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State Representative Taylor Collins, a Republican from Mediapolis, has been appointed as the chair of the newly created House Higher Education Committee in Iowa. The committee will focus on significant reforms to the state’s higher education system, with an emphasis on producing students ready for high-need jobs in Iowa. Collins, who has been vocal about eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public universities, expressed the need to reform the higher education system to restore confidence among Iowans and focus on academic excellence.
In a separate development, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds was honored with the 2024 Distinguished Service Award by the Tax Foundation for her dedication to advancing sound tax policy. Reynolds has implemented tax cuts and reduced state spending since taking office in 2017, aiming to make Iowa’s tax code simpler, neutral, and more competitive. While Reynolds has been praised for her tax policy efforts, critics argue that the repeated tax cuts benefit high-income taxpayers and may lead to underfunding critical services in the state.
Additionally, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird raised concerns about a rise in account takeovers and lockouts on social media platforms owned by Meta, such as Facebook and Instagram. Bird’s office has received numerous reports of Iowans having their accounts hacked by scammers, leading to impersonation and scamming of friends and family. Bird urged Iowans to use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and be cautious of sharing personal information online to prevent account takeovers.
As the 2025 session of the Iowa Legislature approaches, these developments highlight key issues being addressed in the state, from higher education reform to tax policy and cybersecurity concerns.
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