POLITICS

“After the first funnel week, committee work slowed and floor debate picked up,” Rep/ Bloomingdale said. “This week, we were on the House floor every day, moving more than 40 bills—most with unanimous or strong bipartisan support.”

One bill that is still alive wold rule “that a private institution may not establish, sustain, support, or staff a DEI office.”

CLEAR LAKE — Dani Ollenburg, a lifelong Iowan and resident of the North Iowa community, officially announced her candidacy for State Representative in District 60 on February 22, 2026. Running as a Republican, Ollenburg emphasizes a platform rooted in limited government, accountability, and traditional Iowa values.  Jane Bloomingdale is the current Republican incumbent in this seat.

“Two headline-making bills that were passed by the Iowa House of Representatives in week seven of the 2026 legislative session include improving election laws and requiring commercial drivers to demonstrate English proficiency,” Rep. Latham said.

DES MOINES — Governor Kim Reynolds will deliver a riveting and moving speech on racial equality in celebration of Black History Month on Thursday, February 26 at the Iowa State Capitol.

“President Trump and Secretary Noem have been righting the wrongs of the last administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates for servicemembers,” according to the Board for Correction of Military Records of the Coast Guard.

NORTHWOOD – The following are the expenses paid by Worth county and Board of Supervisor meeting minutes for the period ending on February 23, 2026:

MASON CITY — The Mason City Council has formalized new procedures for its public meetings, introducing stricter time limits for public comment and specific protocols for how agenda items are managed. While city officials frame the changes as a move toward “fairness and effective government,” some local residents are labeling the shift as a suppression of public speech. 

One bill aims to make it easier for local farmers to host farm-to-table events by creating a special-use permit, another mandates that original farm equipment manufacturers must make the diagnostic and repair information, including technical updates and software updates, more available to farmers.

In education, “the Iowa House of Representatives debated and passed one bill this week,” Latham said. “After much negotiating, the final agreed-upon bill set Supplemental State Aid (SSA) for K-12 schools at 2%.”

“The sixth week of the legislative session, the initial ‘funnel’ deadline was this week, making advancements crucial. Subcommittees and committees were busy working through large numbers of proposals being considered in each chamber,” Campbell said.