An independent student newspaper serving Iowa State since 1890
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03.28.2019 Vol. 219 No. 121
THURSDAY
Gov. Reynolds signs campus free speech bill into law BY DEVYN.LEESON @iowastatedaily.com Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a “free speech” bill allowing student organizations at Iowa’s public universities to bar members of the LGBTQIA+ community and other identities from leadership positions. The bill would allow student groups at regent universities to enforce these policies only if it is the genuinely
held belief of the group. The legislation passed on a party line vote in the House and a 35-11-3 vote in the Senate. The controversial portion of the bill, Section 3.3, was at the center of a debate within Student Government, who had originally endorsed the bills passage before many realized the implications of it. The resolution that passed Student Government did not mention the
controversial section. After many student senators were made aware of the section, Student Government rescinded their endorsement as members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community sat in on the meeting. Some senators, like Sen. Jacob Schrader, who authored the endorsement resolution, were happy the legislation was moving through the state legislature. “I am personally in favor of the bill
in its entirety and I am happy that the Iowa Senate has taken the time to ensure that student’s rights to the freedom of speech and the freedom of association are adequately protected at our public institutions,” Schrader said of the Iowa Senate passage. One opponent, Iowa State College Democrats President Taylor Blair, was unhappy but “not surprised” that the bill was passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor.
“I just think that it is another sign that the Republicans in Iowa and the party don’t think the LGBT community are valued or are important,” Blair said. “It is clear from some things they have done. Again, this isn’t just about LGBT people. This can apply to religious feelings that have historically been used against black people. This bill affects any group that could be
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KENNEDY DERAEDT/ IOWA STATE DAILY Annelise Wells accepts the editor-in-chief position from Lawrence Cunningham, president of the Iowa State Daily,
Summer, fall editors-in-chief selected BY LOGAN.METZGER @iowastatedaily.com
COURTESY OF KELSEY KREMER/DES MOINES REGISTER Two thirds of the city of Hamburg is underwater from flooding on the Missouri River on Monday, March 18, 2019, on the western edge of Iowa.
Disaster relief applications open due to flooding BY JACOB.SMITH @iowastatedaily.com The flooding disaster in the midwest has been claiming headlines for weeks as Iowa has been hit with some of the most historic flooding occurrences it has ever seen. Sunday, the Office of the Governor released information in order to assist Iowans with the daunting impacts of the recent flooding. “In Ames, the main cause of flooding comes from the Skunk River and Squaw Creek, the two small waterways that run through the city,” said Jacob Vos, senior in journalism. Iowa’s Individual Assistance Grant
Program allows for $5,000 to be granted to families with income levels maxing at 200 percent of the federal property level, or a combined total annual income of $41,560 for a family of three. The residents of Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona and Woodbury counties were included in a Presidential Disaster Declaration. This allows citizens to apply for flood assistance by reaching out through phone or online channels. The governor’s office said that “if you’ve been impacted by the recent flooding and you don’t live in one of those counties, register anyway. By doing this, you could help the citizens in your county become eligible for assistance.” Flooding can happen almost any time of year. “If heavy rain is in the forecast, moving vehicles and other items from low lying parking lots/areas is a good idea. Once flooding has begun, there is really not much you can do,” Vos. said “Parking lots can become flooded and create dangerous
situations.” Important questions you should ask are “Do you have your important papers in place that you can get, do you have your valuable belongings in a place that you can quickly evacuate and if it becomes a much higher probability, like you know the water is going to rise, then what is your plan,” said John Lawrence, Vice President of Extension and Outreach. Lawrence advised for citizens to listen to the National Weather Ser vice and the flood warnings of their area so those protections are available to them. F lood assistance is open to those impacted by the flooding which began March 13th. Applying for assistance over the phone can be done toll free by calling 1-800621-3362 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., available 7 days a week. For those with hearing/speech disabilities and use a TTY, 800-462-7585 can be used for additional support.
The Iowa State Daily publication board has selected Annelise Wells as the fall 2019 and spring 2020 editor in chief, and Emily Berch was selected as the summer 2019 editor in chief. Wells and Whitney Mason presented to the board Wednesday in hopes to become the fall 2019 and spring 2020 editor in chief. “I am pretty much speechless,” Wells said. “I am completely shocked and honored and overwhelmed with emotion. It has been an amazing year this year, and it’s awesome to see all my hardwork paying off, and I just feel really excited for what’s to come.” Wells’ presentation focused on the internal structure of the Daily, with an emphasis on defining positions and creating a digital brand. “The media is moving toward a digital space, and I think the Daily should be moving with it, so I want to create a Daily Dose editor who focuses on curating our digital space,” Wells said. Wells also talked about outreach, such as diversity initiatives and access. “I want to continue our diversity initiatives and create an incentive program so that we have a welcoming work environment where people want to stay,” Wells said about retention. Before Wells presented her plan, Berch accepted the position of summer 2019 editor in chief. “I am really excited to work with [Wells] on
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