Signs of life at the Iowa Legislature

Good morning. 

I found myself somewhere yesterday that I haven’t been in weeks: Inside a crowded room at the Iowa Capitol covering a committee vote.  

The Senate Appropriations Committee returned yesterday to advance a series of budget bills — a sign of life after a long stretch of inaction. 

Does that mean the end of session could be in sight? Maybe. Lawmakers plan to return next week to start moving those budget bills off the floor.

Much remains unclear, including the fate of some of the big policy bills left on lawmakers’ agenda. Looming large is Gov. Kim Reynolds' proposal to provide state-funded scholarships to help students attend private schools or homeschooling, which has hit a roadblock because not enough House Republicans support it.

Reynolds told reporters on Tuesday that she plans to keep pushing for it and is “not going to stop on that until they sine die and go home." Those comments were not a strong sign that there’s enough support right now to pass it.

Meanwhile, Reynolds has taken her case onto the campaign trail. She made a rare move Wednesday by endorsing Pella businesswoman Barb Kniff McCulla in the House District 37 Republican primary — a move that targets incumbent Rep. Jon Thorup, R-Knoxville, one of the opponents of her scholarship proposal. My colleague Stephen Gruber-Miller wrote more on the unique endorsement in today's newsletter. 

Speaking of the primaries, early voting started yesterday. Our news reporting intern Grace Altenhofen has a rundown of everything you need to know on how to vote here.

This is Ian Richardson, wondering what will the next week of the session might hold. Stay tuned to this newsletter — and encourage your friends to subscribe here — to find out. As always, you can reach me at irichardson@registermedia.com.