(DES MOINES) - Friday, May 15, 2015 - Governor Terry E. Branstad today signed the following ten bills into law:

House File 229: an Act relating to the regulation of free offers and buying club memberships.

House File 630: an Act appropriating federal funds made available from federal block grants and other nonstate sources, allocating portions of federal block grants, and providing procedures if federal funds are more or less than anticipated or if federal block grants are more or less than anticipated.

House File 622: an Act relating to certain fees charged in connection with vehicle rental agreements and making penalties applicable.

House File 637: an Act relating to transportation and other infrastructure-related appropriations to the Department of Transportation, including allocation and use of moneys from the road use tax fund and the primary road fund.

House File 638: an Act concerning the reporting and payment of wine gallonage sales and taxes.

House File 646: an Act relating to the use of revenues resulting from the physical plant and equipment levy and including applicability provisions.

House File 634: an Act providing for the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship's Administration of certain functions, including by eliminating past dates and relating to a determination of Iowa-foaled horse and to the rehabilitation and conservations of land affected by coal mining, providing for payment by the department for the examination of certain articles, allowing the department to adopt by reference certain federal publications affecting milk and milk products, modifying the definition of biobutanol, eliminating departmental duties and fees relating to weights and measures, providing for purchased-grain fees paid into the Iowa grain indemnity fund, and changing the name of the division of soil and water conservation and the name of its appointed administrative official.

Senate File 366: an Act relating to the reexamination and recalculation of disability retirement benefits for beneficiaries under the public safety peace officers' retirement, accident, and disability system.

Senate File 482: an Act concerning social and charitable gambling and making penalties applicable. 

Senate File 488: an Act relating to air quality, by providing for the establishment, imposition, and collection of fees, the creation of administration of funds and programs, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions. 

Public invited to hear local expert doctor address facts about vision health

DAVENPORT, IA (May 15, 2015) - Senior Star at Elmore Place is pleased to host Dr. Michael Howcroft, retina specialist, for an informative lecture on age-related macular degeneration at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26 at 4500 Elmore Drive in Davenport.  During his presentation, Dr. Howcroft will discuss age-related macular degeneration, its symptoms and signs, who is at risk and the latest treatments available.

According to the American Optometric Association's website, age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of severe vision loss in adults over age 50.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 1.8 million people have age-related macular degeneration and another 7.3 million are at substantial risk for vision loss from the disease.  Although there is no cure, early detection and treatment are the best defense against loss of vision.

"It is always beneficial to talk with an expert beyond online research," said Marc Strohschein, executive director at Senior Star at Elmore Place.  "Senior Star is proactive in educating residents, staff and the public about aging well as reflected in our relationships with professional medical groups in the Quad Cities community."

As a physician with Eye Surgeons Associates, Dr. Howcroft's specialties include medical and surgical treatment of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular disease and ocular trauma.

Seats are limited for this informative presentation.  Please RSVP no later than May 22 to reserve your spot today by calling 563.359.0100.

For more information about Senior Star at Elmore Place or to schedule a tour, call 563.359.0100 or visit the website at www.seniorstar.com.

About Senior Star at Elmore Place

Senior Star at Elmore Place, a Senior Star community, features 236 modernly decorated apartments spanning across 20 acres of beautifully landscaped property with many customized amenities to offer its residents three distinctive living experiences:  independent living, assisted living and memory care.  For more information, visit www.seniorstar.com.

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Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack recently introduced legislation to address the importance of increasing access to critical services in schools to address the non-academic factors that affect students' ability to learn. His legislation, the Reducing Barriers to Learning Act, would increase student access to school counselors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, specialized teachers, and community partners such as mental and physical health providers.

"As someone who grew up in poverty, I know firsthand how important outside factors can contribute to the success of the student in the classroom. We have to promote learning in safe and supportive school environments. Knowing who is available to help struggling students and those in need of more specialized supports is critical," said Loebsack.  "The Reducing Barriers to Learning Act will increase student access to services to better address the non-academic needs of students and help them learn in the classroom by addressing issues such as depression, low-self esteem, and speech and language disorders. This will not only set our children up for success both in school and in their future college and career pursuits, but will also support our teachers' efforts in the classroom."

Loebsack's bill would improve specialized instructional support services in schools and clarify the roles of specialized personnel to ensure they are able to best serve students' needs. It would also create a grant program to develop programs and train personnel dedicated to removing barriers to learning.

"I have always fought to ensure the men and women serving our nation have had the support, equipment and training they need to safely carry out their mission. As a military parent and former member of the House Armed Services Committee, I take great pride in serving those who have served our nation. The bill that passed today addresses many of Iowa's priorities, including taking important steps to strengthen the Rock Island Arsenal by driving more workload to their facilities.

"At the same time, I have great concerns about how this bill came together. For example, it is paid for using an accounting gimmick, amounting to tens of billions of dollars, while undermining investments in education and infrastructure. Since the idea was first introduced, I have been opposed to the across the board cuts, known as sequestration. Congress must find a way to get rid of these cuts and replace it with a commonsense way to deal with our nation's fiscal issues. I look forward to working with Republicans and Democrats to strengthen this bill as it works its way through the Senate and during the Conference Committee to improve the final bill."