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Iowa early News Headlines: Tuesday, 2/21/17

News

February 21st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A panel of House lawmakers has approved a bill that would prevent Iowa judicial courts from applying foreign law to state cases. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa says the bill mirrors anti-Sharia legislation passed in other states, though Sharia law is not directly referenced in the bill. The GOP-led House Judiciary Subcommittee agreed Monday to support the bill. It now heads to a full committee.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s largest state employees union has filed a lawsuit challenging a new law that eliminates most collective bargaining rights for public workers. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Iowa Council 61 filed the lawsuit Monday in Polk County District Court. It seeks an order halting immediate enforcement of the changes. The lawsuit argues that the law violates language in the Iowa Constitution that ensures equality to citizens.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad has defended allowing a lobbyist to attend a private bill signing of the state’s new collective bargaining law. Branstad told reporters Monday that Drew Klein of Americans for Prosperity witnessed the Friday signing because the lobbyist asked. Members of the press inquired about the event and were told it was private. Branstad defended the media’s exclusion from the signing by saying he’s accessible through events like weekly press conferences.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say five people have been wounded in a shooting that involved two Ames police officers. Police say the officers fired back at people who had fired from a car into a crowd early Sunday morning. Three people in the crowd were taken to hospitals, and police say two wounded suspects and two other men were found at a Fort Dodge hospital and arrested.