By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

The fines for trespassing in order to hunt deer will go up significantly July 1. The law — and the fines — have been expanded to include trespassing to hunt any wildlife.

The trespasser can be arrested and officers will be able to confiscate animals from hunters who trespass on private property — and assess more fines based on how many animals the hunter has taken. Senator Tom Shipley, a Republican from Nodaway, said it’s “a big deal” in southwest Iowa.

“I think raising these penalties is very important to those people in areas where they have people coming in from all over the country just deciding it’s their ground to play on,” Shipley said.

Senator Janice Weiner, a Democrat from Iowa City, is skeptical. “I didn’t hear any good arguments in committee or elsewhere that would necessitate us raising the fines for trespass,” Weiner said, “or that there have been really egregious instances.”

Representative Monica Kurth, a Democrat from Davenport, said she doesn’t condone trespassing, but this law seems excessive.

“If a farmer’s trying to rid his property of nuisance raccoons and crosses a property line to get after those varmints and happens to have three of those critters in his possession, he would suddenly be fined $500 for the trespass, plus $200 for each of those raccoons,” Kurth said, “making a grand total of $1100.”

Republican Representative Mike Vondran of Davenport said trespassing is trespassing and the law is needed.

“The simple act of knocking on your neighbor’s door and asking permission to deal with critters and varmints is one thing versus just deciding to go out and take your weapon and cross over a fence line, cross into another property where you have no concept of who is where and what activity they might be undertaking at the time,” Vondran said, “so to some degree this is a large measure of safety as well.”

The governor signed the bill into law Friday. It raises the fine to $500 for a first offense of trespassing in order to hunt. It’s currently $265. The fine for a second violation would be a $1000.

DES MOINES — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.

“Planters temporarily stopped rolling last week as thunderstorms produced severe weather across portions of Iowa along with above-average rainfall,” Secretary Naig. “Warmer temperatures are forecasted this week with a more active weather pattern persisting as farmers look for windows of opportunity to get back into the field.”

The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.

Crop Report
Although the week began with above normal temperatures, multiple storm systems brought cooler temperatures and much-needed rain, which only allowed Iowa farmers 3.0 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 21, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Corn, soybean and oat planting continued this week when field conditions allowed. Topsoil moisture condition rated 10 percent very short, 27 percent short, 60 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 19 percent very short, 36 percent short, 43 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus.

Corn planted reached 13 percent complete, 3 days ahead of last year and the 5-year average. Eight percent of the expected soybean crop has been planted, 4 days ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of the average. Seventy-eight percent of the expected oat crop has been planted, 1 week ahead of last year and 8 days ahead of the 5-year average. Thirty-four percent of the oat crop has emerged, 10 days ahead of last year.

Pastures and hay ground continue to green up due to much-needed rain. No reports of cattle turned out onto pasture yet.

Weather Summary
Provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

The first widespread severe weather event occurred early in the reporting period with all modes of hazards occurring through multiple waves of thunderstorms. At least 15 tornadoes were observed across Iowa along with large hail and straight-line winds. These thunderstorms brought widespread, above-average rainfall as well. Conditions were slightly warmer than average, especially over southern Iowa; the statewide average temperature was 51.6 degrees, 2.2 degrees above normal.

Sunday (14th) afternoon was sunny and unseasonably warm as daytime temperatures rose into the mid to upper 80s across southern Iowa; stations farther north reported upper 70s and low 80s while the statewide average high was 82 degrees, 22 degrees above normal. Monday (15th) morning started with lows ranging from the mid 40s northeast to mid 50s southeast under clear skies and winds in a generally easterly direction. Afternoon highs returned to the upper 70s and low 80s with wind speeds rising as a strong low-pressure center approached Iowa. Thundershowers pushed into southwestern Iowa towards midnight, expanding into northern Iowa before daybreak on Tuesday (16th). A second, stronger line formed during the later morning hours with embedded strong to severe thunderstorms. The first tornado of the day formed near Minburn (Dallas County) and traveled nearly seven miles, producing some structural damage. As the initial line strengthened and moved northeast, a more narrow but equally strong line formed behind, producing several severe and tornado-warned storms in eastern Iowa. Enough wind shear and instability over northwestern Iowa fired off shallow-topped supercells that spun up a few weak tornadoes; Rockwell City (Calhoun County) experienced an EF-1-rated tornado with wind speeds estimated at 100 mph. A longer track EF-2 was observed near Salem (Henry County), producing winds near 130 mph and lasting for 42 miles; there were numerous hail and high wind events across the state as well. Beneficial rain totals were observed across broad south-to-north swaths, particularly in northern and southeastern Iowa, with more than 110 stations collecting at least an inch; a station in Burlington (Des Moines County) reported 1.92 inches while Postville (Allamakee County) observed 2.62 inches with a statewide average of 0.74 inch.

Blustery, westerly winds built in as the system exited with overcast skies lingering into Wednesday (17th). Daytime temperatures rose into the upper 60s over southwest Iowa where skies were clearing. Another weather disturbance brought additional rainfall to Iowa just before midnight and through much of Thursday (18th) with most stations observing at least 0.30 inch. The wettest conditions were found in the northwest and along the Iowa-Missouri border with numerous one-inch or greater totals; Le Mars (Plymouth County) measured an inch on the dot while two stations in Bloomfield (Davis County) recorded 1.93 to 1.97 inches. Skies began to clear late in the evening as morning lows on Friday (19th) dropped below freezing in northwest Iowa. Westerly winds increased through the day as spotty clouds drifted across the state with upper 40s north to upper 50s south. Starry skies into Saturday (20th) allowed temperatures to settle in the low 30s statewide with persisting westerly winds. Overcast conditions developed through the day with chilly temperatures in the mid 40s to low 50s; the statewide average high was 48 degrees, 15 degrees below normal. Skies cleared overnight with low to mid 20s registering in eastern Iowa on Sunday (21st) morning.

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from 0.51 inch in Sac City (Sac County) to 4.00 inches in Remsen (Plymouth County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 1.58 inches, while the normal is 0.91 inch. Winterset (Madison County) reported the week’s high temperature of 89 degrees on the 14th, 29 degrees above average. Elkader (Clayton County) reported the week’s low temperature of 23 degrees on the 21st, 13 degrees below normal. Four-inch soil temperatures were in the mid to upper 40s statewide with low 50s reported in far western Iowa as of Sunday.

By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

Lawmakers sent the governor a bill to cut Iowans’ income taxes by a billion dollars next year, they set up the framework for an $8.9 billion state budget and then concluded the 2024 legislative session this weekend.

The session officially ended at 4:23 a.m. Saturday. A bill to establish a single income tax rate of 3.8% next year was approved during that final, 20-hour-long day. Governor Kim Reynolds suggested something similar, but slightly lower in January. This weekend Reynolds said she was proud tax cuts are being reduced and accelerated beyond the plan passed in 2022.

Lawmakers this year approved another Reynolds priority by mandating that the salary for first year teachers be at least $50,000. Senate President Amy Sinclair of Allerton said those are the “standout accomplishments” of the 2024 legislative session.

“We passed bills this year that will put Iowa’s income tax rate at the sixth lowest in the nation and Iowa’s starting teacher pay at the fifth highest, not even accounting for cost of living,” Sinclair said. “And we all know that Iowa is a very cost effective place to live.”

In January, Governor Reynolds also asked legislators to overhaul the state’s nine Area Education Agencies and she signed a reorganization plan last month. Senate Democratic Leader Pam Jochum of Dubuque said the changes centralize power in Des Moines. “Iowans will remember how Republicans chose to serve their governor rather than their constituents,” Jochum said in a news conference Friday night. “They slashed our Area Education Agencies and put special interests over Iowa’s children.”

House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst of Windsor Heights said kids with special needs are going to suffer. “I want to talk about moms who are trying to figure out how they’re going to get the occupational or mental health therapy they need,” Konfrst said during a news conference late Friday evening, “and we’re just getting started. Imagine what will happen next year.”

House Speaker Pat Grassley, who spoke with reporters after the House adjourned early Saturday, said House Republicans “put a lot of work in: to make changes in the governor’s original plan, to protect the AEA’s special education services, while letting schools choose how to use the rest of the money that had been going directly to the AEAs for other services.

“Schools are excited to have some opportunities to have some flexibility with some of those funds,” Grassley said. “…The bill we were able to put together I think will continue to deliver on those special ed services.”

In the closing moments of the 2024 legislative session, Republicans voted to reassign Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agents to work on cases related to the law Governor Reynolds signed to have Iowa’s legal system arrest and deport immigrants who are in Iowa illegally. Republican Representative Taylor Collins of Mediapolis said $2 million is in the budget for up to a dozen Division of Criminal Investigation agents to support the effort, “to address the rise in illegal immigration and related criminal conduct or as assigned by the commission of the Department of Public Safety.”

Early Saturday, the House voted to prohibit state regulators from granting new casino licenses until 2029, but the Senate adjourned without taking up the measure. It means Cedar Rapids is likely to seek a casino license when the current moratorium expires July 1.