DES MOINES – Iowa’s newest state senator was sworn into office on Monday. The Des Moines Register reports Catelin Drey has now officially broken a Republican Supermajority in the Iowa Senate. Drey won a special election in August to represent Iowa Senate District 1 in Sioux City following the death of Senator Rocky De Witt.

DES MOINES – The Iowa DOGE Task Force created by Governor Kim Reynolds worked to clarify key recommendations that caused an uproar among the state’s public employees and education workforce. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports the group of business leaders assembled to reflect the federal group with the same name had their final meeting Monday. In their prior gathering, a preliminary recommendation called for reduction of IPERs benefits and for an incentive-based pay structure for teachers. Leaders on the task force clarified the moves weren’t meant to completely eliminate the popular retirement program. None of the recommendations are law, but Governor Reynolds announced in a statement Monday they will shape her budget and legislative agenda in the 2026 session — her final before retiring.

AMES – Employees at the state’s Regent universities have drawn the ire of the state’s conservative leadership for posts made about the assassination death of online influencer Charlie Kirk. WHO-13 reports the Iowa Board of Regents will review multiple confidential matters at their meeting Wednesday, most of which appear to deal with employee records and competency evaluations.