
Banking Act Modernization Bill Passes Iowa Senate
The rewrite of much of the Division of Banking’s code section was passed by the Senate this week by a 45-0 vote. Senate File 566 now goes to the House where it will be eligible for passage there until the end of the session. CBI had input throughout the IDOB’s process to develop this update of the banking code, and we support its passage this year.
State Pauses Administration of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID Vaccine
Iowa public health officials announced Tuesday they would advise medical providers to stop using one of the main COVID vaccines after reports it caused severe but rare blood clots in some female patients. Gov. Kim Reynolds called the development a “surprising setback” in Iowa’s effort to vaccinate its population, but said it would still be manageable. She noted the shipments of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at issue were already decreasing and supplies of the other vaccines would replace it.
The announcement sent state officials scrambling to create contingency plans for vaccine clinics that had already been planned for this week. Reynolds asked for Iowans’ patience as officials worked to allocate additional vaccines where they are needed. The federal Centers for Disease Control raised red flags that the vaccine produced by pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson needed further study and urged providers to stop administering it immediately. The CDC and FDA reported six cases of severe and rare blood clots, none of them in Iowa. Those agencies are reviewing the vaccine’s safety before vaccinations with J&J can resume.
More than 1.94 million COVID vaccine doses of any type have been administered so far in Iowa, and 33 percent of Iowans have been fully vaccinated.
“Back the Blue” Bill Passes House in the Wake of Trooper Shooting
The Iowa House voted Wednesday to approve a wide-ranging bill meant to protect law enforcement officials and crack down on violent protestors.
The measure comes after a summer of protests around the nation and in Iowa over deaths at the hand of police. The immunity for police was part of an amendment the House tacked on to SF342, which deals with police officer discipline. With roughly three weeks left in the legislative session, the bill’s prospects at this point remain uncertain.