2026 Legislative Session

The Iowa Senate passed a bill that would change Iowa's foster care training requirements. Under the proposal, the state would determine a training course for each prospective foster parent, with some areas of training still required.

Listen as Morning Edition Host Meghan McKinney and IPR's Katarina Sostaric review the latest in Iowa politics.

In Early, Iowa, residents check their Facebook to see if their water is safe to drink. On this News Buzz edition of River to River, Sentient Media's Nina Elkadi shares her investigation into nitrate pollution in small towns' tap water. But first, Robin Opsahl of Iowa Capital Dispatch gives us a statehouse update. Also, Iowa Capital Dispatch's Cami Koons talks about a controversial piece of legislation that could change how Iowa's impaired waters list is managed. Iowa’s State Climatologist Justin Glisan explains this year’s snow drought and its consequences. Finally, we groove into the weekend with Studio One's CeCe Mitchell with new tracks from Buck Meek and Dogpark.

An Iowa House subcommittee advanced a proposal Thursday to restrict minors from accessing materials with sexual content in public libraries unless they have parental consent.

A bill that would make several changes to public assistance programs advanced through an Iowa House subcommittee Wednesday over the objections of people who said it would result in more babies going hungry.

Under a bill advanced by an Iowa House subcommittee Monday, local municipalities would be banned from adding their own civil rights protections beyond those in state law, including those prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity.

On this Legislative Day episode, we talk with the House Higher Education Committee chair and ranking member, Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, and Rep. Timi Brown-Powers, D-Waterloo, about bills that would allow some community colleges to offer four-year degrees, place a tax on large endowments at colleges and universities, and more. Then, we talk with a former student regent Jenny Connolly about proposed legislation that would change student representation of the Board of Regents. We also hear from the presidents of Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge and Northwestern College in Orange City on their views of the four-year degree proposal.

A bill that aims to crack down on out-of-state providers who mail abortion pills to Iowans was advanced Monday by Republicans on a Senate panel. Opponents said the bill would cause problems for in-state doctors while having little effect on mail-order pills.

Listen as Morning Edition Host Meghan McKinney and IPR's State Government Reporter Katarina Sostaric review the latest from the Iowa Legislature.

On this Newsbuzz episode, IPR's Josie Fischels shares her reporting on how immigration enforcement is keeping artists from the Midwest. We also get a legislative update from IPR's Katarina Sostaric, with proposals to end vaccine requirements and expand a ban on LGBTQ+ materials in schools. The Gazette's Grace King talks about proposed school closures in the Cedar Rapids school district, Iowa writer Christina Fernandez-Morrow on the impact of Bad Bunny's Grammy win and Studio One host Tressa Glass shares new tunes from Mitski and Noah Kahan.