Nikoel Hytrek

The private school voucher program pursued by Gov. Kim Reynolds and other Republican leaders in the legislature doesn’t have widespread support from Iowans. Conversations during the legislative session showed widespread pushback to the proposal, and Data for Progress polling done for Starting Line confirms it. When asked, 71% of respondents said, “Public schools are vital…

A strong majority of Iowans oppose efforts to restrict abortion access. And yet, Iowa’s Republican leaders, including Gov. Kim Reynolds today, continue pushing to implement new government restrictions and bans on women and others’ health care decisions. According to Data for Progress polling done for Iowa Starting Line, 58% of respondents oppose the Iowa State…

In a country where insulin costs an average of almost $99, Sen. Chuck Grassley voted against a piece of legislation that would cap the price of insulin at $35 a month for those who have private insurance. Grassley’s vote—along with the majority of his Republican colleagues—meant the language wasn’t included in the broader Inflation Reduction…

Seven anonymous Iowa parents are suing the Linn-Mar Community School District over a policy that aims to protect transgender and nonbinary students from discrimination. The district allows students to create Gender Support Plans and use their preferred name and pronouns at school and the school facilities that match their gender identity. For students in seventh…

Kansas, a conservative-majority state in the Midwest, will continue to protect abortion access in the state constitution. That’s because, on Tuesday night, Kansas voters broke turnout expectations to resoundingly oppose a Republican amendment meant to remove the right to abortion from the Kansas Constitution. The amendment was defeated in a 59-41% vote, according to the…

It’s no secret that Iowa lags behind other states in broadband coverage and a new map amplifies that shortcoming. The Iowa Department of Management Department of Management Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and Gov. Kim Reynolds released a new, improved map on Tuesday to visualize broadband coverage in Iowa and highlight which areas…

A debate about pit bulls has ignited an Eastern Iowa community after 10 dog owners were notified they had to get rid of their pets. All of this has boiled over in Keystone, a small town in Benton County, where residents have wondered what will happen to their dogs, especially considering some aren’t even pit…

When Daniel Gutmann won the special election for a seat on the Urbandale School Board, he did it despite significant challenges from the right. Gutmann is an openly gay elementary school teacher, a member of the teacher’s union, a Democrat, and an outspoken supporter of progressive issues. He calls himself the perfect candidate to whip…

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Justice David May as her newest Iowa Supreme Court appointment. May is replacing retiring-Justice Brent Appel, who was appointed in 2006 by Gov. Tom Vilsack. Iowa code requires judges to retire at 72, and Appel hit that mark on July 12. All of Iowa’s current Supreme Court Justices have now been…

Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks told Iowans last Thursday she values access to contraception and women making decisions for themselves. Then she voted against a bill that would protect women’s ability to do those two things. Miller-Meeks and Rep. Ashely Hinson, both Republicans, voted against the Right to Contraception Act, but supported a separate bill, the Allowing…