In the first few weeks of the session various appropriations subcommittees listen to testimony about funding requests from leaders in state departments. The three state universities are asking for $26 million more for the next fiscal year. A House subcommittee advances a bill that would not allow public or private colleges to implement a mask or social distancing rule for students and employees when they are off-campus. And the governor’s broadband bill is discussed in a Senate subcommittee. It does not advance but the chair says another subcommittee hearing will come after taking into consideration what was heard at the first meeting.
Asking for Funds
![Iowa’s Capitol in the evening during the 89th Iowa General Assembly.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5aeed53/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1620x1080+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4e%2F19%2F18354d8f44fa86e360e8deb89dc9%2Futgd-2021-04-cover-3x2.jpg)
John Pemble / IPR