergo alcohol testing.
• Committing a felony involving using the car.
• Utilizing the car to illegally manufacture or distribute a managed substance.
•Driving and not using a business driver’s license or whereas the license is suspended or revoked.
• Reckless driving.
• Utilizing an digital machine whereas driving.
• Rushing greater than 15 miles per hour above the velocity restrict.
The Home-amended invoice now heads again to the Senate for consideration.
Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, the invoice’s ground supervisor, stated, “The Home modification to the business car tort invoice is a major change from the invoice the Senate handed final week. My fellow senators and I’ll want a while to judge the modifications earlier than deciding on a path ahead for the invoice.”
Feedback: cmccullough@qctimes.com
Iowa
Latest Iowa high school volleyball rankings reveal regional pairings
It was an important date around the state for volleyball teams in Iowa, as the latest rankings were released and regional pairings in all five classes were revealed.
The two come into play once regionals reach the championship round, as the higher-ranked team will serve as the host for those games.
All five No. 1 squads remained the same, as Ankeny Centennial (Class 5A), Cedar Rapids Xavier (4A), Mount Vernon (3A), Denver (2A) and Ankeny Christian (1A) held serve.
New teams to the Top-15 include Iowa City West in 5A, Ballard in 4A, Wapsie Valley in 2A and Stanton in 1A. The entire 3A poll remained the same while Sidney made one of the biggest climbs, moving to ninth from 12th in 1A.
Regional play for 1A and 2A begins Oct. 21 with 3A, 4A and 5A starting Oct. 22. The state tournament is scheduled for Nov. 4-7 in Coralville from the Xtream Arena. Complete regional pairings can be found on Bound.
Class 5A
1. Ankeny Centennial; 2. Pleasant Valley; 3. Ankeny; 4. West Des Moines Dowling; 5. Indianola; 6. Waukee Northwest; 7. Cedar Falls; 8. Cedar Rapids Prairie; 9. Waukee; 10. Iowa City Liberty; 11. West Des Moines Valley; 12. Sioux City East; 13. Iowa City West; 14. Iowa City High; 15. Linn-Mar.
Class 4A
1. Cedar Rapids Xavier; 2. Sioux City Bishop Heelan; 3. North Scott; 4. Clear Creek-Amana; 5. Lewis Central; 6. Pella; 7. Glenwood; 8. Carlisle; 9. Marion; 10. Adel-ADM; 11. Norwalk; 12. Sergeant Bluff-Luton; 13. MOC-Floyd Valley; 14. Ballard; 15. Grinnell.
Class 3A
1. Mount Vernon; 2. Western Christian; 3. West Delaware; 4. Dubuque Wahlert; 5. Davenport Assumption; 6. Sioux Center; 7. Carroll Kuemper; 8. Mid-Prairie; 9. Cherokee; 10. Wilton; 11. Solon; 12. Anamosa; 13. Roland-Story; 14. Clarinda; 15. Nevada.
Class 2A
1. Denver; 2. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; 3. Dyersville Beckman; 4. Dike-New Hartford; 5. Aplington-Parkersburg; 6. South Hardin; 7. Boyden-Hull; 8. Pella Christian; 9. Iowa City Regina; 10. Hinton; 11. Grundy Center; 12. Sumner-Fredericksburg; 13. Wapsie Valley; 14. West Burlington; 15. Shenandoah.
Class 1A
1. Ankeny Christian; 2. Holy Trinity; 3. Saint Ansgar; 4. Riverside; 5. BCLUW; 6. Janesville; 7. North Tama; 8. Don Bosco; 9. Sidney; 10. River Valley; 11. Akron-Westfield; 12. Stanton; 13. Fremont-Mills; 14. Southwest Valley; 15. Gladbrook-Reinbeck.
Iowa
Iowa high school football computer rankings (10/10/2024)
Week 6 of the 2024 Iowa high school football season has wrapped up, and High School on SI is continuing its weekly computer rankings for the season.
The Dowling Maroons kept their top five placing in this week’s 5A Iowa computer rankings after a thrilling 41-35 victory over Ankeny Centennial. They face a strong Urbandale team on Friday, to keep their momentum going.
The top of the 5A computer rankings stay the same this week as the Bettendorf Bulldogs take home another win, this time defeating Kennedy 33-14. The Bulldogs look forward to Friday, where they will travel to Davenport Central in hopes to hold their place in the standings.
SBLive’s formula was created using its linear algebra-based ranking algorithm inspired by the Colley Bias-Free Ranking Method. Colley’s Method was created by Wes Colley, Ph.D., an astrophysicist at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. He devised his algorithm to help address the subjectivity and controversy regarding BCS college football selections in the 1990s and early 2000s, using a method that used no subjective variables.
- FAQ: SBLive High School Football Computer Rankings
Here are SBLive’s latest Iowa football computer rankings, as of Oct. 7, 2024:
IOWA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COMPUTER RANKINGS
CLASS 5A | CLASS 4A
CLASS 3A | CLASS 2A
CLASS 1A | CLASS A
CLASS 8 MAN
DOWNLOAD THE SBLIVE APP
To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App
— Ben Dagg | @sblivesports
Iowa
Grinnell window manufacturer announces plans to lay off 152 workers in November
JELD-WEN, a manufacturer of windows and doors in Grinnell, has announced it will be laying off 152 workers effective Nov. 7.
The announcement was made on Iowa’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) site.
The company, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, was founded in 1960 and has 18,000 employees, with operating facilities in 16 countries in North America and Europe with 2023 sales of $4.3 billion, according to the company’s website.
JELD-WEN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
Earlier this year, JELD-WEN announced the closing of its Hawkins, Wisconsin facility, affecting 338 employees, and in Vista, California, resulting in the loss of 110 jobs.
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