by Robin Opsahl,
The bills that survived the first major deadline of Iowa’s 2025 legislative session show that Republicans have moved forward with a number of their priorities through bills focused on issues ranging from higher education to carbon capture pipelines to child care access.
The Legislature’s self-imposed “funnel” deadline culls most legislation from further consideration if the measure has not received committee approval. In the first funnel, bills must receive committee approval in one chamber to remain eligible; there will be a second funnel deadline April 4, when bills must have passed one full chamber and a committee in the opposite chamber to remain eligible.
Bills that do not meet these set deadlines are considered “dead” for the session – but there are several caveats. Language from bills that do not meet the “funnel” deadline can still be added as amendments to other surviving bills, or can be brought forward as leadership-sponsored legislation. Additionally, bills that involve taxes, spending and government oversight components are exempt from the funnel.
Public school funding stalled
There’s one notable bill with a spending component that has not been passed this year – the state’s funding for the public school system.
The House sent its public school funding proposal to the Senate in February, a package that included a 2.25% per-pupil funding increase, a one-time allocation of $22.6 million for per-pupil costs and an increase to transportation equity payments. The Senate had approved a 2% SSA rate that did not include the other funding components, matching Gov. Kim Reynolds’ initial proposal. The Senate has not taken up the House’s education spending package since.
House Speaker Pat Grassley said House Republicans are “still having conversations” with Senate Republicans and the governor on SSA, but did not say any agreement has been reached.
Lawmakers have a self-imposed deadline of passing the State Supplemental Aid (SSA) rate for public K-12 schools within 30 days of the governor’s budget being released. This time limit passed by in February. While there is no penalty for not passing SSA within this timeframe, a delay in passing this measure can cause issues for schools that must submit their budgets in early March.
Grassley said during his discussions with local school districts, many are budgeting with the expectation that the Senate and governor’s SSA rate will be approved.
“I think a lot of schools are making decisions at (2%),” Grassley said. “But we’re holding tight at this point because we feel strongly about some of those other items as well as the SSA, and the package that we have.”
Sole new law removes transgender civil rights
The only piece of legislation that has made it to Reynolds’ desk: The repeal of “gender identity” from the Iowa Civil Right Act. The law was passed quickly through the legislative process, having its first subcommittee hearing Feb. 24 and being signed into law Feb. 28.
Republicans control both chambers in the Iowa Legislature, in addition to holding all but one statewide elected office. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst said Democrats are frustrated by what bills Republicans have chosen to move forward this session, which she said are “focused on anything but lowering costs for Iowa families.”
“For the party of small government, the Republicans sure do think a lot of great ideas come out of Des Moines, and are sure interested in taking over the decisions that we make, about vaccines, about education, about how we live our lives, about who gets civil rights, who doesn’t,” Konfrst said.
Grassley said moving past the first “funnel” of the session, Republicans plan to consider more legislation that address cost of living concerns for Iowans, like lowering the sales tax for some daily use items or providing tax credits for families with young children. The Republican chairs of the Senate and House Ways and Means Committees, Sen. Dan Dawson and Rep. Bobby Kaufman, introduced their proposal Thursday to limit property taxes in Iowa.
“We’re kind of getting to that point in session, and I wouldn’t say it’s any different than other sessions, where those pieces of policy start to move forward as the tax conversation and the budget conversations start to happen,” Grassley said.
Here’s what to know about some of the high-profile legislation that made it past the first deadline of the session – and which bills did not survive.
What survived
Agriculture
Grain indemnity: House File 508, formerly House Study Bill 131, would increase the grain indemnity fund minimum and maximum to $8 million and $16 million, respectively, to help cover farmers’ losses when their buyers go broke. The bill, which advanced from the House Agriculture Committee Feb. 18, would also allow farmers with credit-sale contracts to partake in the fund’s protections.
Reducing nitrogen fertilizer: House Study Bill 165 would create a pilot program within the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, with a goal of reducing the statewide average use of commercial nitrogen fertilizers by 15%. The bill advanced from the House Agriculture Committee.
Education
Bible studies in public schools: The education committees in both the House and Senate approved legislation related to elective social studies courses in Iowa public high schools on the Bible. Senate File 510 and House File 448 direct the Iowa Board of Education to establish course standards for elective social studies classes on “Hebrew Scriptures or the Old or New Testament of the Bible” for students in grades 9 through 12. The legislation includes language requiring the state board and school districts to remain in compliance with state and federal laws on religious neutrality.
Bullying definition: Current Iowa Code defines bullying and harassment as actions or conduct toward a student that target them based on real or perceived traits, listing characteristics like race, religion, sexual orientation, and familial status as potential traits that a student could be bullied over. House File 865, formerly House File 149 would change the definition of bullying to remove language that bullying is based on “any actual or perceived trait or characteristic of the student.”
Cellphones in school: Reynolds’ bill to set a statewide minimum policy on cellphones in schools gained approval in both chambers. Senate File 370 and House File 782 would require school boards to adopt a policy banning the use of personal electronic devices during instructional periods to be implemented in the 2025-2026 school year. Students in grades 6 through 8 would also be required to take “effects of social media” training under the proposal.
Child abuse investigations: The Senate Education Committee passed two bills aimed at investigating child abuse in schools in the same meeting, Senate Files 517 and 518. Senate File 517 would make the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services responsible for investigating alleged child abuse cases at schools. Senate File 518 would require schools to place any employees under investigation for child abuse by the Board of Educational Examiners on administrative leave immediately.
Fetal development instruction: The Senate passed Senate File 175 in a 31-13 vote in February, a bill that would require human growth and development and health classes in grades 1 through 12 to show fetal development videos and graphics that depict “the humanity of the unborn child by showing prenatal human development, starting at fertilization.” While the bill does not mention “Meet Baby Olivia,” a video produced by an anti-abortion organization, by name, critics said the measure could allow content with non-scientifically accurate information to be shown in public school courses.
Grooming behavior: House File 167, formerly House Study Bill 46, requires mandatory reporting of licensed school employees to the Board of Educational Examiners if they engage in “grooming behavior” toward students. “Grooming behavior” is defined as “the process of building trust or emotional connections with a student with the intent to exploit such student.”
Home schooling: House File 888 makes multiple changes to current regulations on home schooling, including the elimination of requirements for families that homeschool their children to provide proof of immunization and blood lead tests and submit to the state an “outline of course of study.” It also removes a current restriction that only four children who are unrelated to a homeschooling instructor can receive private instruction from that person.
The bill also includes a section prohibiting the use of gender-neutral language in high school world language classes for languages that have a grammatical gender system, like Spanish and French.
Library associations: House File 880 would change library eligibility for Enrich Iowa funds provided through the State Library of Iowa to exclude members of a nonprofit organization – such as the Iowa Library Association or American Library Association — that “promotes federal and state legislation related to libraries and engages in advocacy efforts at the federal, state or local level.”
Math, civics education: Senate File 450 is the governor’s proposal to help improve math education in Iowa. It would require early screening and targeted intervention strategies for K-12 students who are struggling with math, and direct the Iowa Department of Education to provide support to schools and districts to help construct personalized mathematics instruction plans for students who need assistance in the subject. The bill would also require Iowa students to pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Naturalization Test with 60% or higher before graduating high school.
The companion version of the legislation in the House, House File 784, also cleared the committee process. The House also passed the provision requiring high school students pass the Naturalization Test to graduate as a separate bill, House File 165.
School chaplains: House File 884 would allow public school districts and charter schools to hire religious chaplains or allow them on a volunteer basis to provide “services” to students and staff.
School technology: Senate File 516, renamed from Senate File 237, would direct the Iowa Department of Education to work with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to create a working group focused on school technology and its impacts. The group will look at the impacts of technology like school laptops, slideshow presentations and more on “social and behavioral development, attention span, mental concentration and learning ability of students,” according to the legislation, and submit a report on its findings and best practices to the General Assembly by Dec. 31.
Sexual abuse education: Senate File 172, also called “Erin’s Law,” would have the Department of Education craft guidelines for schools to utilize in teaching students in kindergarten through sixth grade about child sexual abuse.
Tampons, pads in school bathrooms: The House Education Committee approved House File 883, legislation that would provide funding for schools to provide free feminine hygiene products in Iowa school bathrooms for 6th through 12th grade students. The funding would be available beginning in the summer of 2025 through June 30, 2028.
Threat assessment teams: House File 163 would authorize K-12 school districts, private schools and charter schools to create threat assessment teams that could consist of school officials, law enforcement officers as well as mental health and social services workers. The teams would be tasked with coordinating resources and intervening when a student exhibits behavior that could pose a threat to the safety of other students or school staff.
Use of names, pronouns: Students or teachers could not be disciplined for not using a transgender student’s legal name or incorrect pronouns under Senate File 8, approved by the Senate Education Committee. Parents of transgender children said the measure would override “parental rights,” allowing teachers or other students to purposefully ignore a parent’s directive to address their child by a name different from their legal name.
Higher education
Academic reviews: House File 420, formerly House Study Bill 50, would have state universities conduct reviews of all undergraduate and graduate academic programs and determine if and how they align with state workforce needs. They would be required to submit a report to the General Assembly with recommendations for whether programs should be changed, eliminated or kept the same.
Accreditation retaliation: House File 295, formerly House Study Bill 57, would bar national accrediting agencies from taking negative actions against state universities for refusing to defy state law or for following the law. If authorized by the attorney general, universities that have seen such actions taken against them would have the option to file a civil suit against the agency.
Civil government course: House File 402, formerly House Study Bill 56, would require college students to take a course on American history and civil government in order to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. The course would cover the U.S. government and its history, founding documents and “the study of and devotion to American institutions and ideals,” according to the legislation.
College reporting requirements: Senate File 520, formerly Senate Study Bill 1075, would have community colleges report program-level data to the Iowa Department of Education, rather than the state community colleges bureau. The Iowa Department of Administrative Services and Department of Education would also be directed to develop an annual compensation schedule and set employee benefits for all employees of the Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Iowa School for the Deaf.
DEI in community colleges: House File 855 would add community colleges to legislation passed last year barring state universities from funding or maintaining DEI offices.
DEI in private universities: House File 854 would prohibit private universities from opening, funding or otherwise maintaining offices of diversity, equity and inclusion as a prerequisite for participation in the Iowa Tuition Grant program.
DEI courses in public universities: House File 269, formerly House Study Bill 53, would bar state universities from requiring students take a course related to diversity, equity and inclusion or critical race theory to satisfy general education requirements or earn any level of certification or degree, with certain exceptions. Employees of the institutions are also prohibited from requiring or incentivizing faculty to participate in DEI or critical race theory-related practices or include those topics in content.
Financial information: Universities would also have to report certain financial information online under House File 296, formerly House Study Bill 59. Budgets lines, expenditures and goods and services totaling $50,000 would be required to have posted online, as well as written contracts, salary reports and any expenditures made related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Foreign funding: House File 575, formerly House Study Bill 54, would have state universities craft an annual report on foreign funding sources, amounts and how funds were used.
General education requirements: House File 401, renamed from House Study Bill 63, would codify general education requirements for Iowa’s public universities, which include requirements to take courses in English and composition, math and statistics, natural and social sciences, a world language, the humanities, Western heritage and American heritage. According to the bill, these classes cannot “distort significant historical events or include any curriculum or other material that teaches identity politics or is based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, or privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States of America or the state of Iowa.”
Iowa Tuition Grant changes: House File 867 would require Iowa College Aid to direct half of Iowa Tuition Grant dollars to students enrolled in degree programs relating to high-wage, high-demand job fields.
Loan programs: Called a “transparency bill” by Rep. Heather Hora, R-Washington, House File 703, previously House Study Bill 152, would require the Iowa student loan liquidity corporation, or ISL Education Lending, to report certain loan data to Iowa College Aid relating to the annual percentage rate of the Federal Direct PLUS loan compared to college family loans and partnership loans. If these loans have a lower APR than the federal loan program, Iowa College Aid would need to post the information online and share it with universities, which would add it to financial aid offers.
National Guard financial aid: House Files 117 and 118, both passed out of the Iowa House of Representatives, expand scholarship offerings for members of the Iowa National Guard and their families. HF 117 would establish a new scholarship program for National Guard members pursuing certifications that are not associate or higher-level degrees. HF 118 changes monetary limits on the existing National Guard Service Scholarship program to “the difference between the tuition rate at the institution attended by the national guard member less any financial aid the national guard member receives under certain specified federal programs,” according to the legislation, and strike language that stops where the recipient goes for drills, which unit they belong to or whether they are a member of the Iowa Army or Air National Guard from impacting the award amount they receive.
Penalties for pro-terrorism language on campus: House File 576, formerly House File 115, would have state universities and private colleges receiving Iowa Tuition Grant dollars penalize certain nonimmigrant visa-holders for voicing support for, or encouraging others to support, terrorist organizations or actions. Penalties include suspension, expulsion and job termination.
School of intellectual freedom: Both the Iowa House Higher Education Committee and Senate Education Committee have moved ahead legislation to establish a “school of intellectual freedom” at the University of Iowa. House File 437 and its companion, Senate File 127, would require the new school focus on “the historical ideas, traditions and texts that have shaped the American constitutional order and society,” according to bill language, and promote free speech, civil discourse, civic education and intellectual diversity.
Syllabus reports: House File 270, introduced as House Study Bill 55, would require state university instructors to post syllabi information online for the public to view, including planned lessons, course requirements and materials that will be used in class. Instructors’ names will also be included in the syllabus information.
Tuition cap: House File 440, previously named House Study Bill 51, would cap in-state tuition and fee increases for public university students at 3% and guarantee those students won’t see increases during their undergraduate years. Universities would also need to establish at least one three-year degree program and institute work plus programs, where students can work part time and have their tuition paid for by a qualified employer.
Tuition waivers: House File 577, formerly House File 154, would have state universities waive tuition and fees and provide a $5,000-a-semester stipend for undergraduate students who earn the highest-possible scores on the ACT or SAT.
Tuition cap: House File 440, previously named House Study Bill 51, would cap in-state tuition and fee increases for public university students at 3% and guarantee those students won’t see increases during their undergraduate years. Universities would also need to establish at least one three-year degree program and institute work plus programs, where students can work part time and have their tuition paid for by a qualified employer.
Health care
Child care access: The governor’s proposal on child care advanced through the committee process in both chambers as Senate File 445 and House File 623. The legislation would create a new $16 million competitive grant pilot program using existing Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) funding and federal Child Care and Development Fund Wrap Around Child Care funds, providing up to $100,000 annually in three-year grants for preschool providers and child care centers to provide full-day care for children. The measure would also move roughly $3.6 million currently allocated to the Shared Visions program for at-risk children from birth to age 5, to go toward grants for programs focused on at-risk 3- and 4-year-old children.
Child care workers: House File 382 would expand existing law by allowing minors as young as 16 to provide “flex care” for children from infancy to age 2 at a child care center without adult supervision. Currently, teenagers are limited to caring for children over age 2.
Health care training, access: Reynolds’ bill on health care, House File 754, was approved unanimously by the House Health and Human Services Committee Wednesday. The measure seeks to address health care workforce shortages and expand rural health care access through multiple changes including increased funding for the state’s student loan repayment program and for Medicaid rates for providers serving mothers and infants. It also directs the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to draw down more than $150 million in federal funds to create a projected 115 new residency slots at Iowa teaching hospitals.
HPV vaccine for minors: Senate File 304 would remove the ability of minors to consent to receiving the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, or other vaccinations to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, without parental approval. While most minor vaccinations require parental consent, there is currently an exemption in Iowa law for medical care related to the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of sexually transmitted diseases or infections.
Medicaid work requirements: Senate File 363 would require Medicaid recipients to work, participate in a work program or volunteer at least 20 hours per week. Certain people would be exempt from the requirement, including people under age 19 or over age 64, people medically certified with a disability that makes them unable to work, people who are pregnant or parenting a child under age 1 or a child with a serious illness or disability. People in substance abuse treatment would also be exempt.
Medication abortion restrictions: House File 775, formerly House Study Bill 186, would restrict Iowans’ access to abortion medication by mail by requiring in-person distribution of the medication and written consent that the patient understands the risks and potential to reverse the effects of the abortion medication. The bill was advanced by the House Health and Human Services Committee Feb. 26.
Medical conscience: House File 571 and Senate File 220 grant health care professionals, institutions and payors the right to not participate in or pay for a health care service that that they say goes against their conscience. These entities could not be held civilly, criminally or administratively liable for not providing a service that they say violates their conscience, with exceptions for emergency medical services.
Personal needs allowance: Senate File 476 would increase the monthly personal needs allowance that Medicaid beneficiaries receive while in nursing homes to pay for personal items such as hairdressing, cable TV, snacks, greeting cards or gifts for family members, clothing and cellphone service. For 24 years, Iowa has provided $50 per month. The bill would increase that amount to $65. A similar bill would raise it to $85.
Pharmacy benefit managers: Legislation on regulating pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), the entities that negotiate with health insurance companies, drug manufacturers and pharmacies to set prescription drug costs made it through committees in both the Iowa House and Senate. Senate File 383 and House File 5852 would require PBMs reimburse pharmacies for drug costs at the the national or Iowa average acquisition cost, in addition to restricting PBMs’ ability to limit which pharmacies or pharmacists fill a person’s prescription, if the provider has agreed to participate in the individual’s health benefit plan, practices that pharmacists told lawmakers would help rural pharmacies stay in business.
Nutrition
Double Up Food Bucks: Bills in both the House and Senate have advanced out of their respective committees to allocate $1 million to the Double Up Food Bucks program which allows recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to double their spending on produce. Senate File 232 has been referred to an appropriations subcommittee after advancing from committee as Senate Study Bill 1012.
House Study Bill 216 would fund the Double Up Food Bucks program but only if the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services requests, and is granted, a waiver to limit SNAP eligible foods. The bill advanced from the House Health and Human Services Committee Monday and has been renumbered as House File 796.
Food dyes and margarine: House File 212, formerly House Study Bill 5, would ban synthetic food dyes, margarine and other artificial additives from school meals, snacks and beverages. The bill has had significant updates, since it was first introduced, to more closely resemble a California law and passed the House Education Committee Jan. 29.
Rural grocery initiative: House File 59, renumbered as House File 550, would establish a grocer reinvestment program and a local produce processing grant program and allocate $2 million for the two programs this year and next. Advocates say the funding would help provide access to healthy food in rural communities.
School nutrition: Senate File 525, formerly Senate Study Bill 1158 and House File 851, would alter Iowa’s school nutrition guidelines to make school meals and nutrition education have more focus on the food sources of Iowa, like corn, pork and dairy. Both bills advanced from their respective committees.
State government
Artificial intelligence: House Study Bill 294, which representatives noted was a “work in progress” would create protections from election materials produced with artificial intelligence, or “algorithmic discrimination” caused by AI. The bill advanced from the House Economic Growth and Technology Committee Thursday.
Citizenship on IDs: House File 439 would require driver’s licenses or non-operator identification cards to include a person’s citizenship status. Supporters said the measure would help poll workers confirm a person’s eligibility to vote, but opponents said listing citizenship status on IDs could lead to discrimination.
Citizenship verification for voting: Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate’s proposal, Senate File 550, would allow the Secretary of State’s office to contract with state and federal agencies to verify the citizenship status of registered voters, in addition to requiring the Iowa Department of Transportation to share with the office a list of individuals who indicated to the DOT that they are not citizens. These measures, alongside the ability to work with private vendors, will allow the state to verify the citizenship status of registered voters, Pate said.
The measure comes following controversial guidance to county auditors from Pate ahead of the 2024 general election to challenge the ballots of 2,176 registered voters who were listed as “potential noncitizens” – people who had self-identified to the DOT or another government entity that they were not U.S. citizens within the past 12 years who later went on to register to vote or cast a ballot in Iowa.
Election recounts: House File 596 adjusts the process for election recounts for elections of all levels. It would change the composition of election recount boards and lower the margin at which the state will allow, and pay the cost of a recount. The bill advanced Wednesday from the House State Government Committee.
Hands-free cellphones: The House Transportation Committee unanimously passed House Study Bill 64, renumbered House File 827, on Feb. 12 and the companion bill, Senate File 22, cleared a committee the same day. The legislation would ban the use of handheld cellphones or other electronic devices while driving.
Pay increases: Senate File 544 would increase the salaries for state lawmakers by $20,000, in addition to providing a $100,000 salary bump for the governor and pay increases of $76,788 for other statewide elected officials like the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer and secretary of agriculture. The attorney general would see a salary increase of $86,331 under the proposal.
Labor and the workforce
Public sector union lists: The Senate Workforce Committee approved Senate File 472, a measure that allows Iowans to seek court action in order to compel government employers to provide a list of employees within a bargaining unit. Under current law, public employers must submit these lists to the Employment Appeal Board (EAB) before recertification votes, but Republican supporters of the bill said some employers intentionally have not submitted these lists in order to preserve existing union representation.
Justice and public safety
Age verification for obscene materials: Pornography websites and other obscene material distributors would be required to implement “reasonable” age verification methods under House File 864.
Age verification for social media: The House Judiciary Committee approved House File 798, legislation that would require social media companies to gain parental permission before a minor is allowed to create an account on their platform, with additional requirements that guardians have access to the account to view posts and messages, and can revoke the child’s access at any time. The committee’s approval included recommendation for amendments, as several speakers at the subcommittee meeting expressed concerns about mass data collection by social media and privacy issues related to the requirement.
Anti-SLAPP lawsuits: House File 472 would protect entities like newspapers and activists from “strategic lawsuits against public participation,” or SLAPP lawsuits, by allowing for expedited relief in court on actions that involve freedom of speech and of the press, and other First Amendment rights. The measure is meant to help prevent lawsuits filed to stop individuals or organizations from speaking publicly or reporting on certain issues by engaging in a lengthy, expensive legal battle. In addition to the bill gaining House Judiciary Committee approval, the Senate Judiciary Committee also passed its version of the bill, Senate File 47.
Booking photos: House File 47 would limit the release of police mugshots to the public until after the person arrested has been convicted of the crime for which they were arrested. The bill includes some exceptions, like in cases where the person pictured is a fugitive, or if the release of the photo would aid law enforcement in apprehending the individual.
Exposing minors to obscene materials: House File 306 would raise the penalty for knowingly disseminating or exhibiting obscene materials from a serious misdemeanor for the first offense, aggravated misdemeanor for the second offense and to a Class D felony charge and mandatory minimum three years in jail time for the third and subsequent offenses.
Firearm age limits: House Study Bill 262 would lower the age limit for carrying a firearm from 21 to 18. While the current version of the bill would allow people ages 18-21 to obtain permits like concealed carry licenses, Holt said there would likely be an amendment to remove this provision in order to satisfy National Instant Criminal Background Check System requirements.
Immigration law enforcement: Under House Study Bill 285, law enforcement officers who knowingly and intentionally” fail to comply with federal immigration law enforcement as directed to by state law would face a Class D felony charge. Rep. Steve Holt, R-Denison, said this bill may be amended to lower the charge to a serious misdemeanor during floor debate.
Minors testifying in court: House Joint Resolution 9 and Senate Joint Resolution 9 are the first steps in the process of amending the Iowa Constitution to allow minors and people with a mental illness, intellectual disability or other developmental disability, to testify against their abusers remotely using a closed-circuit television system. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird proposed the constitutional amendment following an Iowa Supreme Court ruling that sided with a man who argued his constitutional right to confront a witness was violated when two child witnesses were allowed to testify remotely against him.
Obscene performances: House File 891, formerly House Study Bill 158, saw significant backlash during a subcommittee meeting because it proposed a ban on minors attending drag shows, proposing a class D felony charge for an adult who knowingly brought a minor to a drag performance and a fine of $10,000 to businesses that knowingly allowed minors to attend these performances. The legislation’s language defining drag shows stated that performances where “the main aspect of the performance is a performer who exhibits a gender identity that is different than the performer’s gender assigned at birth through the use of clothing, makeup, accessories, or other gender signifiers” would be subject to these provisions.
The House Education Committee passed the legislation unanimously Tuesday with a significant amendment, changing the proposal from drag performances to prohibit exposing minors to obscene performances, as defined by the state’s obscenity codes. Rep. Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City, said she was concerned that some entities could be subject to “nuisance lawsuits” challenging certain performances, like drag shows, but called the amendment a “reasonable solution to the intent of the bill.”
Obscenity laws in libraries: House File 521 proposes repealing current exemptions from Iowa obscenity laws for educational institutions and libraries. Opponents to the legislation said the measure could subject public libraries to costly lawsuits over materials that do not meet the state’s definition of “obscenity,” but that some members of the community do not want to be available on public shelves.
Open beverage containers: House File 181 expands Iowa’s prohibition on open containers of alcoholic beverages in the passenger compartment of vehicles to include beverages containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
Pesticide lawsuits: Senate Study Bill 1051 would protect pesticide manufacturers from certain lawsuits, including those that claim the products gave users cancer. It advanced from the Senate Judiciary Committee as Senate File 394.
Traffic cameras: House File 764 would prohibit local governments that have traffic cameras from contracting with third-party vendors to collect traffic camera fines.
Natural resources
Beneficial use water permits: House File 480 would redefine “beneficial use” to require a case-by-case determination of water use application, rather than a categorical approach. Lawmakers said the bill, which advanced from its house committee, would help conserve Iowa’s water resources.
Chemtrails: House File 191 deals with geoengineering and would prohibit airborne emissions of contaminants that intentionally affect “temperature, weather, or the intensity of sunlight.” The bill advanced from the House Environmental Protection Committee Thursday.
Community solar: House File 404, formerly House Study Bill 81, would allow small solar fields, built in brownfield sites, on top of commercial warehouses or in underutilized crop or pastureland to connect into the electric power grid. The local community could purchase shares of the community solar that would then receive waivers on their electric bills from the operating utility company, based on the electric generation of the local solar fields. The bill advanced to the House floor in early February but has not yet been debated.
Governor’s energy bill: House File 834, introduced by Reynolds, would give the Iowa Department of Natural Resources the authority to regulate anaerobic digesters, grant existing utility companies the right of first refusal to new transmission projects, and create requirements for advanced ratemaking. The bill and Senate Study Bill 1112 advanced from their respective commerce committees.
Land acquisition: Senate File 553, formerly Senate Study Bill 1198, would block the Department of Natural Resources from purchasing land at auction, or acquiring land from anyone other than a willing donor or seller. The bill advanced from the Senate Natural Resources Committee Wednesday, but the House version of the bill, House File 714, did not advance.
State horse: Senate Joint Resolution 4, formerly Senate Study Bill 1064, would designate the American cream draft horse as the official state horse of Iowa. According to the bill, it is the only draft horse breed native to the United States and is believed to have bloodlines in rural Iowa. SSB 1064 advanced from its committee, then was reassigned to the Senate State Government Committee and is safe from the funnel cut off. A similar bill, House Study Bill 292, did not advance from committee.
Pipelines
A number of bills aimed at the Iowa Utilities Commission, eminent domain and the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline project that would transport sequestered carbon dioxide across Iowa and surrounding states into underground storage in North Dakota, have advanced ahead of the first funnel in the Iowa House of Representatives.
Climate change language: House Study Bill 67, now House File 302, would preclude the Iowa Utilities Commission from considering climate change when issuing a permit for a hazardous liquid pipeline. The bill advanced from the House Commerce Committee Feb. 6.
Eminent domain for CO2 pipelines: House Study Bill 287 specifies that the “construction of hazardous liquid pipelines for the transportation or transmission of liquefied carbon dioxide” does not constitute a public use for the purpose of condemning agricultural land. House Judiciary Committee advanced the bill Thursday, though the Senate version, Senate File 92, did not advance.
House File 491 would also restrict hazardous liquid pipelines from the right of eminent domain, by adjusting the definition of a common carrier.
IUC Attendance: House File 790, formerly House File 241, requires a member of the Iowa Utilities Commission to be present at all informational meetings and hearings. The bill passed unanimously from the House Judiciary Committee and the senate version of the bill, Senate File 224 did not have a scheduled hearing.
Intervenor protections: House File 610 would allow elected officials and Iowans with “minimally plausible interest” to intervene in an Iowa Utilities Commission proceeding and House File 237 would prohibit the IUC from “threatening or imposing sanctions” on an intervenor. The two bills advanced from the House Judiciary Committee Thursday.
Office of the Consumer Advocate: House File 239, now House File 578, would restore the Office of the Consumer Advocate as an independent office. Proponents said this would help landowners opposed to the carbon sequestration pipeline and in other matters. A similar bill, Senate File 229 was introduced in the Senate but did not have a subcommittee hearing.
Permit limits: House File 780, formerly House File 238, would limit liquid hazardous pipeline permits to 25 years and prohibit a permit renewal. The bill advanced from the House Judiciary Committee Feb. 25, and the Senate version, Senate File 225, has not had scheduled hearings.
Pipeline insurance: House File 240, now House File 639, would increase the insurance requirements for liquid hazardous pipeline operators to cover any potential damage to landowners during construction or potential ruptures. Pipeline operators would additionally have to reimburse landowners for increases to their insurance policies as a result of the pipeline. The Senate version of the bill, Senate File 239 has been assigned a subcommittee.
Review of eminent domain: House File 242, renumbered to House File 763, would allow Iowa landowners to seek a legally binding explanation of their rights from a district court if their property were subject to an eminent domain claim. The bill advanced from committee Feb. 25. Senate File 226 mirrors the bill but has not had a hearing.
What died
Agriculture
Cat declawing: Senate File 107, which would have prohibited the practice of declawing cats, did not advance.
Water quality: House File 368 and Senate File 183 would create additional regulations and applicable penalties for water quality in relation to concentrated animal feeding operations. The bills, which did not advance in either chamber, would have permitted state laws that were more stringent than federal law.
Education
Baseball: House File 153 would have directed Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa to reinstate men’s baseball teams.
Gulf of America: House Study Bill 97 proposed requiring Iowa schools to replace references to the Gulf of Mexico with “Gulf of America” and “Denali” with “Mount McKinley” in classroom instruction and handouts in line with President Donald Trump’s order renaming the geographic formations earlier in 2025.
Health care
Abortion protection: A proposed constitutional amendment, Senate Joint Resolution 1, that would have protected the right to reproductive care, did not advance.
mRNA vaccines: Senate File 360 proposed a ban on health care providers administering gene-based vaccines, like the COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna. Under the proposal, health care providers who administered vaccines that use nucleic acids like messenger RNA (mRNA) would face punishments of a misdemeanor charge and a fine of $500 for each violation.
Nursing homes inspectors: Senate File 532 includes several elements related to nursing home care, including a provision that would require an increased appropriation. The bill would provide a $600,000 increase in state funding to help pay for 30 additional care-facility inspectors. It would also increase the penalties imposed for certain regulatory violations and would prohibit any Medicaid-certified home in Iowa from requiring residents or their families to agree to arbitration should they seek to make any claims for negligent care.
Vaccine manufacturer immunity: House File 712 proposed requiring vaccine manufacturers waive their immunity from lawsuits over injuries that result from a “design defect” in a vaccine in order to distribute or administer the vaccine in Iowa. Under the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, there is a National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program providing no-fault compensation to individuals and families injured by childhood vaccines. While supporters of the bill said the current compensation program has problems, medical practitioners and advocates said allowing for lawsuits to be filed against manufacturers would prevent vaccines from being available in Iowa.
State government
Annexing southern Minnesota: Sen. Mike Bousselot introduced Senate File 354, legislation that would direct some state leaders to begin negotiations with Minnesota for the purchase of nine southern Minnesota counties. Though the measure was originally scheduled for a subcommittee hearing in February, the meeting was canceled and not rescheduled.
Early party registration: House File 353 proposed requiring voters to be a registered member of a political party at least 30 days before participating in that party’s caucus or primary, with exceptions for first-time voters. The measure would have also prohibited a person from filing nominating papers to become a party candidate if they were not a registered member of that party for at least a year. The measure was brought forward because of concerns about interference by non-party members in the Iowa Republican caucuses, Rep. Derek Wulf, R-Hudson said in a subcommittee meeting.
Homelessness: House Study Bill 286 and Senate Study Bill 1195 proposed statewide criminal penalties for sleeping and camping on public property. The measure also allowed cities and counties to create designated spaces for homeless encampments and included the creation of “drug-free homeless service zones,” where operators of facilities providing shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness could be charged with a crime if a person using their services was allowed to possess or use a controlled substance in their facility.
Labor and the workforce
Raising minimum wage for workers with disabilities: Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, introduced House File 538 this session, legislation that would remove provisions under federal law that allow employers to pay workers with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage, $7,25 per hour, if they are certified through the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act. The bill would also require the state to prioritize “competitive and integrated employment” in assistance programs for people with disabilities seeking work. Though the measure received a subcommittee hearing, the bill was tabled.
Justice and public safety
Death penalty: Senate File 320 proposed reestablishing the death penalty by lethal injection in Iowa in cases where a person is convicted of first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer. On a subcommittee meeting on the legislation, Sen. Dave Rowley, R-Spirit Lake, said in a subcommittee meeting the measure was brought forward after discussions with family members of police officers who were killed in the line of duty.
ICE agreements: House Study Bill 187 would have required all Iowa law enforcement agencies to enter written memorandums of agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by Jan. 1, 2026. The bill, which did not provide funding, did not advance following concerns from law enforcement, as well as Latino and immigrant rights organizations, about the bill adding burdens to Iowa law enforcement and potentially increasing racial profiling.
Sharks: House File 24 proposed adding sharks that can grow to a length of 23 inches or more, or that have a documented history of biting humans, to the state’s list of dangerous wild animals.
Sports referee assaults: Senate File 50 proposed raising the criminal penalty for assaulting a sports referees to a Class D felony, and would have provided civil liability protections to sports officials.
Natural resources
PFAS: House File 723 required water treatment plants to test sewage sludge for perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl, commonly known as PFAS, and notify landowners if the sewage sludge, destined for land application, contains PFAS. The bill was introduced during funnel week and did not advance.
Replacing natural resources trust fund: A proposed constitutional amendment, Senate Joint Resolution 6, would have replace the natural resources trust fund with one that would provide property tax relief, if the state had necessary tax increases. SJR 6 has advanced from subcommittee, but did not have a committee hearing.
Senate eminent domain restrictions: Senate Study Bill 1166 would have put new limitations on pipeline, transmission and liquid hazardous pipeline projects seeking eminent domain, but notably did not affect the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline project. The bill advanced from a subcommittee, but was not scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Note: Most bills that advance from a standing committee are renumbered. Some bills listed above had not yet been renumbered as of publication of this story.
Brooklyn Draisley, Clark Kauffman, Cami Koons and Kathie Obradovich contributed to this report.
Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com.
