Isabella Murray

Iowa Republicans are willing to take a hit on the state’s economic development in order to welcome former President Donald Trump with lenient first amendment privileges during a time when few places are offering to be his safe haven. Big tech companies like Facebook, Apple and Google will no longer enjoy the tax breaks and…

If the Iowa GOP seeks to run government like a business, passing a voter suppression bill reflects a poor business model, Democrats said tonight during floor debate in the Iowa House. In his opening statement before the House passed a contentious elections bill, Republican Rep. Bobby Kaufmann called for sweeping reform to Iowa’s election system…

At the close of a three-hour-long debate highlighting clashes in the Iowa Capitol over former President Donald Trump’s debunked claims of widespread election fraud in the 2020 race, the state Senate passed a controversial elections bill along party lines. The GOP bill, which reduces Iowa’s early voting period, imposes criminal charges on county auditors who…

“Do we really have to do this now, during a pandemic?” That was a question repeatedly asked during a roundtable with Iowa union members Tuesday morning, following an earlier, contentious debate in the Iowa House Labor Committee which advanced a bill that cuts unemployment insurance benefits. The legislation, which has been proposed but not signed…

Despite sweeping public resistance, Iowa is set to move forward as one of the almost three dozen states where Republicans are pushing to restrict voting access after November’s general election. A total of 964 Iowans signed up on Monday night to speak against a GOP-introduced House bill that shortens voting periods and clears out voting…

Frustrated Iowa residents are crowdsourcing locations and availability for COVID-19 vacccine doses on social media and through personal networks in lieu of state assistance. With state preparation for distributing the vaccine lacking, the lucky Iowans who have gotten a vaccine typically have done so after significant searching. It’s on Facebook groups, Reddit posts and Twitter…

As Iowa continues to fall behind national rates of COVID-19 vaccines administration, Republicans on Tuesday advanced a bill through a Senate subcommittee that would further protect non-vaccinated residents and prohibit vaccine mandates set by employers or health care systems. Over 80 people joined an hours-long virtual meeting before the bill passed 2-1 with Republican Sens.…

When Republicans retained full control of Iowa government in the 2020 elections, Democrats knew full well they would face another challenging legislative session. But GOP legislators have pushed the boundaries of hot-button Iowa partisan issues during the first month of the state’s 2021 legislative session to an extent some did not expect, all while loosening…

Iowa is behind most neighboring Midwestern states in administering federally delivered COVID-19 vaccines, while Republican lawmakers say the state isn’t “getting its fair share of COVID vaccines.” Gov. Kim Reynolds at a press conference on Thursday said that Iowa—currently ranked 46th in the nation per capita in administering shots to residents— is receiving fewer doses…

Another fast-tracked education bill that will short Iowa’s public schools is vindictive amid ongoing COVID-19 challenges, Democrats say. Introduced by Senate Republicans less than a week ago, the education plan that suggests a 2.2% funding increase — well below inflation levels — will be debated Tuesday on the Senate floor. A number of Democrats have…