DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) - Thursday afternoon, Iowa lawmakers continued with their flurry of action to pass a five-year moratorium on new casino licenses. House members, led by the Republican majority, approved the ban 68-31.

Thursday to recommend passage of a bill that would place a moratorium on new gaming licenses in Iowa until July 2030.

Cobble Hill chef Andy Schumacher is a Best Chef Midwest semifinalist. Simon's, an Italian restaurant in Des Moines, is named for Outstanding Hospitality.

Bills to create a five-year moratorium on new state-licensed casinos in Iowa have been introduced by Republicans in both chambers of the Iowa Legislature.

A five-year legislative pause on new gaming licenses is one step closer to pumping the breaks on a proposed Cedar Rapids casino.

Iowa is the first in the nation to let a pandemic-era eviction requirement expire, the Des Moines Register reports.

Central Iowa has become a haven for all things fried chicken, especially in sandwich form. Des Moines already has Chick-fil-A, which reopened in West Des Moines after a remodel late last year; Chicken Heat for Nashville hot chicken; Charlotte’s Kitchen with its locations in Johnston and Altoona; and so many more.

The Iowa House of Representatives has officially passed HF-144, which would place a 5-year moratorium on new gaming licenses in the state of Iowa.

All five No. 1 ranked teams remained in that spot in the latest girls basketball polls from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. Johnston (Class 5A), Sioux City Bishop Heelan (4A), Mount Vernon (3A),

Iowa school districts would be barred from taking disciplinary action against teachers who don’t use a student’s preferred name or pronouns under legislation being considered by state lawmakers.

If the bill passes the House, Senate and receives the governor's signature by next Thursday, plans for a new, $275 million casino in Cedar Rapids will be halted.