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Podcast: Under The Golden Dome Week 11 (3/24/2017)

John Pemble / IPR
Iowa's Capitol

Six weeks ago, legislation about changing Iowa's collective bargaining law featured a long and contentious debate in both chambers, and hundreds of demonstrators at the Capitol.  During this process lobbyist Drew Klein, state director for Americans for Prosperity, advocated for this bill.  Turns out he was not registered during this time as a lobbyist.  The House Ethics Committee took up a complaint about Klein this week and we'll hear part of the committee's process during their first action of this General Assembly.

For 80 years, consumer fireworks have been illegal in Iowa.  A bill passes in the Senate and if it becomes law, first class fireworks can be sold and used in Iowa this summer and again in the winter. Those include consumer fireworks like firecrackers, Roman candles, and bottle rockets.  Senator Jake Chapman is the floor manager, and answers many questions during a four-hour debate as opponents line up 39 amendments for the bill.

This week it was expected a workers' compensation bill that passed in the House would come before the Senate, but this did not happen.  We'll hear an Iowa Public Radio-hosted conversation with Republican Representative  Andy McKean, who voted for the bill, but only after "draconian" measures were taken away.  He discusses the future of this bill in the Capitol's Law Library  with Senator Nate Boulton, who opposes the bill even in its modified form.

John Pemble is a reporter for IPR