Tuesday 30th April 2024

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Governor Kim Reynolds had her pens ready as she signed a number of bills into law.

One creates a mandatory 24-hour waiting period for abortions in Iowa.

On Monday, a district court judge heard opening arguments in the lawsuit the ACLU AND Planned Parenthood filed to block the law.

The governor has also signed a bill into law that changes the state’s medical marijuana program. The new 90-day dosage maximum is four-and-a-half grams of T-H-C.

Reynolds has also signed the bill that raises the legal age for buying tobacco products from 18 to 21. It mirrors a recent federal change, lets local officials start ticketing violators and ensures Iowa doesn’t lose $3.2 million in federal funding for substance abuse programs.

Penalties for animal abuse will be increased by another bill the governor signed. She’s also approved creation of a “blue alert” similar to “amber alerts” for suspected of child kidnapping. A blue alert will go out statewide if someone in law enforcement has been seriously injured or killed and there’s a threat to the public from a suspect or suspects who haven’t been arrested.

Governor Reynolds also issued a proclamation allowing the sale of carry-out cocktails in addition to take-out food. Now, Iowa has become the first state to permanently allow bars and restaurants to sell mixed drinks to go.