(Radio Iowa) – Some Iowa insurance companies might start selling private flood insurance policies to cover homes if a bill that’s won House approval becomes law. Representative Gary Mohr, of Bettendorf, says these private policies could become a viable alternative to federal flood insurance. “Seldom do we get a chance in a single bill to help jump start a new, private sector marketplace product in Iowa,” Mohr says. “…With Iowa being a leader in the insurance industry, we see this as a potentially big, new, national private sector marketplace in the residential flood insurance market.”

An eligible insurance company must have a state certificate to do business in Iowa and a company would be required to file rates for its flood insurance policies with Iowa’s insurance commissioner. Representative Jon Jacobsen of Council Bluffs says this could be an important business opportunity. “Literally not a day goes by without questions from constituents on the flooding,” Jacobsen says. “Flood insurance has been a big issue for them.”

Representative Steven Hansen says because of federal flood insurance program rules, his constituents along Prairie Creek in Sioux City face significant hardships. “Hopefully this will give another alternative for some of those people who either are getting priced out of that market, couldn’t get a mortgage on their house because of it or any other number of problems with the flood insurance program.”

The bill, as written, would only allow private flood insurance policies to cover a primary residence. A non-profit group called First Street Foundation evaluates flood risks. It estimates nearly 300-thousand homes and businesses are at substantial risk of flooding between now and 2050. FEMA is scheduled to announce new rates for the National Flood Insurance Program on April 1st.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has approved changes in how schools may use state funding for the Teacher Leadership and Compensation program. Republican Representative Holly Brink of Oskaloosa says not every Iowa teacher wants to be in a leadership role. “Just like students learn differently, teachers may feel that they educate and lead differently,” Brink said, “so we should continue to support them.” Former Governor Terry Branstad led the charge to send schools state grants specifically to boost pay for teachers who coach or mentor other teachers.

If the bill becomes law, Brink says school districts could use any money left-over in other ways. “Education is a priority. We’ve spent a lot of time this year talking about that already,” Brink says. “We need to continue to evaluate the process and the systems to ensure that we are doing the best we can.” Representative Mary Mascher of Iowa City and many other House Democrats objected.

“We have one of the best mentoring programs for new teachers in the country,” Mascher says. “…To take funding away from that makes no sense at all.” Some Democrats raised objections about other parts of the bill. The legislation would get rid of the requirement that students must wait 90 school days when transferring to another school before they may play varsity sports.

Representative Dave Jacoby, a Democrat from Coralville, suggests there’ll be a summer draft for prospective high school athletes if the waiting period is reduced to 90 calendar days. “This bill is a launching for high school trading cards,” Jacoby says. “…Interestingly enough, the bill also has a provision to be retroactive. Is this a carve out for specific players — sorry, for specific students?” The bill would double the Iowa tuition and textbook tax credit for parents of K-through-12 students attending accredited public and private schools. Five Democrats, including the House Democratic Leader, joined Republicans in voting yes on the bill.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The rural jail that has long been the largest detention facility for immigrants facing deportation in Iowa plans to stop housing long-term detainees without additional federal funding or other changes. The Hardin County Jail has informed the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that it plans to end its current contract, citing a declining detainee population and new standards that have dramatically increased costs for medical care and suicide prevention. Negotiations between the federal agency and the jail are ongoing, and administrator Nick Whitmore says no changes are expected to happen imminently.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa public health data shows the state’s positivity rate, hospitalizations and COVID-19 patients in intensive care are all trending upward. Some health experts feared spring weather and the belief that the coronavirus pandemic is waning would lead people to let down their guard, driving up virus activity. Iowa reported 641 new confirmed positive cases and six additional deaths on Thursday, increasing the death toll to 5,689. Hospitalizations rose to 207 after they had declined to under 200 in late February. The state has delivered 1.37 million doses and more than 877,000 people have received at least one dose. Still, just 16.8% of the state’s total population has been fully vaccinated.

CAMBRIDGE, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State Patrol says a man in a stolen Maserati led officers on a chase through four counties while reaching speeds up to 150 mph. Patrol Lt. Nathan Ludwig says the pursuit began about 6 a.m. Thursday on Interstate 35 near the Ankeny exit when a trooper clocked the car going 97 mph. Ludwig says the driver, 43-year-old John Burgoyne of Des Moines, rented the vehicle and didn’t return it. Several law enforcement officers chased the vehicle for more than two hours through Polk, Marshall, Jasper, and Story counties. The car was eventually found parked on a vacant farm property near Cambridge and Burgoyne was arrested.

CAMBRIDGE, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State Patrol says a man in a stolen Maserati led officers on a chase through four counties while reaching speeds up to 150 mph. Patrol Lt. Nathan Ludwig says the pursuit began about 6 a.m. Thursday on Interstate 35 near the Ankeny exit when a trooper clocked the car going 97 mph. Ludwig says the driver, 43-year-old John Burgoyne of Des Moines, rented the vehicle and didn’t return it.

Several law enforcement officers chased the vehicle for more than two hours through Polk, Marshall, Jasper, and Story counties. The car was eventually found parked on a vacant farm property near Cambridge and Burgoyne was arrested.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says the outcome of Iowa’s contested second congressional district race could be a harbinger of efforts to federalize U.S. elections. During a news conference at Iowa G-O-P headquarters, Reynolds again blasted Democrat Rita Hart for asking a U.S. House committee to review ballots cast in her race against Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks.

“Rita Hart’s request that the House ignore Iowa law, it truly is a forecast of what’s to come,” Reynolds said. “If Democrats get their way and HR1 becomes law, if that happens, then state election law everywhere will be wiped away.” House Democrats passed House Resolution — H-R One — earlier this month and, among other things, it seeks to bar states from limiting the ability to vote by mail. Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann says Hart’s decision to ask a U.S. House committee to review the second district race isn’t illegal, but he says it’s immoral.

“This is personal to me,” Kaufmann said. “I’m in the second district. I voted for Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Nancy Pelosi and Cindy Axne should not trump my vote.” At least a half dozen Democrats in the U.S. House have publicly expressed concerns about overturning Miller-Meeks election after former President Trump pressed to have congress overturn his loss to President Biden. Hart’s attorney, Marc Elias, says they have identified 22 legally cast ballots that were not counted.

“These are not hypothetical voters. These are not theoretical voters,” Elias says. “These are actual people who live in Iowa’s second congressional district who had their right to vote denied due to problems with the election administration or election judge error.” The U.S. House has considered more than 100 petitions like Hart’s over the past eight decades and wound up overturning the results in just four cases.