Republicans in the Iowa legislature have taken final action on a plan to increase “per pupil” state spending in Iowa public schools by two-point-three percent next year. It’s an additional 85 million dollars and Republican Governor Kim Reynolds has signaled she’ll sign the bill. All the Democrats in the legislature voted against the spending plan. Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames says the state could easily afford to send schools more.

One Republican broke ranks and voted against the plan. Representative Jeff Shipley of Fairfield says legislators are failing to address critical topics like a growing number of obese and diabetic students and students with psychiatric disorders.