Katarina Sostaric
State Government ReporterExpertise: Reporting, writing and producing stories to help IPR listeners and readers understand their state government and how it affects Iowans' lives
Education: University of Missouri
Favorite Iowa Destination: Loess Hills hiking trails
Experience:
- Covered local and statewide government issues, local community issues and other news for IPR, as part of the Alaska public radio network, and KBIA in Columbia, Mo
- Has reported and written features on all branches of Iowa's state government, including continued coverage throughout the duration of each annual legislative session
- Is a multi-award-winning reporter, including a regional Edward R. Murrow and an Iowa Broadcast News Association award for her coverage of abortion rights in Iowa and several Eric Sevareid awards for reporting on Iowa's strict time limit on sexual abuse lawsuits, voting rights, social isolation of nursing home residents during the COVID-19 pandemic and the drop in family planning services
- Regularly appears on Iowa Press on Iowa PBS, where she interviews elected officials
- Has reported and produced features for All Things Considered
- Serves as the secretary of the Iowa Capitol Press Association
- Served as a mentor for NPR’s Next Generation Radio in Iowa
My Favorite Stories
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Iowa's Glenwood Resource Center, which was once home to hundreds of people with disabilities, grabbed national headlines about four years ago when federal investigators found senior staff were conducting harmful human subject experiments and providing poor medical care. It will close on June 30. -
Immigrants and advocates held rallies and marches in four Iowa cities Wednesday evening to protest a law set to take effect July 1 that will allow state and local officials to arrest and deport immigrants who illegally re-entered the country. -
More Iowans with disabilities who work could qualify for government-funded health coverage through Medicaid under a bill in the Iowa House of Representatives. But those who have been pushing for changes say it wouldn’t go far enough to ensure disabled Iowans can continue to receive services if they get a job promotion or get married. -
Iowa’s strict time limit on suing perpetrators of childhood sexual abuse means Iowa victims could see their financial compensation from the Boy Scouts of America reduced by 55 to 70% compared to victims in other states. Sen. Tim Kraayenbrink filed a bill Monday to prevent that from happening. -
A bill advanced Wednesday in the Iowa House of Representatives would limit Iowans’ ability to sue pesticide companies when their products are linked to serious health problems.
My Latest Stories
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With the legislative agenda narrowed down, Iowa lawmakers are working to pass more legislation. Plus, lawmakers will need to use some state savings in order to cover a budget shortfall next fiscal year. -
Iowa lawmakers will need to use some of the state’s savings to cover part of the state budget next fiscal year, after revenue forecasters estimated Thursday that Iowa will bring in about $400 million less next year than it spent this year.
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Iowa businesses would pay less in unemployment taxes under a bill that advanced through a Senate committee Tuesday. -
Major bills cleared a key deadline at the Statehouse, including proposals to restrict medication abortion, loosen firearm requirements and ban cellphones in schools. -
State lawmakers faced their first major deadline of the 2025 legislative session this week. Here are some major bills that advanced and failed. -
Certain restrictions on who can carry a gun would be eliminated and the minimum age to have a handgun would be lowered under two bills that advanced through Iowa House subcommittees Tuesday with Republican support. -
Iowa's public libraries would not receive state assistance if they are members of state or national advocacy organizations under a bill active in the Statehouse.
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Review what's happening in Iowa's 2025 legislative session. Last week, lawmakers fast-tracked a bill that removed gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. -
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law Friday that removes gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. -
A proposal to remove Medicaid income and asset limits for Iowans with disabilities who work was passed out of House and Senate subcommittees Tuesday with bipartisan support.
