Nine links on this year's biggest Iowa legislative news
Catching up and seeking feedback
This is my seventeenth year covering the Iowa legislature for my own website, but my first legislative session as a Substacker. As I’ve been finding my way in this space, I’ve sometimes had trouble deciding which Bleeding Heartland articles to cross-post here.
I don’t want to overwhelm Substack subscribers with several messages a week, especially since I already have another free email newsletter, which includes links to all recent Bleeding Heartland articles and commentary.
In addition, my preference for in-depth coverage on the website sometimes bumps up against Substack’s recommended word limits.
Since the legislative session is probably more than half over, I thought this would be a good time to share links to my posts about some of the most important news coming out of the state House and Senate so far.
Five ways Kim Reynolds changed her school voucher plan (published January 12)
The twelve Iowa Republicans who voted against school vouchers (published January 24)
Top Iowa Republicans deny obvious impact of anti-LGBTQ bill (published February 17)
What Iowa’s remarkable medical malpractice debate revealed (published February 20)
Iowa Republicans didn’t always push anti-LGBT bills. What changed? (published March 1)
Where things stand with bills targeting Iowans on public assistance (published March 5)
Iowa governor sides with anti-vaxxers, not cancer experts (published March 6)
Iowa ban on gender-affirming care would face uphill battle in court (published March 13)
Can Iowa’s “bathroom bill” withstand court challenge? (hot off the presses this morning)
I’m still working on a deep dive about the huge state government reorganization bill, which Iowa House Republicans rubber-stamped last week. Stay tuned!
Feedback is welcome on what you’d like to see more of (or less of) on this Substack.
If you’re not familiar with the Iowa Writers Collaborative, check out some of the other outstanding columnists. All provide content for free, with paid subscription options.
Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin, Windsor Heights
Doug Burns: The Iowa Mercury, Carroll
Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media, Des Moines
Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook, Storm Lake
Suzanna de Baca Dispatches from the Heartland, Huxley
Debra Engle: A Whole New World, Madison County
Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck, Des Moines and Okoboji
Joe Geha: Fern and Joe, Ames
Jody Gifford: Benign Inspiration, West Des Moines
Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt, Lovilla
Dana James: New Black Iowa, Des Moines
Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley, Waterloo
Fern Kupfer: Fern and Joe, Ames
Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture, Bussey
Tar Macias: Hola Iowa, Iowa
Kurt Meyer, Showing Up, St. Ansgar
Kyle Munson, Kyle Munson’s Main Street, Des Moines
Jane Nguyen, The Asian Iowan, West Des Moines
John Naughton: My Life, in Color, Des Moines
Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger, Jefferson and Des Moines
Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politic Behind the Curtain, Washington, D.C.
Macey Spensley: The Midwest Creative, Iowa
Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land, Kalona
Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Emerging Voices, Kalona
Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business, Boone County
Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi, Davenport
Teresa Zilk: Talking Good, Des Moines
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