Election Bill Gets Controversial
On April 7, 2026, the Iowa house passed HF 2501. This bill makes a number of changes to the conduct of elections, including the data collected. The bill was not controversial as first presented, but that changed after the House passed the bill in February. HF 2501, as passed by the House, is a tricky bill.…
Budget Targets Announced, Let the Negotiations Begin!
The one thing the Iowa Legislature must do each year is pass a budget. With just nine days left in the scheduled legislative session, we now have budget targets. The Governor made her budget recommendations in January. The Iowa Senate set its budget target on March 30. The Iowa House of Representatives came out with their spending…
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Second Funnel Hits as Session Enters Final Month
Believe it or not, the 2026 Iowa Legislative Session is nearing the end. As of Monday (March 23) there are only 30 calendar days left in the scheduled 100-day session. Since legislators only work four days each week, that leaves them with only about 18 working days before their per diems run out. We know…
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Candidate Deadline Surprises
Friday, March 13 was the deadline for legislative candidates to file their campaign paperwork with the Secretary of State. That means we now know which State Representatives and State Senators are retiring, which ones are running again, and who have challengers in the June primary or in the November general election. You can see the…
LWVIA Legislative Check-In Recordings
You can find the links to the biweekly legislative check-ins here: January 29, 2026 – Watch | Listen February 12, 2026 – Watch | Listen February 25, 2026 – Watch | Listen March 12, 2026 – Watch | Listen | Slides March 26, 2026 – Watch | Listen | Slides April 9, 2026 April 23,…
Differing Views on Revenue Estimates
The state’s economic forecasting panel (Revenue Estimating Conference, or REC for short) met today to finalize their estimates for the current fiscal year (FY 2026) and the upcoming budget year (FY 2027). The news is not great – revenues for the current year had to be reduced by another $46 million and next year’s estimates…
Amy,
It was nice to see you at the Capitol yesterday. As I mentioned I am from Burlington. Brittany Jacobs, as our librarian, is out doing a dog and pony shows, speaking to every group she can find. She is a member of our LWV and spoke at our social on Wednesday night (2/25). So needless to say, our local league is ready to go to jail for her. Do your have any idea if this will be a fast tracked bill in Senate, and if there is an appetite/support in the House. The Senate was in caucaus yesterday so I didn’t get to speak with Senator Reichman, but did send him an email last night. Can you steer me in the direction of good talking points? I am looking to you instead of Brittany for info because you know the ins and outs of what is effective lobbying and pointers. Thanks for any suggestions or resources you might have.
Thank you