Iowa Legislature reconvenes with subdued start ahead of presidential caucuses

By HANNAH FINGERHUT
Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislature has reconvened at the state capitol in Des Moines for a somewhat subdued start to the 2024 session given the flurry of laws passed last year and the one-week countdown to Republicans’ presidential caucuses. Before gaveling in Monday, Iowa Republicans celebrated their trifecta — control of the House, Senate and governor’s mansion — and the policies they passed last year, including creating publicly funded educational savings accounts for private school students; removing books with “sex acts” from school libraries; and cutting property taxes. In the House chamber, there was bipartisan agreement that they needed to address Iowa students’ safety in schools after a shooting at a high school last week.