AGP Executive Report

Medicaid Crackdown: Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an executive order creating an Iowa Medicaid Fraud Elimination Task Force, chaired by AG Brenna Bird, as the state moves to target fraud, waste, and abuse in the cash-strapped program. Consumer Protection: Iowa AG Brenna Bird is suing Temu under the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act, adding to a broader push against online marketplaces and deceptive practices. Food Policy Fight: A federal judge blocked Iowa’s SNAP restrictions on soda and candy, dealing a blow to the state’s effort to police what low-income families buy. Egg Price-Fixing Fallout: Egg producers are set to pay $3.3 million (and donate millions of eggs) after DOJ and federal/state complaints tied them to coordinated price manipulation. Flood Watch: Heavy rain has extended flood watches and warnings across parts of Iowa and nearby states, with rivers expected to crest and minor to moderate flooding possible. Local Infrastructure: Green Mountain is moving ahead on a $3.7 million sewer project to replace private septic tanks with a village-wide system. Water Quality Debate: Central Iowa Water Works defended its nitrate-reduction work and investment pace amid public questions.

Medicaid Fallout in Iowa: One Big Beautiful Bill turns 1, and Iowa disability advocates say looming work requirements and reduced federal funding could squeeze access to care starting in 2027. Consumer Protection: Iowa AG Brenna Bird sues Temu under the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act, alleging the app harvests data and misleads shoppers on quality and pricing. Local Water Update: Central Iowa Water Works lifts its residential lawn watering ban and shifts to voluntary conservation, while commercial and government users stay under tighter limits. Iowa Politics & Campaigns: UNI wrestling’s Doug Schwab says it’s “been way too long” for the UNI-Iowa dual to return, and Rob Sand touts a nonpartisan approach during a Council Bluffs stop. Council Bluffs Data Centers: City Council votes down a data center moratorium, despite residents raising power and water concerns. Rural Listening Project 250: Rural Iowans press lawmakers on cost of living, shrinking local economies, and healthcare access. FTC Brand-Safety Settlement: The FTC settles with Havas, ending the last “Big Six” ad-agency case over coordinated brand-safety rules that limited where political ads could run. Road Safety: Iowa DOT begins updating about 1,800 speed limit signs as new rural limits take effect July 1.

Iowa Politics & Accountability: Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand’s Democratic bid for governor is gaining traction as Republicans’ oversight curbs backfire, with Sand pitching tighter accountability and limits on officials’ behavior. Public Health & Access: A GOP Medicaid ban on Planned Parenthood is set to expire, meaning states decide whether patients can again get routine care at clinics that remain open. Consumer Protection & Food Prices: Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and other AGs reached a multistate settlement with egg producers accused of price-fixing; Iowa’s share includes about $90,000 and millions of donated eggs for food banks. New Iowa Laws: New rules taking effect include stricter online porn age verification for sites with mostly pornographic content and other statewide changes tied to courts and public safety. Local Business & Community: Arconic announced a $175 million Davenport Works expansion, and Iowa State University offers co-parenting and Master Gardener training programs. Weather & Safety: Extreme heat continues across the Midwest, with cooling centers opening and outdoor plans canceled.

Abortion & Minor Health Rules: New Iowa laws take effect today, tightening access to abortion-inducing medication by requiring in-person prescriptions and also limiting minors’ ability to consent to certain STI-related care, including the HPV vaccine. Consumer Protection: Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird sued Temu under the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act, alleging deceptive pricing and sign-up practices, substandard goods, and improper data harvesting. Egg Price-Fixing Fallout: DOJ and state attorneys general reached a settlement with major egg producers over alleged collusion, with Iowa’s share tied to Versova-linked operations near Sioux Center and payments plus egg donations to food banks. Road Safety: Iowa is raising speed limits on some state highways to 60 mph starting in July, but the DOT warns not all roads are ready and says safety upgrades may be needed. Local Housing Finance: The Iowa Finance Authority awarded tax credits and HOME funds to convert Fort Madison’s former Lincoln Elementary into 30 senior affordable rentals. Public Safety & Scams: Bird also urged Iowans to be cautious with storm-repair scammers after recent severe weather.

Egg price-fixing settlement: Iowa will get about $89,931 from a multistate deal where three major egg producers will pay $3.3 million and donate 50+ million eggs after a DOJ-led investigation found unlawful coordination that drove up prices. Abortion access: A new Iowa law taking effect July 1 requires medication abortion pills to be prescribed and dispensed in person, ending mail access after telehealth. Local roads: The Lee County Board of Supervisors voted to keep many secondary roads at 55 mph while it studies how a new state default speed limit could apply. Healthcare fraud: MercyOne Genesis will pay $4.6 million over alleged heart pump overuse and overbilling. Public safety: Clear Lake police cited a fireworks stand employee for selling to a minor during a compliance check. Sports/college: Former Nebraska center Rienk Mast agreed to a post-draft deal with the Indiana Pacers. Education/health policy: Iowa’s new “emeritus” physician license starts July 1, aimed at keeping older doctors teaching and supervising residents.

Egg Price-Fixing Fallout: The DOJ and 17 states reached settlements with major egg producers Cal-Maine Foods, Versova and Hickman’s Egg Ranch over alleged collusion to manipulate the Urner Barry egg price benchmark, with $3.3 million in penalties and 53 million eggs headed to food banks nationwide; Iowa’s share is $89,931. Iowa Law Changes July 1: New rules take effect statewide, including tighter access to abortion-inducing medication via in-person prescriptions, permanent citizenship/work verification steps for state licensing and employment, and other measures tied to speed limits and emergency powers. Local Government & Utilities: Albia approved sewer and landfill rate increases plus pay raises, while Sheldon’s council will consider updates tied to emergency services financing and city staffing. Workforce & Education: ETS announced it will acquire ACT, aiming to expand education and career pathways beyond standardized testing. Iowa Business & Economy: Iowa small businesses are being urged to chase federal defense contracts as military spending ramps up. Agriculture & Costs: Iowa Corn Growers praised a temporary suspension of phosphate countervailing duties, a move meant to ease fertilizer costs. Community Safety & Heat: Sioux County opened cooling shelters at public libraries as dangerous heat and humidity continue.

Iowa Workforce & Jobs: Iowa Workforce Development is taking applications for AMP’D Iowa, a new advanced manufacturing training grant that can reimburse up to 80% of employer training costs (up to $4,000 per employee, $250,000 per employer) starting today. Local Schools: Iowa City Community School District named Amy Kortemeyer as interim superintendent starting July 1, with a one-year contract after Matt Degner stepped down. Iowa Law & Roads: Webster County will raise the default speed limit on paved roads from 55 to 60 mph on July 1, with posted limits still controlling. Health & Courts: UI Health Care agreed to pay $312,500 to an Iowa City couple over a “botched” 2021 eye surgery, avoiding a July trial. Community Development: Charles City is accepting applications for Main Street Iowa Challenge Grants, offering up to $100,000 (with dollar-for-dollar matching) for downtown building upgrades. National Policy Watch: Arkansas is moving ahead with a SNAP ban on candy and soda despite a recent court ruling.

Airport Expansion: Sioux County Regional Airport is nearing completion on a nearly $2 million expansion to add hangar space and handle rising aircraft demand. Higher Education Leadership: The University of Iowa named spring dean’s and president’s list students, while Iowa City hired Amy Kortemeyer as interim superintendent starting July 1. STEM Growth: The University of Dubuque won Higher Learning Commission approval for a four-year engineering program launching in fall 2027. Rural Health Funding: UnityPoint Health-Grinnell received a Healthy Hometowns grant to buy an MRI and reduce patient travel. Iowa Environment Watch: Iowa Insight is expanding statewide air and water monitoring to help explain Iowa’s high cancer rates. Local Business: Biaggi’s closed its Cedar Rapids location after 25 years. Community & Nonprofits: One year after OneTable QC’s discussions on federal budget cuts, Quad Cities nonprofits are reporting progress through collaboration and advocacy. Agriculture & Climate Policy: USDA’s finalized regenerative feedstock rule lets farmers quantify carbon intensity for certain practices tied to biofuels.

FEMA Flood Recovery: An Iowa editorial says FEMA money is finally moving to northwest Iowa, with Lyon County receiving $2.29 million for flood-damaged roads while bridge repairs still wait on approvals. Trade & Jobs: A Reuters report finds Whirlpool’s Iowa refrigerator plant has cut its workforce by more than half despite Trump tariffs, with only one assembly line running and more layoffs coming. Labor & Health Care: In Centerville, River Hills Community Health Center employees and Teamsters rally over a planned clinic closure, alleging retaliation tied to unionizing. Farm Bill Fight: A Wilberforce Institute fellow urges Iowa’s Grassley and Ernst to keep the Senate farm bill free of “Save Our Bacon” provisions. Local Business: American Packaging Corporation in Columbus announces a CEO transition, with Ray Graham stepping into the top role. Education: ISU names students to its spring President’s List and dean’s list. Community Calendar: Ames and nearby towns gear up for America 250 Fourth of July events, including parades, concerts, and fireworks.

Local Water Quality: Iowa’s summer lawn-watering ban is putting nitrate pollution back in focus, with KCCI reporting higher-than-usual nitrate burdens on waterways and renewed statewide monitoring tied to drinking-water impacts. County Government: Woodbury County supervisors approved a one-year moratorium on new data center proposals in unincorporated areas, citing water and electricity concerns while leaving existing projects untouched. Local Politics: Woodbury County Republicans nominated Kolby Dewitt to run for the District 4 supervisor seat, with Dewitt serving as outreach director for Sen. Joni Ernst. Public Safety: Cedar Creek Lanes in Cedar Rapids faced an early Friday fire tied to electrical wiring and a prior burglary the day before; the bowling alley is temporarily closed. Business & Community: Downtown Davenport Partnership unveiled a refreshed downtown brand and highlighted more than $68M in planned investment. State Policy: Iowa laws taking effect July 1 include major changes affecting health care and education, as Gov. Kim Reynolds signed about 200 bills this session.

Downtown Davenport: The Downtown Davenport Partnership unveiled a refreshed downtown brand and highlighted more than $68 million in planned investment projects aimed at boosting redevelopment and shared identity. Local Economy & Jobs: iHeartMedia is laying off radio personalities across the country, with Quad Cities hosts among those affected as local stations shift toward national programming. Housing & Homelessness: A new Quad Cities report says most people entering homelessness are newly homeless or facing a short-term crisis, pointing to rising housing costs outpacing incomes. State Law Changes: Iowa’s major laws take effect July 1, including changes tied to health care rules and education requirements, with a roundup of what residents need to know. Immigration & Agriculture: The Trump administration expanded a path for dairy farms to use migrant labor through the H-2A guest-worker program, drawing pushback from immigration enforcement hard-liners. Safety vs. Affordability: States and cities are loosening building code requirements to cut construction costs for housing, but critics warn the changes could raise safety risks. Sports Business: Morningside University broke ground on a new business school home in Sioux City, targeting a January 2028 opening.

SNAP & Health Policy: A federal review found Iowa’s SNAP payment error rate hit 10.62% in FY2025, above the 6% threshold, raising the stakes for states under a new quality-control funding rule that could kick in as soon as Oct. 1, 2027. Local Schools & Tech: Iowa City Community School District is revisiting its K-5 device rules after a survey found teachers and families want less screen time, with the state’s new law capping digital instruction at 60 minutes a day. Iowa Courts & Charter Schools: The founder of an eastern Iowa public charter school is suing the school and its board over claims of a leaked, unverified $48,000 theft allegation. Ag & Trade: USMCA’s six-year review is back in focus, with Iowa agriculture tied to the pact’s big Canada/Mexico market and job impacts. Business & Growth: Casey’s is planning at least 400 more stores nationwide, while Bosselman Pump & Pantry is buying 21 Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh locations across the Midwest. Community & Culture: Clear Lake won a $50,000 T-Mobile grant to build a 31-foot Buddy Holly guitar replica, and Waverly is set for a free Stars & Stripes jazz and patriotic concert at Kohlmann Park.

Louisiana Senate Runoff: Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow faces state Treasurer John Fleming after voters ousted Sen. Bill Cassidy in the GOP primary, setting up another high-stakes test of Trump’s sway with GOP voters. SNAP Fight in Iowa: A federal judge blocked Iowa’s SNAP restrictions on sugary foods and drinks, arguing the USDA overstepped authority—another blow to states trying to police what people can buy with benefits. Data Centers vs. Power in Iowa: Henry County supervisors heard concerns that data centers and bitcoin mining are chasing scarce electricity, pushing up costs for locals as developers look to expand capacity. Local Jobs & Growth: Sub-Zero cut the ribbon on a new $140 million Cedar Rapids facility, with a hiring push expected to create hundreds of jobs over the next two years. Community & Health: Fort Dodge’s Sprouts preschool opened with help from Cargill, while Park State Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank awarded $560,000 to local nonprofits through matching grants. Sports: Western Wyoming Mustangs kept rolling, winning NJCAA Plains District wrestling titles and strong finishes in recent duals.

Food Safety Watch: Iowa inspectors flagged hundreds of violations at restaurants and stores, including insects in bottled drinks and unsanitary kitchens, with at least one eastern Iowa spot temporarily shut down. SNAP Fight: A federal court blocked USDA waivers that would have restricted what SNAP households can buy in five states, arguing the agency overstepped its authority. Iowa Politics/2028: Democrats approved tougher DNC penalties for states that move out of order on the 2028 presidential calendar, aiming to deter Iowa “going rogue.” Local Economy & Roads: Rep. Zach Nunn announced $500,000 in federal help to rebuild an 11.5-mile stretch of White Pole Road in Guthrie County, targeting safety after decades of heavy freight traffic. Business & Banking: TS Bank in Atlantic hired a new vice president for ag and business lending, while a former Atlantic Chamber director pleaded guilty to felony theft and credit-card charges. Sports Media: iHeartMedia layoffs effectively ended Des Moines sports radio programming on KXNO, drawing criticism from local listeners. Public Schools Tech: Iowa City families and staff pushed for less screen time and tighter safeguards on school-issued devices. Criminal Cases: A southeast Iowa handyman faces invasion-of-privacy charges after police say he hid a camera in a hair salon.

SNAP shake-up: A federal judge struck down many state SNAP restrictions, blocking rules that tried to limit what people can buy with benefits; Louisiana’s newer soda-and-candy limits are now in limbo. Iowa food assistance watch: USDA says payment errors topped $10 billion nationally, with South Dakota besting the list and Iowa among the more accurate states—while states face financial penalties if error rates stay high. Local schools: South Tama County’s school board appointed a new board member, approved a full-time athletic trainer position, and backed plans tied to a school coffee shop and improved concessions. Des Moines business: A co-warehousing space called Elevator is drawing retailers and makers, including Ephemera Design, as downtown foot traffic shifts online. Iowa politics & housing: Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks urged Trump to sign a bipartisan housing bill even as SAVE Act demands complicate timing. Ag & eggs: DOJ and states are nearing settlements in an egg pricing probe involving Cal-Maine and others. Sports & community: Fort Dodge softball rolled past Marshalltown in postseason play, and Tama County named its 2026 Fair Queen candidates.

Iowa Politics: Health Secretary RFK Jr. urged an Iowa Libertarian House candidate to drop out to help Republicans keep control, raising ethics and possible legal questions. State & Local Government: Sioux County adopted an AI policy for county employees, spelling out what data can’t be entered into AI tools and stressing human oversight. Economy & Jobs: Iowa’s May labor numbers show a mixed picture—unemployment improved to 3.2% and job gains happened, but the state still lost jobs over the past year. Consumer & Business Watch: The FTC sent a warning letter to a Lawrence-based auto dealer group over concerns about deceptive pricing, and a BBB study found most AI-related customer reviews are negative. Agriculture & Food Costs: Iowa Farm Bureau says a 10-person Fourth of July cookout now costs $73.82, up but still below inflation. Community & Culture: Fort Madison is asking residents to help preserve the city’s Mexican heritage history. Education: Iowa State named more than 11,200 students to its spring 2026 Dean’s List.