DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Senate committee has passed a bill that allows MidAmerican Energy to seek permission from regulators to move forward with a nuclear power plant. The measure allows MidAmerican to ask the Iowa Utilities Board for a rate increase from the company’s customers to fund the cost of permitting, licensing, and building a plant.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Senate has passed a measure that would allow existing casinos and racetracks to offer Internet poker. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission would be in charge of the poker games, which projections show could generate between $3 million and $13 million in state tax revenue. The measure moves to the House.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says state law allows online schools as long as the curriculum is taught by a licensed teacher and students are supervised. The CAM and Clayton Ridge school districts have said they plan to launch online-only programs run by for-profit companies next school year.

LOGAN, Iowa (AP) — A former high school principal accused of pulling down the pants of a female student on January 20 has pleaded not guilty to a simple assault charge. Mike Loftin was fired from his position at West Harrison Community School District in Mondamin. Loftin had also coached the girls’ basketball team and allegedly pulled down a girl’s warm-up pants before a game.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa House delayed action an education reform plan after a drafting error was discovered at the end of a long day of debate, forcing the lawmakers to postpone the final vote until today (Wednesday). The bill gives the state more control over how student progress is measured and how teachers and administrators are evaluated. Those are among just a few aspects of education traditionally handled by local districts but passed on to state officials in the Republican-backed bill. Under the measure the Iowa Department of Education would establish new procedures to evaluate teachers and administrators annually. High school students would have to take new tests to determine if they’re prepared for college or a career and third graders not reading at grade level would be held back from fourth grade.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says online schools are allowed under state law. Miller issued an opinion on Tuesday. It was in response to a request by a state senator after two districts, CAM and Clayton Ridge, said they plan to launch online-only programs run by for-profit companies next school year. Miller says online courses are permitted, as long as the curriculum is taught by a licensed teacher and that students enrolled in the course are supervised. Critics argue the schools are illegal under a clause in the Iowa Code that says school districts are only allowed to do what is expressly stated in law. Miller disputes that claim, but says education officials should monitor the emergence of online-only programs in Iowa.