(Radio Iowa)- The Iowa Senate has voted to make it illegal for all drivers to use a hand-held smart phone while a vehicle is in motion.

Drivers under the age of 18 years have long been prohibited from using electronic devices, unless the vehicle is off the roadway and stopped, but efforts to extend that policy to adult drivers have stalled in the legislature for more than a decade.

Senator Mark Lofgren of Muscatine said the distraction of a smart phone in a vehicle has become a major issue. “Twenty-five years ago, the problem was not as prevalent, but today it is common place and continues to get worse,” he said. “Hindering drivers from messing with their phones by requiring a voice activated or hands free mode will not eliminate all the risks of distraction, but it will define the line not to cross over and, by doing so, will improve safety on our roads.”

Lofgren thanked people who’ve been hit by distracted drivers or had loved ones die in an accident for lobbying for the legislation. If the bill becomes law, motorists ticketed for handling a smart phone while driving would be fined 100-dollars. There would be higher fines and the potential for a license suspension if the distraction of a smart phone leads to an accident that causes serious injuries.

The bill passed the Senate on a 47-to-three vote and now goes to the House for consideration. Twenty-four other states prohibit all drivers from using a hand-held smart phone while a vehicle is moving.

It’s currently illegal to text while driving in Iowa, but police says it’s almost impossible to enforce.

(Radio Iowa) – The founder and C-E-O of Iowa’s largest cybersecurity firm is being named Iowa’s Small Business Person of the Year by the Iowa District Office of the U-S Small Business Administration. Aaron Warner launched ProCircular in 2016 in Coralville, and now has two additional offices in Des Moines and Minneapolis.  “We help organizations to get comfortable with their cybersecurity risk,” Warner says. “Essentially, we help companies to sort out risk that comes from people, from technical things — which is what most folks think about when they think about cybersecurity — and increasingly, compliance, things like cybersecurity insurance, and HIPAA and that sort of thing.”

The company started off very small and now has almost 70 employees and offers around 20 paid internships. Warner says in the first year, ProCircular’s revenue grew 200-percent, and progress since then has been steady. “We’ve grown at least 20-30% year-over-year,” Warner says. “We’re actually really proud of this. We managed to maintain staff, we did zero layoffs, and we kept revenue stable through COVID.” He say the company serves a variety of industries, including finance, education, health care, manufacturing, government, defense contractors, and more. While the focus of the business is on computers, “ones and zeros,” and serious technical issues, Warner attributes his company’s achievements to their sticking to the basics of how people matter.

“That’s how we interview. That’s how we hire. That’s when you’re reviewed. The core values. Things like, ‘It’s about people’ are the things that you get graded on,” Warner says. “It’s a really integral part of our firm and making sure that a company as technical as ProCircular remains grounded in people and relationships. I think that’s the key to our success.” Saying he’s humbled and a little embarrassed by the S-B-A honor, Warner offers all the credit to his staff, which he calls “crazy brilliant.” Winners from all 50 states will be recognized at Washington D-C ceremonies over April 30th and May 1st, during which the National Small Business Person of the Year will be named.

More at:

https://www.sba.gov/district/iowa

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(Radio Iowa) – Planned Parenthood of North Central States operates clinics in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and the Dakotas and, since Roe v Wade was overturned last summer, those clinics have seen a 13 percent increase in patients coming in from outside the five-state region. Mazie Stilwell is Planned Parenthood’s director of public affairs in Iowa. She says there’s also been a 40 percent increase in second trimester abortions since last June as patients travel farther and Iowa’s 24 hour waiting period for an abortion took effect. “People are jumping through unnecessary hoops, having to arrange additional child care, additional time off, additional lodging,” Stilwell says.

Supporters of abortion rights gathered for a rally at the Iowa Capitol Tuesday.  “Abortion remains safe and legal in Iowa today, but that is absolutely hanging by a thread,” Stilwell says, “so ultimately we know it’s important for advocates to be speaking up and having these conversations with their elected officials whether there is a bill moving today or not.”

Republican lawmakers, including Governor Reynolds, have said they’re waiting for the Iowa Supreme Court to decide whether a ban on abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy that passed in 2018 may take effect before considering other abortion restrictions.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Senior Alumni Scholarship Foundation in Atlantic is awarding four $2,500 scholarships this spring. The foundation was started in 2003, to provide need based scholarships to graduating seniors of Atlantic High School, who have a GPS of 2.5 and higher.

In 2003, the group began awarding one scholarship of $500, and since that time has been awarding increasingly higher scholarships. Continued financial support from previous graduates and classes, has allowed the SASF to increase the number of scholarships to four this year.

The deadline for applications is April 4th, and the application is available on the school’s website or through the High School Guidance Office.

(Harlan, Iowa) – Shelby County Auditor Mark Maxwell has released the final abstract of March 7th Special Election combined votes from Shelby, Audubon, Crawford and Carroll Counties, with regard to the issuance of bond for the IKM-Manning School District. The final tally canvassed on Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors confirms the measure passed, with 1,146 yes votes and 463 No votes. A total of 1,609 votes were cast. The $7.9-million in school infrastructure sales service and use tax revenue bonds will be used toward a series of construction and renovation projects at the Manning campus. District officials had said passage of the bond issue would have no impact on property tax or sales tax rates.

Maxwell broke-down the votes numbers as follows:

Shelby AND Audubon County: Yes – 173 votes; No – 209 votes

Crawford County: Yes – 197 votes; No – 209 votes

Carroll County: Yes – 776; No – 45

The public measure was adopted as presented.