Week 6 of the 2025 Iowa Legislative Session has come and gone. Inside the Capitol, it was bustling with members of the public protesting and testifying in subcommittee while the outside world experienced sub-zero temperatures. Meanwhile, the House and the Senate were busy passing bills out of subcommittee, committee, and on the floor.
Last week, there were 335 new bill introductions between both chambers, the most of any week thus far. At the start of the week, 174 bills passed out of committee and are eligible for floor debate. Seventeen bills passed the House and the Senate passed five bills.
Of the 17 bills passed, 16 were sent to the Senate, and one was delivered to the Governor’s desk. SF 171, successor to SF 16 and companion to HF 174, passed unanimously in both chambers. The bill modifies provisions related to the effective date of school district enlargements, reorganizations, changes in boundaries, and dissolutions. This is the first bill of session to be sent to the Governor.
A Bustling State Capitol
On President’s Day, over 150 Iowans convened at the Capitol to join in a nationwide protest condemning President Donald Trump and the actions of the Trump Administration. The following day, more Iowans came to protest and testify at the subcommittee for HSB 158, which would restrict minors from being present at drag shows in Iowa. The bill advanced through subcommittee, but the assigned members expressed the need to clarify the language because as it stands, the definition of “drag show” is too broad.
On Wednesday, members of the public packed into the room hosting SJR 6, a bill to repeal the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund and replace it with a property tax relief trust fund generated from an increased sales and use tax. In 2010, voters passed the measure to add the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund to the Iowa Constitution with 63% of the vote. However, the trust fund has not been funded since being established because it necessitates a sales tax increase, which legislators have not passed since 2008. The bill passed through subcommittee, and if it passes through committee and on the Senate floor, it is likely to face challenges in the Iowa House.
Civil Rights Bill Introduced
On Thursday, the House introduced HSB 242, a bill to remove gender identity protections from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. The bill defines ‘sex’ as strictly male or female based on biological characteristics observed at birth. If passed, it would remove gender identity from a protected class from anti-discrimination laws, and it would prohibit gender theory from being taught in kindergarten through sixth grade. The bill has been assigned a subcommittee, though a meeting has not yet been scheduled.
Governor’s Priorities Continue to Advance
Governor Kim Reynold’s legislative priorities realized gains in both chambers this week. HSB 123, the proposed energy bill, passed through a House subcommittee, and the following day it passed committee (16-6) with an amendment. Subcommittees in both chambers met to discuss the Governor’s math education bills. SSB 1092 and HSB 137 both passed through subcommittee late in the week and will head to the Education committee in their respective chambers. SSB 1065, which would ban cell phones during instructional periods in schools, passed through the full Senate Education Committee and will head to the floor for debate. Additionally, the Governor’s childcare bills (SSB 1135 and HSB 145) advanced out of subcommittee.
In addition to these bill actions, the Governor introduced healthcare legislation, HSB 191 and SSB 1163, which seek to improve healthcare delivery and support in the rural parts of the state. The bills establish a hub-and-spoke partnership funding model, establish a healthcare workforce and community support grant program, and create a new healthcare incentive program to attract and retain healthcare professionals in underserved parts of Iowa, among other provisions. In a press release accompanying the bill introductions, Governor Reynolds stated:
“The well-being of working families and rural communities depends on access to high quality healthcare… Iowa has a strong foundation to build on, but we need more medical professionals, including specialists, in every part of the state. This program will mean over 460 new physicians over four years being trained here in Iowa. That’s a game changer for rural communities and every part of the state.”
The House version of the bill passed through subcommittee this week, and the Senate version has yet to be assigned a subcommittee.
What’s next?
This week, the legislature will be back for another full week. The next major milestone of the 2025 legislative session is two weeks out. By Friday, March 7, bills must pass out of committee in their originating chamber. This ‘funnel’ deadline does not apply to select bills, namely appropriations, ways and means, and bills related to administrative rules.
The full 2025 Session Timetable can be found here.
