Iowa lawmakers turn to taxes, guns, private school funding

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislature received again to work Monday with Republicans holding even bigger majorities in each chambers and objectives of approving extra tax cuts, additional easing gun restrictions and spending public cash to fund non-public colleges.

Republicans have managed each legislative branches for the reason that 2017 session and have labored with GOP governors to go quite a few conservative payments on all the things from training to abortion rights.

They may have even better sway this session given their expanded 64-36 majority within the Home and 34-16 majority within the Senate. As a result of Democrats maintain so few seats following a poor displaying within the November 2022 election, they may have the ability to do little greater than complain as Republican-backed measures change into regulation.

Republicans in earlier periods pushed via massive reductions in earnings taxes, and in 2026 the state is predicted to completely implement a 3.9% flat earnings tax. This yr, Senate Majority Chief Jack Whitver stated Republicans would search reductions or at the least extra transparency in property taxes, that are imposed by native governments.

Gun rights additionally will probably be a precedence, following overwhelming voter approval in November of a measure including the precise to maintain and bear arms to the Iowa Structure.

For a number of years, Gov. Kim Reynolds has pushed unsuccessfully for a measure that may permit the usage of state cash to fund scholarships for youngsters at non-public college. Thanks partly to Reynolds’ profitable effort to defeat some Republican legislators who’ve opposed such measures, the proposal has a greater probability of passing this yr.

Restriction of abortion rights has been a precedence for the previous a number of years, however Reynolds and Republican leaders stated they’d wait to see the end result of a case earlier than the Iowa Supreme Court docket earlier than taking motion. In that case, Reynolds has requested the courtroom to overturn a district courtroom ruling and reverse a everlasting injunction of a 2019 regulation that bans abortions when cardiac exercise may be detected.

Obtain our apps at the moment for all of our newest protection.

Get the newest information and climate delivered straight to your inbox.