Governor Terry Branstad says he’s not surprised his fellow Republicans in the legislature have been reluctant to embrace his regulatory reduction plans. “We knew this was going to be tough,” Branstad says. “You’re going up against all of the organized special-interest groups that want to protect their turf, but I’m still hopeful that we can get parts of it approved.”

Branstad’s bill that would have ended state licensing for barbershops, social workers, mental health counselors and other health care professionals was rejected by a three-member House panel. Republican Representative Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton suggests the move could “harm the public” by inviting pretenders into the state who would act as if they had legitimate training in the health care field. Branstad says there are too many state-licensed professions in Iowa.

“These licensing boards kind of look at it as something (like), ‘We’re there to protect the profession, not the public,’ and that’s my concern,” Branstad says. “In some cases we’ve gone into places where I really don’t think we need to be licensed and it drives up the costs and it keeps out the competition.”

Another proposal Branstad backed tried to change state regulations to make it easier for health care clinics that are for-profit to set up shop near already existing Iowa hospitals and clinics. That bill failed to advance in the Iowa House, too, because of opposition from Republicans. Branstad says these kinds of regulatory reforms will “never be easy” to get through the legislature.

“Every one of these groups is organized. A lot of ’em have lobbyists and they spend a lot of money and they always sell it on the idea, ‘Well, we’re going to protect the health, safety and well-being of Iowans,'” Branstad says. “But we have more licensed, regulated professions than anybody else.”

Branstad made his comments late Thursday during an interview with reporters from the Radio Iowa and The Cedar Rapids Gazette. Branstad was wearing a red lapel pin at the time. Kentucky’s Republican governor gave Branstad the pin — which featured a tiny pair of scissors. It’s a symbol of the Kentucky governor’s “red tape reduction” campaign.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak, this (Saturday) morning, arrested 37-year old Joseph Dean Wallace, of Clarinda, on felony drug charges. Officers took Wallace into custody at around 4:45-a.m. in the 400 block of E. Maple Street, in Red Oak. He faces felony charges that include Possession of Methamphetamine & Marijuana with the Intent to Deliver, and a simple misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, charge.

Officers seized approximately 18.8-grams of Meth and about 24.1-grams of marijuana. Wallace was being held at the Montgomery Law Enforcement Center on a $100,000 cash bond.

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

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Legislation making changes to Iowa’s workers’ compensation system is moving through the Legislature despite arguments that the new rules would penalize employees who work in physically demanding conditions. Committees in the House and Senate approved the bill Thursday, and it could come up for votes in the full chambers next week. Opponents have been critical of the bill’s move to cut compensation off at age 67 for fully disabled people, minimize late fees for employers and decrease coverage.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A Lebanese man has been indicted on a federal count, accused of a scheme to smuggle guns purchased in Iowa to his country. The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa says 42-year-old Fadi Yassine was charged in the indictment with conspiring to violate the Arms Export Control Act and to ship, transport, and deal firearms without a license.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A judge has sided with former Johnson County Auditor Tom Slockett in his lawsuit against a state ethics board, saying the board was wrong to reprimand him in 2012. The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board had reprimanded Slockett for making campaign phone calls from his personal cellphone from his county office. On Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa said a Polk County District Judge overturned the board’s reprimand Tuesday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Collins-Maxwell School District middle school social studies teacher has been arrested after federal authorities allege he sent obscene photos to a person he thought was a 14-year-old girl in an internet chatroom and attempted to entice her for sex. The person he was chatting with was a federal Homeland Security agent.