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Ed Thomas Act Proposed for Slain Iowa Coach

A year after the murder of Aplington-Parkersburg football coach Ed Thomas, U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley has introduced legislation to help ensure the safety of families and communities.

The Iowa Democrat says the Ed Thomas Act he introduced Wednesday will clarify existing privacy requirements to allow law enforcement agencies and medical providers to communicate more effectively when patients pose an inherent risk to the community.

Thomas was fatally shot in June of last year by former student Mark Becker, who has been sentenced to life in prison for the crime.

Becker had an earlier run-in with police and was hospitalized in a mental health unit. He was released several days before the shooting, and police weren't notified.

Braley says Iowa recently passed legislation that gave the state's law enforcement officers assistance in preventing similar tragedies, while also protecting the rights of medical patients.

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