(Radio Iowa) – State Labor Commissioner Rod Roberts made the announcement in a written statement late Friday. It came shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court heard legal arguments over the requirement that businesses with 100 or more employees ensure workers are vaccinated or regularly tested for Covid.

Roberts said after closely reviewing the federal mandate, the State of Iowa has decided not to adopt it. Governor Reynolds issued a statement late Friday, too, saying the vaccine mandate dictates health care decisions and eliminates personal choice. On Saturday, a top official in the U.S. Labor Department said the Biden Administration fully expects state OSHA officials to enforce the vaccine mandate to protect workers.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on the mandate is expected soon, perhaps even this week.

(Radio Iowa) – The 2022 Iowa legislative session kicks off later this (Monday) morning at the Capitol in Des Moines. Republicans hold the majority of seats in the Iowa House and Senate, giving the G-O-P control of the policy agenda. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds has made clear priority number one will be tax cuts, but she won’t reveal her policy proposals until tomorrow (Tuesday) night during the annual “Condition of the State” address.

“But you can look for a bold and historic agenda that includes among other things another round of tax cuts, a comprehensive workforce package and, of course, continued education reform,” Reynolds says. Speaker Pat Grassley, the top Republican in the House, says there are several issues related to parental involvement in education. “You’re seeing continued interest in parents having their voices heard,” Grassley says.

There’s no resolution yet, though, over the governor’s proposal to have the state give parents in a handful of districts state money to send their kids to a private school. The plan failed to advance in 2021 after a few House Republicans along with all the Democrats raised concerns. Grassley says tax conversations are going to be the most significant part of the 2022 session, as the state’s Taxpayer Relief Fund is overflowing. “With a billion dollars of overpayment from Iowa’s taxpayers, I think it’s imperative on the part of the legislature to make sure we’re getting that back in the hands of Iowans,” Grassley says.

Governor Reynolds says the long-term goal should be to eliminate the state income tax. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, a Democrat from Windsor Heights, says COMPLETE elimination of the income tax would forever eliminate about half of the state’s total revenue. “If the income tax is eliminated, millionaires and billionaires would have a $325 million tax cut. I think they’ve had enough tax cuts, so I think it’s time to focus those tax cuts on Iowa’s working and middle class, people who’ve been left out before.”

Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls of Coralville says the state’s flush with cash because of federal pandemic relief. “The idea that we’re going to spend these one-time dollars on a permanent elimination of the income tax doesn’t make sense,” Wahls says. Democrats say some of the state’s billion dollar surplus should be used on other priorities, like shoring up public schools that face teacher shortages. Republicans say there will be money in the general state budget for education. And Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver of Ankeny says the surplus is expected to double to more than two billion dollar by this summer.

“We want to use that to reduce taxes and, again, focus on the individual income tax rate to get that as low and as competitive as we possibly can,” Whitver says. The Senate and House are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. today (Monday). Shortly after convening, Republican Dave Rowley of Spirit Lake will be sworn in as a member of the senate. He won a special election in Senate District 1 in December to replace a Republican senator who resigned and moved to Texas for a job there.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – An Atlantic man charged with Attempted Murder (a Class-B Felony) and Willful Injury Causing Serious Injury (a Class-C Felony) following an incident on December 5th, has entered a written plea of Not Guilty, and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday. Arraignment is a formal reading of a criminal charging document in the presence of the defendant, to officially inform them of the charges against them. According to court records, Defense Attorney Robert J. Engler entered the written plea for 34-year-old Richard J. Doss, Jr., on Friday (Jan. 7).

Doss Jr., was arrested after a man arrived at the Cass County Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room after being stabbed. Atlantic Police said the incident happened at an apartment complex across the street from the hospital. The victim was treated at the hospital and then transported by helicopter to UNMC in Omaha for further treatment.

Doss Jr. was arrested December 6th, just hours after the stabbing. His trial is set for Feb. 22nd.

(Anita, Iowa) –  Members of the CAM School District’s Board of Education will meet in a regular session beginning at 6:30-p.m. Monday (Jan. 10th), in the CAM High School Superintendent’s Office. Among the action items on their agenda, are those pertaining to:

• Open enrollments, Resignations and Contracts (Under the Consent Agenda)
• Approval of: Change to Legal Counsel; Mid-Term Graduates; Board Policies (500/600 series)
• Approval of a Board Policy (403.7) w/regard to Employee Vaccination/Testing for Covid-19.

The CAM School Board will also share presentations with CAMEA (CAM Education Assoc.) with regard to Opening Proposals for Negotiations. They will also continue discussions pertaining to District Facilities.