The Iowa legislature adjourned sine die for the 2026 session on Sunday, May 3. The gavel fell in both chambers shortly after 7 p.m. We had several big issues to finish up, and our final days were very productive on some of the most important issues of the year.
House File 2711 removed references to affirmative action throughout the Iowa Code, continuing to level the playing field and encourage equal opportunity for all Iowans.
Senate File 2099 increases the penalty to a felony for animal torture in Iowa and punish those who intentionally, willfully and maliciously torture companion animals.
Senate File 2422 passed to strengthen the integrity of Iowa’s welfare programs and requires Iowa Health and Human Services to use the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database to ensure public assistance is reserved for legal residents. These measures are designed to prevent system abuse, reduce uncompensated care costs, and protect taxpayer resources for Iowans who truly need them. We also sent Senate File 2218 to the governor’s desk, ensuring the Board of Education Examiners require proof of legal authorization to work in the United States for all initial licenses and renewals.
House File 2542 helps keep Iowa communities safe and protect Iowans from repeat offenders. The bill would strengthen mandatory minimum requirements, keep repeat felons out of our communities, ensure they are serving time for the crimes they commit, and increase the punishments for habitual offenders. Along with this bill, we also passed House File 2787, which bans warrant resolution clinics in Iowa. It is another step to help make Iowa communities safer. These are prearranged events to allow people with warrants to appear and resolve the warrant without being subject to immediate arrest and processing. The bill came up after a recent issue where one of these clinics was held, and shortly after, reports indicated a woman who had her warrant waived went on to commit a murder. This bill was yet another way we can help increase public safety and keep Iowans safe.
Investing in Iowa’s water quality
Leaders in the House and Senate along with Governor Reynolds, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, the Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University released a proposal to update Iowa’s water quality investments and put money towards the most effective solutions.
The proposal, as passed in the agriculture budget, re-allocated $301 million over the next twelve years to deploy successful water quality improvements in areas where we know issues exist. The funding will provide the DNR with additional resources for water quality monitoring, will increase grant funding for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure upgrades in rural Iowa, and will provide additional funding for conservation practices in rural Iowa. Additionally, $18 million in new funding was provided for wastewater and drinking water projects in rural Iowa with $10 million being dedicated to a revolving loan fund with an interest rate of 1% or less. This fund will provide a continuous source of funding for water quality projects in rural Iowa long into the future.
Iowa has made great strides in water quality since 2018 when Republicans first addressed the issue. Over the next twelve years we will spend over $1.2 billion in state funding on water quality improvements to go along with the $6 billion invested in Iowa by the federal government.
Iowa ranks number one in water quality wetlands, bioreactors, saturated buffers, grassfed waterways, buffer strips and conservation tillage. Farmers are using effective conservation practices to improve water quality. This commitment represents another big investment in water quality and ensures money is going towards proven practices to help make improvements in water quality for Iowans. Farmers have been proactive in participating in voluntary partnerships to help in this effort, and I am proud we can continue making great strides in this area.
Billions in property tax relief passed by legislature
After months of discussions and conversations, Senate File 2472 passed, saving Iowa homeowners over $4 billion over the next six years.
Senate File 2472 modernizes Iowa’s property tax system and further increases transparency, so Iowans can understand their property tax statements. When property inflation increases, levy rates will automatically decrease. It provides all Iowans with a 10 percent discount on the taxable value of their home, increases the Elderly and Disabled Rental Credit to $1,500 and helps support first-time homebuyers by creating First Home Iowa Accounts.
All along, we have wanted to focus on Iowa homeowners and ensure they were a priority in Iowa’s property tax system. This bill helps ensure the family home has a better tax deal in our state, helps Iowans save for their first home, and helps make the residential assessment appeals process fairer and more transparent. This bill implements a 2 percent restriction on local government spending, while still allowing flexibility to provide the services Iowans expect.
2026 legislative session comes to an end
Education funding remained a top priority, with the legislature approving a $111.5 million increase for the upcoming school year with Senate File 2201. This brings total state support for K-12 education to $4.79 billion. However, the session's education focus extended beyond the budget to the quality of the learning environment.
Senate File 2428 was introduced by the Senate Education Committee and ensures a safer classroom environment for both teachers and students. The bill overhauls student discipline policies and enhances support systems for students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) or Section 504 plans. Key provisions of the bill include expanded classroom discipline authority, least restrictive environment training, establishes a pilot program for specialized attendance centers for students with severe behavior issues, and gives classroom teachers greater input on placement for students with repeated violent behaviors.
SF 2219, now requires school districts to grant a student an exempt absence for participation in school sponsored educational events, like FFA.
We addressed illegal immigration and helped protect Iowa taxpayer dollars. We passed Senate File 2422 requiring Iowa Health and Human Services to use the federal SAVE database to verify the eligibility of every applicant for public assistance. Senate File 2218 ensures anyone applying for a license through the Board of Educational Examiners provide proof of legal authorization to work in the United States, requires the use of E-Verify for newly hired-employees by state and local agencies, and further strengthens our election processes. We also passed Senate File 2426 to require sufficient English language proficiency to obtain a CDL and make Iowa roads safer.
In health care we passed House File 2254 to prohibit University of Iowa hospitals from including noncompete clauses in contracts with workers to help fill gaps in our workforce, especially in rural areas.
We also codified the Child Care Assistance pilot program after seeing successes providing financial assistance to those working in child care centers.
Senate File 2480 provides for an investment of $3 million into the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s hospital to research pediatric cancer with continuing funding sources to support the pediatric cancer research into future years.
I am proud of the successes we have had this legislative session. Thank you to all who contacted me throughout the year, and I look forward to continuing these conversations, hearing your concerns, and getting feedback throughout the summer and fall. It is truly an honor to serve as your state Senator, representing Senate District 3.
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