Cedar Rapids Lawmaker Wants Legislative Session Delayed

DES MOINES — Republicans in control of the Iowa Legislature are being asked to move back the planned June 3 restart of the 2020 session due to safety concerns over drawing lawmakers and the public to the Capitol when Polk County continues to be a “coronavirus hotbed” in Iowa.GOP leaders say they are sticking with their plan for lawmakers to resume their in-person work at the Capitol next Wednesday with the expectation of finishing a fiscal 2021 state budget plan and other essential work the following week.Legislators — who suspended their session March 16 as part of the effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus — and limited staff will operate under new health, safety and social-distancing guidelines designed to accommodate their committee and floor debate work.Lobbyists and interested Iowans will be able to view the proceedings remotely or in designated areas of the Capitol.However, Sen.