JENEARY ON DISASTER RELIEF BILL
Governor Kim Reynolds signed the disaster relief bill into law Tuesday that is designed to streamline the disaster assistance process. Representative Tom Jeneary of Le Mars describes the bill…
What it doesn’t specify is the availability of assistance for homeowners and renters affected by disasters.
The bill also reduces paperwork for disaster victims
What the bill does not do is streamline the process of property assessments after disasters occur.
The bill includes nearly 12 million dollars to help repair homes, along with two million dollars to help cities demolish damaged buildings. It puts 19 million dollars in a revolving loan fund for projects that prepare for future floods, droughts, wildfires and severe storms.
IOWA AG SECRETARY CONSIDERING A RUN FOR GOVENOR
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig intends run for office in 2026 — and is considering whether to seek reelection to his current post or run for governor. Naig says Governor Kim Reynolds’ decision not to seek a third term was a surprise.
Governor Reynolds appointed Naig to be Iowa’s ag secretary in March of 2018 when Bill Northey resigned to become a deputy in the U-S-D-A. Three months later, Naig and four other Republicans competed to be the party’s General Election nominee for ag secretary.
Other Republicans, including Attorney General Brenna Bird, House Speaker Pat Grassley and state senator Mike Bousselot have said they are considering a run for governor. Naig says he’s not prepared to talk about any other potential candidate.
Naig made his comments during taping of “Iowa Press” which airs tonight on Iowa P-B-S.
FEENSTRA MAKES COUNTY VISITS
U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra recently finished a three-day stint on his 36 County Tour that took him to 12 counties in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District:
Among the visits were a tour of Maintainer Corporation in Sheldon, in O’Brien County; a roundtable discussion with local businesses impacted by last summer’s floods in Spencer, in Clay County. He also surveyed damage from last Thursday’s storms in Storm Lake, in Buena Vista County.
He also stopped by the Britt Area Food Bank, checked out new housing developments in Fonda, and visited the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown. I also spoke at the Boone County Economic Development breakfast, toured Mid-States Millwright and Builders in Nevada, checked out Omnium Manufacturing in Hampton, visited Silgan Containers in Fort Dodge, met with a State Farm Insurance agent in Eagle Grove, and toured ARKO Labs in Jewell and Best Veterinary Solutions in Ellsworth.
28TH ANNUAL HELPING CHILDREN BENEFIT GOLF TOURNAMENT
Floyd Valley Foundation will once again be hosting their annual ”Helping Children” Benefit Golf Tournament on Tuesday, June 10, at Willow Creek Golf Course in Le Mars. Tee times are available by calling 546-6849. The benefit is an 18-hole, 4-person scramble. The benefit golf fee is just $300 per team, which includes 18 holes of golf, a light breakfast, and lunch.
In 2024, proceeds of over $30,000 was designated to the Maternal Health Renovation Project that began this past spring.
As with every tournament year, there will be hole prizes and incentives, including the chance to win $10,000 towards the purchase of a car sponsored by Total Motors for making a hole-in-one on 4 Green. There will be flight prizes for the winning foursomes, pin and door prizes.
The Foundation golf tourney was founded in 1997. Past chairs have been Fred and Susie Sitzmann, Craig and Cristi Bauerly, and Jack and Kathy Frus. The current chairs, Shane and Peggy Sitzmann, accepted their role in 2018.
Since its inception, the golf tourney has raised over $330,000 for pediatric services at Floyd Valley Healthcare with 1000’s of golfers taking part.
SLAPP LAW GOES TO GOVERNOR
A bill that supporters say will shield Iowans from lawsuits meant to silence critics has cleared the legislature and is headed to the governor. Republican Representative Steven Holt of Denison started working on the legislation seven years ago when a local newspaper was sued for reporting on a local policeman.
The bill gives a defendant the ability to immediately ask an Iowa judge to dismiss a lawsuit that impedes their freedom of speech or freedom of the press. The House has previously passed four bills to address so-called SLAPP actions — SLAPP stands for “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.”
Commission,” Holt said. “I am proud that in a bipartisan way this chamber has been anti-SLAPP before anti-SLAPP was cool.” This is the first year the Iowa Senate considered the legislation. Senator Jeff Reichman (RIKE-man) of Montrose was the only senator to speak during debate of the bill.
Thursday, the House unanimously accepted a small change in the bill and to send it to the governor.
BILL TOUGHENS IOWA’S HUMAN TRAFFICKING LAW
A bill that backers say will strengthen Iowa’s human trafficking law has cleared the House and Senate unanimously. The bill ensures people can be charged with human trafficking in state court if they are caught by an undercover officer who’s posing as a potential victim or as someone in a human trafficking network. Under current Iowa law, there must be an ongoing relationship with a victim for someone to be charged with human trafficking. The bill changes that as well, to cover what are considered “spontaneous” relationships involving victims who escape and victims who are recruited but do not wind up ensnared by the trafficker.
DNR TO REVIEW AIR QUALITY PERMITS
The Iowa DNR Air Quality Bureau are reviewing draft permit applications to ensure facilities comply with state and federal air quality standards. They are considering public comments before finalizing the permits.
MidAmerican Energy Co seeks to modify existing permits at two power stations at Port Neal near Sergeant Bluff and Salix. Both stations are adding another approved mercury control additive. DNR is taking public comment on the permit application through May 25.
DNR engineers review and issue construction permits to facilities before they build new or modify existing sources of air pollution. The public may review the following air quality construction permits available online at https://idnraqrr.iowadnr.gov/ConPermitSearch or through the EASY Air Public Inquiry Portal and then click the Public Notice tab.
