DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds signed 11 bills into law on Friday. KCCI-TV reports that includes increasing the penalties for grooming minors to include tier one sex offender registration, expansion of open container laws to include THC, and allowing essential EMS funding to be used for Emergency Medical Care providers. Sport betting winnings are now considered taxable income.

IOWA – Drought conditions improved in the latest weekly report. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows just over one-third of the state remains in moderate conditions, down from 56% last week. However, 79% of Iowa remains abnormally dry after below-average snowfall this past winter. Marginal chances for severe weather exist locally this weekend over the southern half of the state.