The mental health reform bill the governor signed into law last week may ease the way for Iowa psychiatrists to report potentially dangerous patients to the police. A court recently ruled mental health professionals could be sued if someone under their care ends up harming themselves or others. Emily Piper, a lobbyist who worked on the bill, says the new law spells out when a psychiatrist could be sued for not speaking up “We want those parameters to be really clear,” she says, “so that when you get into the position of making that professional judgement, you are not exposing if you did not believe those parameters were met.”

Under the new law, a psychiatrist who doesn’t report to police would be immune from a lawsuit unless a patient was threatening a clearly identifiable victim or victims. And reporting threats would still be voluntary. Piper says the law balances the safety and confidentiality concerns. “We think that it creates a better partnership between those mental health professionals and law enforcement in terms of somebody who is clearly exhibiting signs of either injuring themselves or others,” Piper says.

Other states have passed similar laws recently. Piper is a statehouse lobbyist for the Iowa Mental Health Counselors Association, the Iowa Psychiatric Society and the Iowa Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

(Radio Iowa)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — OneJet is discontinuing its nonstop flights between Omaha and Milwaukee. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the service will end April 12. A OneJet spokesman says the airline is in the process of upgrading its fleet from seven-seat jets to 30-seat jets and making adjustments to its service accordingly. The airline began offering the service in November. It offered two flights per weekday between Omaha and Milwaukee.

OneJet flies small jets to and from regional markets, such as Columbus, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; Milwaukee and Pittsburgh.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:15 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa lawmaker has closed an unusual chapter in her work life of regularly bringing her newborn baby to the state Capitol. Rep. Megan Jones, a Republican from the northwest Iowa city of Sioux Rapids, began bringing her daughter, Alma, to the statehouse just a few weeks after giving birth on Jan. 24. Alma was often spotted snoozing on her mother while in a baby carrier or observing legislative action from a portable bassinet in the Iowa House of Representatives.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa bison known for surviving a lightning strike has died. The Des Moines Register reports that the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge announced Sparky the bison’s death. He was 14 years old. Sparky was struck by lightning in July 2013. Biologist Karen Viste-Sparkman previously said she found Sparky afterward covered with burn marks, bloodied and wounded. The biologist said he lost weight and grew weak after the lightning strike. He was found dead Thursday.

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa State University lecturer arrested last year for public intoxication during class has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge. The Des Moines Register reports that 56-year-old Gordon Branch Knight has pleaded guilty to first-offense public intoxication, a simple misdemeanor. Knight had been charged with second-offense public intoxication, a serious misdemeanor with penalties of up to a year in jail.

CRESTON, Iowa (AP) — A memorial service has been held for an Iowa couple and their children who died at a Mexican resort. The service was held Saturday afternoon in the gymnasium at Southwestern Community College in Creston for 41-year-old Kevin Sharp and his wife, 38-year-old Amy Sharp, and their children, 12-year-old Sterling and 7-year-old Adrianna. A Mexican prosecutor says a gas leak in a water heater is suspected of killing them inside their rented condominium in Tulum. Their bodies were found March 23.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Adams County responding to a possible domestic assault at around 8:12-p.m. Sunday, in Corning, arrested a man on a drug-related charge. Authorities say Deputies dispatched to the 600 block of 13th Street in Corning, ended-up arresting Phillip Eugene Currin Jr. of Corning, for Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd or Subsequent Offense, a class D Felony. Currin was booked into the Adams County Jail on $5,000 Cash Only bond.