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Associated Press
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
With Trump's plans for America's 250th in mind, Iowa lawmakers don't want cities to limit fireworks
Iowa lawmakers want President Donald Trump to know that their state is eager to be at the center of next year's celebration of the nation's 250th birthday and shares his vision of fireworks filling the skies — so much so that they don't want local officials blocking any small, neighborhood displays. The Republican-controlled Legislature passed a bill this week that would ban local limits on people setting off their own rockets, mortars, aerial spinners and Roman candles on July 3 or 4, or Dec. 31. There was nothing to stop big, public shows — say, a Fourth of July display as part of Trump's proposed 'Great American State Fair' in Iowa's capital of Des Moines — but a relative handful of cities, including Des Moines, haven't allowed people to shoot them off, even on the nation's birthday or New Year's Eve. The bill headed to Republican Gov. Kim Reynold's desk after the state House approved it Tuesday, 51-39, with the GOP majority overriding Democrats' concerns that it could undermine fire safety or harm military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Des Moines and at least six of its suburbs, as well as the cities of Ames, Cedar Rapids and Dubuque bar people from setting off their own fireworks even on Independence Day. In arguing for the bill, Republican state Rep. Bill Gustoff quoted founding father John Adams' desire for national celebrations involving parades and 'illuminations' of fireworks, from 'one end of this continent to the other.' Gustoff, who is from the Des Moines area, also cited the proposal Trump first floated in 2023 to have a yearlong national exposition on the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. 'Mr. President, we welcome that idea in Iowa and we're ready, willing and able to host the party,' Gustoff said during Tuesday's short debate. 'We need to enable Iowans to be part of that celebration.' While communities around the world have celebrated events with fireworks for hundreds of years, people's fondness for setting them off themselves has often been a bane of local police and firefighters. Still, only one state — Adams' home of Massachusetts — imposes an outright ban on their use by individual consumers. For years, Pennsylvania only allowed the use of sparklers and similar novelty fireworks. But in 2017, it permitted the sale of the full array of products, only to narrow those sales in 2022 to July 2-4 and Dec. 31 amid complaints. Georgia ended a decades-long ban on consumer fireworks in 2015 and doesn't allow cities and counties to restrict them. Iowa banned consumer sales of fireworks for decades, spurred on by a June 1931 fire that engulfed about 100 buildings in the small town of Spencer, which started with a sparkler at a drugstore. However, in 2017, Iowa lawmakers allowed cities and counties to license firework sellers and allow people to set off fireworks from June 1 through July 8 and from Dec. 10 through Jan. 3. Iowa state health department data shows that in 2017, the number of fireworks-related emergency room visits in Iowa nearly doubled from 2016 and remained higher than pre-legalization levels through 2023. The state associations for fire marshals, fire chiefs, firefighters and emergency managers, opposed the fireworks law, as did the Iowa League of Cities. Democratic state Rep. Larry McBurney, from the Des Moines area, said the flash, noise and smell of gunpowder from fireworks can trigger veterans' PTSD. Fellow Democratic state Rep. Eric Gjerde, a Cedar Rapids police officer, said people who call to complain about fireworks in his city often think they're hearing gunfire. 'We have to take every single one of those extremely seriously, so we send multiple officers to investigate,' he told his colleagues. Fireworks manufacturers and retailers supported the bill, as did the state association for retail stores and the small-government, free-market group Americans for Prosperity. But in arguing in favor of the bill, Gustoff cited next year's celebration of the Declaration of Independence's signing in 1776. 'Current law allows a patchwork of ordinances that are a trap for the unwary, patriotic American in Iowa who simply wants to celebrate Independence Day the way it was intended by our founding fathers,' he said. ___ Associated Press Writers Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa; Jeff Amy in Atlanta and Marc Levy, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, also contributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pharmacy Benefit Managers reform bill heads to the Governor
DES MOINES, Iowa — The bill making changes to policies by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) is headed to Governor Kim Reynolds' desk. Over the last three years, pharmacies across the state have advocated for a bill that would reform PBM practices. However, the bills have been unsuccessful at passing the Iowa legislature until Monday. PBMs are the middlemen between pharmacies and insurance companies. They determine the total drug costs for insurers, shape patients' access to medications, and determine how much pharmacies are paid. Over the last decade, 200 pharmacies in the state have closed, according to the Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA). 2024 was a historic year for pharmacy closures, with more than 30. An estimated 955,000 Iowans have been affected by last year's closures. Pharmacists across the state have been voicing concern over corrupt PBM policies. They say these closures are largely the result of PBM practices, including not being reimbursed at fair rates. PBMs often pay pharmacies less money than it costs for the pharmacy to purchase drugs and distribute prescriptions. This was the case for pharmacies in Oskaloosa, Minden, Colfax, and Eagle Grove. The legislation proposed this session would require PBMs to reimburse pharmacies their cost and enable patients to choose the pharmacy they want to receive care from. Critics of the bill say it will cause premiums to increase. However, similar legislation has been passed in several other states across the country, and data collected in these states does not suggest an increase in the cost of premiums. The bill was on the Iowa House's debate schedule on Monday, and was likely the legislation's last chance to pass this session. As a result, over 100 pharmacists and community members went to the Capitol Monday morning to show their support for the bill. Many were optimistic at first, but an amendment filed early Monday morning worried pharmacists in the Capitol's rotunda. The amendment was proposed by State Representative Bill Gustoff of District 40. He provided this statement to WHO 13 News on his proposal: 'The purpose of my amendment was to direct the dispensing fees of SF 383 to those pharmacies that advocates of the bill say they want to help—small, independent pharmacies and those serving so-called 'pharmacy deserts.' The amendment would generously define small and independent pharmacies as having annual revenue below $250 million without regard to its location, and identify those serving rural areas as being at least 10 miles from any other pharmacy without regard to the pharmacy's size. It would do all of that while also retaining the essential PBM reform elements of SF 383. This amendment would have ensured support for true small businesses without saddling all Iowans with higher costs.' State Representative Bill Gustoff, (R) District 40, Polk County State Representative Brett Barker of District 51 is also a pharmacist. He opposed the amendment and said it's detrimental to pharmacies in Iowa. 'It guts the bill. It strikes the core provisions. It actually is a reimbursement [decrease] on your smallest pharmacies, so it's something that absolutely does not help small pharmacies. It would be a step backwards from current law and I'm absolutely advocating against it,' he said. Pharmacists in attendance, like Heidi Van Buren, also voiced concern. She said PBM reform is necessary to keep her pharmacy open. 'I feel like I'm carrying a rock going into a sword fight,' she said. 'If I sign the current contract that [a PBM] has sent to us, my pharmacy will be closed within months.' Ultimately, Gustoff withdrew his amendment later in the day, and the House voted in favor of the PBM reform bill with 75 votes to 15. Barker provided WHO 13 News with this updated statement after the bill passed: 'The abusive, anti-competitive practices of PBMs have created an epidemic of pharmacy closures and rising prescription drug prices nationwide. With the passage of SF383, Iowa will take a large step to catch back up with states across the country who have taken a leading role in reforming a broken system. This bill provides transparency in an opaque system, empowers patients to choose their healthcare provider, requires that the dollars in the system benefit patients and employers, and ensures that pharmacies can keep their doors open by reimbursing what it costs to dispense prescriptions to Iowans.' -State Representative Brett Barker, (R) District 51, Neveda, Maxwell, Huxley The Iowa Pharmacy Association praised the Iowa House for passing the bill. 'Leadership in the House to champion Senate File 383 across the finish line is so impactful to not only pharmacists across the state but ultimately the patients that pharmacists serve. This is a historic moment in Iowa to join other states that have passed meaningful PBM reform,' said IPA CEO Kate Gainer. Gainer announced she will be stepping down as CEO later this year. More information on that can be found here. Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra confirms bid for Iowa governor Pharmacy Benefit Managers reform bill heads to the Governor Iowa Pharmacy Association CEO to step down after 'historic' reform bill was passed The Caitlin Clark Effect: About 3 in 10 US adults follow women's sports, new poll finds Iowa Senate advances carbon pipeline eminent domain legislation Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pharmacy Benefit Manager reform bill to be debated
DES MOINES, Iowa — As the end of the 2025 legislative session is near, the PBM reform bill is still waiting for its fate. Pharmacists across the state have championed a bill that would reform the practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), or the middlemen between pharmacies and insurance companies. PBMs determine the total drug costs for insurers, shape patients' access to medications, and determine how much pharmacies are paid. In 2024, 31 pharmacies in 22 counties closed in the state of Iowa, according to the Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA), and an estimated 955,000 Iowans have been affected by these closures. These closures are largely the result of PBM practices, including not being reimbursed at fair rates. PBMs often pay pharmacies less money than it costs for the pharmacy to purchase drugs and distribute prescriptions. This was the case for pharmacies in Oskaloosa, Minden, Colfax, and Eagle Grove. Rob Sand announces run for Iowa governor The legislation proposed this session would require PBMs to reimburse pharmacies for their cost and enable patients to choose the pharmacy they want to receive care from. The bill is on the Monday debate schedule for the Iowa House of Representatives. An amendment to the bill was proposed by State Representative Bill Gustoff of District 40 on Monday morning. State Representative and pharmacist Brett Barker of District 51 opposes the amendment and said it's detrimental to pharmacies in Iowa. 'It guts the bill. It strikes the core provisions. It actually is a reimbursement increase on your smallest pharmacies, so it's something that absolutely does not help small pharmacies. It would be a step backwards from current law and I'm absolutely advocating against it,' he said. Over 100 pharmacists were at the State House Monday morning, speaking with lawmakers as they entered. Many were optimistic until they heard news about the amendment. Heidi Van Buren was one of them. She said PBM reform is necessary to keep her pharmacy open. 'I feel like I'm carrying a rock going into a sword fight,' she said. 'If I sign the current contract that [a PBM] has sent to us, my pharmacy will be closed within months.' Representative Gustoff did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the amendment. Both the original bill and the amended bill will be debated on Monday. Whichever is passed will head to Governor Kim Reynolds' desk. Congressman Randy Feenstra files paperwork hinting he may run for governor Pharmacy Benefit Manager reform bill to be debated Fire causes 'significant' damage to Raccoon River Valley Bike Trail bridge in Adel Rob Sand announces run for Iowa governor Before they name a 2028 nominee, Democrats will have to decide which state will weigh in first Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
