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The Iowa Legislature has now passed its first deadline, what lawmakers call the “first funnel.” This deadline helps narrow the list of bills that can be considered. That is important considering legislators have already introduced 1,542 bills this year alone. Last year broke the state record for most bills introduced and this may come up a close second. In order to make this first deadline, bills had to be voted out of their originating committee by Friday, February 20. Bills that are left behind in committee will not become law this year – unless they show up as an amendment to a different bill. There are a couple of exceptions, including bills that are sponsored by the Government Oversight Committee, spend money (Appropriations Committee), or deal with a tax (Ways & Means Committee).

We have moved the bills that died in the funnel to the “Inactive” list in the LWVIA Bill Tracker. Only those bills that made it through this first deadline will still be listed as “Active.” You can see the bills that didn’t make the cut by switching the dropdown box to “Inactive” and clicking on “Search Bills.”

Surviving Bills: Elections/Voting

• SF 2203 requires the Secretary of State to use of the federal Systemic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database to verify the citizenship status of all currently registered voters and all new voter registrations. Notice of the results is sent to county election commissioners, who must then track down the person and give them options (cancel their voter registration, prove their citizenship, or provide information to them on how to contact the federal government and correct the information). LWVIA is opposed.
• HF 2609 requires any “synthetic media” used in campaign materials clearly display a disclosure. This includes any digitally manipulated videos, photos, or audio, with liability falling on the publisher. (LWVIA Supports)
• HF 2068 allows precinct caucus locations to be posted on a political party’s social media account instead of in a newspaper. LWVIA is undecided and asked that they consider an amendment to make the alternative a website instead of a social media account (voters should not have to get a social media account to be able to find this information). The committee agreed and will look at an amendment before a floor vote.
• HF 2501 & SF 2287 are companion bills originating from the county auditor’s association. They make changes in the administration of elections, including text messages to confirm status of absentee ballots. LWVIA is registered undecided and there has been no controversy around these bills.
• HF 2623 moves school and city elections to even-numbered years, aligning them with general elections. LWVIA is registered undecided. The county auditors are opposed, professional educators of Iowa are in support.
• HF 2192 increases the threshold to pass a school bond from 60% to 80%. LWVIA has not yet taken a position on this bill.
• SF 140 prohibits the use of school property as a satellite voting location if there is a school bond question on the ballot. LWVIA is registered undecided.

Surviving Bills: Transparency & Civic Participation

• HF 2231 & SF 2361 establishes a Seal of Civics Excellence program to recognize graduating high school students who demonstrate proficiency in civics (the seal would be affixed to their high school transcript or would be awarded as a certificate). LWVIA is registered undecided.
• HF 2361 requires undergraduate college students to complete courses in American History and American Government and HF 2244 requires all schools (including private schools) to require a full unit of US government instruction for high school students. LWVIA is registered undecided on both bills.
• SF 503 & HF 936 apply open records laws to any instrumentality of a county, city, or township. LWVIA is registered undecided (as is everyone but Sierra Club).
• HF 2294 extends the period in which a person may file open meetings or public records violation complaints from 60 days to 90 days. LWVIA is monitoring this bill.
• HF 2330 requires public record custodians to promptly acknowledge receipt of a public record request and sets up a process for keeping a person informed during delays. LWVIA is monitoring this bill.
• HF 2490 & SF 2434 changes how public notice of governmental meetings is posted. They take different approaches and the Senate bill includes a removal of posting in newspapers (making it optional). LWVIA is monitoring these bills.

Surviving Bills: Human Trafficking

• SF 2167 & HF 2598 require all commercial driver’s license holders to complete a human trafficking prevention training every three years (training is only 30 minutes).
• HF 2565 establishes a human trafficking task force to coordinate efforts across agencies to prevent, combat, and prosecute human trafficking. LWVIA supports this bill.
• HF 2134 allows victims of sexual assault, human trafficking, elder abuse, and domestic violence to terminate their rental agreements. LWVIA supports.
• HF 2696 is the “safe harbor” legislation that allows human trafficking victims to petition the courts to expunge criminal offenses committed as a result of their being trafficked. LWVIA supports this bill.
• SF 2379 & HF 2404 is the Attorney General’s victim rights bill, but victim services agencies have mixed feelings about the bill. On the positive side, victim rights are solidified and there are new processes put in place to ensure they are informed of those rights. On the concerning side, training standards for sexual assault nurse examiners are eliminated and left up to the Attorney General (vs. the international standard in place). Some victim services providers asked to be allowed to inform law enforcement if a person is a danger to themselves or others (duty to warn), while others worry that this will weaken victim counselor privacy protections. LWVIA is undecided for all of these reasons – supporting some but concerned about other parts.

Surviving Bills: Reproductive Rights

• HF 318 prohibits insurance companies from requiring cost-sharing for supplemental and diagnostic breast exams that are more than what is required for routine screenings. LWVIA supports.

• HF 2338 applies last year’s gender theory and sexual orientation instruction ban to middle and high school courses (currently only applies to K-6). LWVIA opposes.
• HF 2563 ends telemedicine medication abortions by mandating in-person physician examinations prior to dispensing the medication, requires coercion screening before medication abortions, and establishes new consent and information disclosure requirements that include informing the woman of the ability to reverse a medication abortion (not true). Also creates comprehensive reporting obligations for complications arising from such drugs and creates a Texas-style private cause of action against unauthorized dispensing. LWVIA strongly opposes – the Senate companion failed to make it out of committee.
• HF 2415 requires health insurers to have a special enrollment period for pregnant women, improving access to prenatal care. LWVIA is currently monitoring the bill.
• SF 304 requires parental consent to administer the HPV vaccine and any other vaccine that prevents sexually transmitted diseases (despite HPV vaccinations virtually eliminating cervical cancer in people with the vaccine). This bill is one vote away from heading to the Governor (it’s not the House calendar). LWVIA opposes.
• SF 2150 & HF 2654 gives pregnant minors the ability to consent to their own prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal care. Currently they have the ability to direct their infant’s care but not their own. A better bill would allow them to consent to all of their care (including vaccines) but this is a step in the right direction. LWVIA supports.
• HF 2253 re-genders language in the Iowa Code from “pregnant person” to “pregnant female.” LWVIA is just monitoring this bill.

Surviving Bills: Gun Safety

• HF 2718 establishes an anti-red flag gun seizure act (you read that right). States that no federal red flag laws will be enforced in Iowa. LWVIA opposes.
• HF 621 allows firearms on school property if they are lawfully possessed and in a car during drop-offs or deliveries, or in school vehicles. LWVIA opposes.
• HF 2495 allows the Iowa Department of Public Safety to release forfeited weapons and ammunition to law enforcement agencies if requested. LWVIA is just monitoring this bill.
• SF 2280 expands the list of professions eligible for professional licenses to carry to include judicial officers, attorney general and deputies, and assistant attorneys general. LWVIA is just monitoring this bill.
• HF 2616 makes it illegal to shoot a rifle, shotgun, pistol, or revolver from any road. LWVIA is just monitoring this bill (no one is opposed or in support).
• SF 2274 prohibits the sale of “trigger crank” devices, thus replacing prior broader language that restricted the sale of any manual or power-driven trigger-activating device that increases a firearm’s rate of fire.  This narrows the prohibition, so opens it up for allowing other types of devices. LWVIA is monitoring this bill.
• HF 1034 creates an individual tax credit of up to $500 to offset the purchase of a firearm safety device or a gun safe. LWVIA supports this bill.

Surviving Bills: Water

• HF 2687 appropriates $100,000 to create a pilot program to monitor groundwater by retrofitting up to 100 private wells with certified monitoring system. LWVIA is currently undecided.
• HF 2527 & SF 2427 limits liability for damages or injuries “allegedly caused” by the effects of climate from greenhouse gas emissions (particularly those from agricultural or renewable fuel sources). LWVIA is opposed.
• HF 2530 prohibits the Iowa Department of Natural Resources from placing any state waterway on the impaired waters list due to fecal bacteria unless they have conducted an analysis that designates (by percentage) the contribution of each animal species to the contamination. LWVIA opposes this bill.

Surviving Bills: Education

• SF 2201 increases school funding by 2.5% for the next year, adds $7 million for paraeducators to sustain salary increases made two years ago. This bill is on its way to the Governor. LWVIA is monitoring.
• HF 884 is a hold-over from last year, but is one vote away from going to the Governor (on the Senate calendar). It allows schools to employ chaplains or have volunteer chaplains. LWVIA opposes.
• HF 2681 allows schools to install video recording systems in special education classrooms, but the bill does not state that these are part of a student’s private educational record and thus likely violate federal law. There are parents of children with disabilities on both sides of this issue (some think it will reduce bullying, others say it violates their child’s privacy). LWVIA is monitoring this bill.
• SF 2404 sets up a pilot program to allow a school district to set up a separate school for students with behavioral needs or students receiving special education. LWVIA is undecided.
• HF 2336 & SF 2300 prohibits schools from discriminating against students engaging in religious, political or ideological speech and expression on equal terms with other students. This actually weakens protections and opens up the schools to bullying. LWVIA is opposed.
• HF 2512 mandates a teacher’s license be revoked for “publicly celebrating acts of violence.” Clearly this is a reaction to the post-Charlie Kirk posts some teachers in the state made, and is clearly a violation of free speech protections. LWVIA opposes (for the violations of free speech).
• HF 2544 & SF 2336 requires public school districts, community colleges and state universities to submit annual reports on the number of complaints and incidents of anti-Semitism. LWVIA is monitoring the bill (but this should also now be applied to non-public schools who receive public funding and to other forms of religious intolerance targeting a religious group).
• SF 2405 expands prohibitions on public school teaching, advocating, or promoting stereotyping and scapegoating based on identity or demographic group membership. LWVIA is opposed.
• HF 2338 applies the DEI and gender theory bans to middle & high schools (the bans enacted last year applied only to K-6). LWVIA opposes.
• SF 2303 & HF 2487 prohibits state universities from requiring any courses containing DEI or CRT content. LWVIA is currently monitoring.
• HF 2488 prohibits private colleges from having DEI offices/staff or engaging in DEI activities if they participate in the Iowa Tuition Grant Program. This is going after Drake University and Grinnell College, which have doubled down on their support for DEI activities. LWVIA opposes.
• HF 2240 similarly targets Grinnell College by creating a new annual tax on private colleges with an endowment of more than $500 million. LWVIA is monitoring this bill.
• HF 2539 repeals the Board of Regents’ minority and women educators enhancement program – because it is a DEI program. LWVIA is opposed.
• HF 2676 & SF 2367 ban artificial dyes and additives in food and beverages sold at a school, including an additive that is in all white flour. This is part of the Governor’s MAHA bill, which LWVIA is otherwise monitoring.
• SF 2425, SF 2406, and HF 2699 all make major updates to charter schools, and SF 2425 makes additional changes that include a change to school start date. LWVIA is monitoring.
• HF 2493 expands the eligibility for four-year-old preschool programs to include five-year-olds who turn five between March 15 – September 15 of the school year. LWVIA is monitoring.
• HF 2358 & SF 2231 allows community-based child care providers to receive funding for state-approved preschool programs. LWVIA is undecided.
• There are other bills that impact education: HF 2705 deals with school funding and taxes and open enrollment, HF 2713 makes miscellaneous changes in K-12 education, and SF 2137 changes definition of qualified education expenses for ESAs (educational savings plans), aligning the definition with the IRS definition. LWVIA is monitoring all these bills.

NOTE: Some of these bills will be renumbered. When you link to them, it will list newer numbers in the “Track Versions” column on the left side of the bill. I will try to update this post as new numbers come out.

The Iowa Legislature only meets for four months to pass laws and prepare budgets for the upcoming year. That’s 110 days in the first year of a two-year general assembly, and 100 days during the second year. To keep bills on track and eliminate the “noise” of bills that have no chance of making it through the process, legislators have enacted a series of deadlines (called funnels) to narrow the list of bills eligible for debate.

The First Funnel deadline is Friday, February 20, 2026. To stay eligible for debate, a bill must have made it out of its originating committee. Bills sponsored by leaders, dealing with taxes, spending money, or coming out of the Government Oversight Committee are exempt from the funnel deadlines.

The Second Funnel deadline is Friday, March 20, 2026. To keep moving through the process, bills will need to be voted out of committee in the opposite chamber. That means House Files are out of Senate committee, and Senate Files out of House committees. Again, the list of exempt bills is the same (taxes, budgets, government oversight, leadership sponsored bills).

The “final” day of session is slated for April 21, 2026. That is when legislators lose their expense checks (called “per diems”) and clerks. They can still be in session beyond this date, but they will not be reimbursed for the expense of coming to Des Moines and they’ll have to answer their own messages and do their own paperwork.

Some people call bills “funnel proof.” That normally means that the bill includes a tax or has an appropriation. It can also mean that twin bills were voted out of committee in both chambers. This is a way to fast track a bill by having companions go through the process simultaneously (rather than consecutively). When one chamber passes a companion bill, it goes immediately to the other chamber’s calendar and is “attached” to the companion bill there (avoiding going through the committee process again). Being funnel proof is a great thing when you like the bill – but can be make a bill hard to stop when its something you don’t like.

The Iowa Legislature will reconvene on Monday, January 12 for a short 100-day session. Lawmakers will face new challenges with a budget shortfall that requires use of the Taxpayer Relief Fund, a Medicaid shortfall that may prompt more hurdles for people to access or retain services, poor water quality and high cancer rates that are demanding policy action, an aggressive plan to take on rural health access using federal grant funds (Rural Health Transformation Grant) and the overall desire of the majority party to cut property taxes while still giving local governments the funds they need to meet their own constituent demands.

Here are a few things to get you ready for 2026:

• We have had six special elections in 2025, including three since session ended. Both House and Senate Majority Leaders are new since the session ended, and committee assignments were changed following those leadership elections. We also have a new House Minority Leader, who was elected late in the 2025 session. You can see new member backgrounds, updated committee lists, and timelines for the session in the Iowa DD Council’s Legislative Guide.

• The session is compressed this year, so legislators who want to sponsor bills must get their request in by Friday, January 23. To stay alive, bills must be voted out of their originating committee by the first funnel deadline on Friday, February 20. Bills that survive that long have until Friday, March 20 to be voted out of one chamber and out of committee in the second chamber. If all goes according to plan, the Iowa Legislature will adjourn on or around April 21.

• LWVIA Capitol Day is Thursday, February 26, 2026. Details will be coming soon, but you can get ready by reviewing the 2026 Legislative Agenda. We will also be scheduling lobbyist check-in zooms throughout the session, so stay tuned here for more details.

• The Governor’s Condition of the State address will be on Tuesday, January 13 at 6 p.m. At this time she’ll announce her budget and priorities. It will be broadcast on Iowa Public Television as well as live streamed on the legislative website (House chambers).

Governor Reynolds signs Executive Order 17 establishing Iowa Nuclear Energy Task Force

Governor Kim Reynolds today (January 5, 2026) signed an executive order establishing the Iowa Nuclear Energy Task Force to advise her, the General Assembly, and relevant state agencies on the development and advancement of nuclear energy technologies and infrastructure in the state.  

“Nuclear energy is a vital part of Iowa’s energy future, and I am committed to advancing reliable, sustainable energy solutions that strengthen our energy independence and fuel economic growth,” Governor Reynolds said. “With our strong foundation in manufacturing and energy innovation, we are uniquely positioned to lead the nation in developing and deploying nuclear technologies. The creation of the Iowa Nuclear Energy Task Force marks a strategic step forward, ensuring the safe, efficient, and responsible integration of nuclear energy into our energy portfolio.” 

The Governor has appointed Iowa native Dr. Mark Nutt, Director of Nuclear Energy Programs at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to serve as chair of the task force which will include at least 11 members who represent utilities, power production companies, local government, academia, the Iowa Utilities Commission, and the General Assembly. 

“I’m honored to serve as chair of the Iowa Nuclear Energy Task Force,” Dr. Nutt said. “As a graduate of Iowa State University’s Nuclear Engineering program, I’m grateful for the opportunity to apply my background to help evaluate how nuclear energy can responsibly and effectively benefit Iowans. This is an exciting time to explore innovative solutions for Iowa’s energy future.” 

Other task force members include: 

• May Farlinger – Alliant, President of Alliant Energy Iowa 
• Mike Fehr – MidAmerican, SVP of Generation and Development 
• Lane Witten – NextEra, VP of Development 
• Brandy Zumbach Meisheid – Linn County Board of Supervisors, Chair 
• Dr. Jim McCalley – Iowa State University, Anson Marston Distinguished Professor and Jack London Chair in Power Systems Engineering 
• Sarah Martz – Iowa Utilities Commission, Chair 
• Matt Resor – IBEW Local 405, Business Manager 
• Andy Roberts – Iowa State Building & Construction Trades, President; Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union 33, Business Manager 
• Senator Mike Klimesh – Iowa Senate, Majority Leader 
• Rep. David Young – Iowa House of Representatives, Chair of Commerce 
• Rep. Hans Wilz – Iowa House of Representatives, Member of Commerce 
• Senator Izaah Knox – Iowa Senate, Ranking Member of Commerce 
• Rep. Sean Bagniewski – Iowa House of Representatives, Minority Whip 

The responsibilities of the task force include but are not limited to: 

• Exploring opportunities to engage with the federal government to support nuclear energy development and ensure Iowa’s policies and initiatives align with national regulations;  
• Assessing emerging nuclear technologies for Iowa’s energy sector;  
• Engaging with industry leaders, academic institutions, and others to ensure Iowa develops a highly skilled workforce for the growing nuclear energy sector; 
• Engaging with manufacturers and other nuclear energy stakeholders to identify barriers to entry and the partnerships and investments needed to cultivate a nuclear supply chain in Iowa; and  
• Evaluating opportunities to enhance economic growth by utilizing nuclear energy. 

The executive order requires the task force to submit its final report detailing its findings and recommendations to the governor within 180 days of the order’s issuance. 

The League of Women Voters of Story County/Ames is hosting a hands-on training to help members find legislative information using online resources. The training will be taped and available here at a later date, but you can find some basics in our slide deck below.

Today (September 9), Axios did a deep dive on central Iowa’s nitrate problem, comparing outcomes to neighboring state Minnesota, which has much stronger water quality laws. You can read the entire article here. Here are the highlights:

• Iowa’s nitrate levels regularly exceed 5 mg/L for decades; Minnsota’s average is at or below 3 mg/L.
• Federal mandates require less than 10 mg/L, but public health agencies say 5 mg/L is too high.
• Minnesota requires buffer strips, restricts fall fertilizer application, and strict permitting for large animal operations. Iowa’s nitrate reduction plan includes these suggestions, but it is voluntary.
• Iowa has the largest number of acres that are tile drained in the country, a process that can quickly move nitrates to water sources.

LWVIA has included a stronger water quality statement in its 2026 legislative priorities, so the information in this article can help you with your messaging to state and federal lawmakers.

• Prioritizing, protecting and improving Iowa water quality and ensuring its sustainable management.
• Enact policies that safeguard clean water and address challenges of health risks, pollution, overuse and climate change.

Earlier this month, the Iowa House Republicans elected a new majority leader (Rep. Bobby Kaufmann). He replaces Rep. Matt Windschitl, who is stepping down from his leadership role in order to run for Congress in Iowa’s 4th District. That seat opens up after the announcement that US Rep. Randy Feenstra will run for Governor. This change in House leadership has triggered committee shifts, but we won’t know for a while how those committee chairs will change. Rep. Kaufmann had chaired the tax-writing House Ways & Means Committee. Rep. Carter Nordman, Rep. Jane Bloomingdale, and Rep. David Young are all rumored to want this post. They currently chair the House Human Resources Committee, House State Government Committee, and House Transportation Committee. Rep. Angel Ramirez, the late-session elected member from Linn County, still has not been assigned her committees. As you can see, some shuffling of committee chairs and membership is ahead.

Similarly, we still do not know whether Sen. Jack Whitver will remain Senate Majority Leader. Sen. Whitver was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer and has had to step back and let his caucus members help with some of his leadership responsibilities as he continues treatment. There are a number of names floating around to replace him when appropriate, including Sen. Mike Klimesh (who chairs Senate Health/Human Services), Sen. Mike Bousselot (who chairs Senate Commerce), and Sen. Dan Zumbach (who chairs Senate Transportation).

Finally, the special election on August 26 to replace Sen. Rocky DeWitt has ended the Republican supermajority lock in the Iowa Senate after Democrat Catelin Drey won 55% of the vote. That means the Senate breakdown for 2026 will now be 32 Republicans & 18 Democrats, still a hefty majority to pass most policies brought to the floor.

The 2025 Iowa Legislative session, which ended on May 15, broke the record in the number of bills filed. In fact, there has never been a House File 1000 in the history of the State of Iowa (since records were kept from 1876).  This year we got to House File 1055. If it felt like there were a lot more bills than usual, it is because there actually were a lot more bills than usual.

Tensions ran high this year with deep divisions on early childhood reform, pharmacy benefit manager reform, and most significantly, banning the use of eminent domain for private carbon pipeline companies.  Of the 171 bills sent to the Governor, she signed all but two and she line-item vetoed one budget:

• House File 383 (veto): Legalizing crystalline polymorph psilocybin upon FDA approval/rescheduling.  The Governor’s veto message indicated this was putting the cart before the horse and taking away state decision-making on the matter.
• House File 639 (veto): Restricting use of eminent domain for carbon pipeline projects.  The Governor’s veto message states that she agrees with the intent of the bill but it goes much further and could destabilize Iowa’s energy industry.  
• Senate File 647 (line-item veto): The Governor took out one line-item appropriation to charge UNI students from border states in-state tuition.  The rest of the budgets were signed as passed by the Legislature.

You can see the final status (with effective dates) of bills in the LWVIA Bill Tracker. All bills that are on the “inactive” list will come alive again in 2026. They begin where they ended in the legislative process.