© 2025 Iowa Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Statehouse reporters recap the legislative session and bills awaiting Governor Reynolds' signature

Ways To Subscribe
River to River, hosted by Ben Kieffer

The Iowa Legislature adjourned this past weekend, the eighth session in a row with Republican control.

River to River host Ben Kieffer sits down with Statehouse reporters Katarina Sostaric, Erin Murphy, and Robin Opsahl to discuss the bills that passed, what's already been signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds and which proposals failed to advance.

Among the bills that passed in the final week were changes to the state's Area Education Agency funding, consolidating the state's boards and commissions and a merger of Iowa's mental health disability services regions and substance use disorder treatment networks into seven behavioral health districts under the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

The reporters also made some predictions about the legislative session to come in 2025.

Guests:

  • Katarina Sostaric, IPR state government reporter
  • Erin Murphy, Des Moines bureau chief, The Gazette
  • Robin Opsahl, reporter covering State Legislature and politics, Iowa Capital Dispatch
Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River
Samantha McIntosh is a talk show producer for Iowa Public Radio. She holds a bachelor's degree from St. Cloud State University. Since 2022, McIntosh has worked with IPR's talk team to bring news and features to IPR's listening audience.
Madeleine Willis is IPR's Production Assistant supporting the talk shows and The Sunny Side Project. Willis has experience in audio production, reporting, writing and editing stories and conversations. She's reported and produced conversations on womanhood, sports, and good news from across Iowa. Willis will receive her bachelors degree from the University of Iowa in May 2025.