The Iowa Legislature sent its first bills to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk last week. One is the governor’s own proposal to strengthen enforcement of limits of foreign ownership of farmland, which received bipartisan support in the Legislature. There is also a bill to eliminate the gender balance requirement for government boards and commissions. A Republican-backed bill that is Iowa’s version of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act is also awaiting Reynolds’ signature. Democrats said the bill will open the door to discrimination. It’s likely the governor will sign all three bills into law.
The Iowa House also passed its proposed changes to Iowa’s Area Education Agencies. The bill replaces Reynolds’ proposed overhaul of the AEAs. Under the House plan, school districts would continue using the AEAs for special education services, but they could eventually go outside the system for other things like media services. Unlike the governor’s bill, no funding would be cut from the AEA system.
The House also passed other education bills last week, including a cap on tuition hikes and DEI restrictions at public universities, new requirements for social studies classes and a bill making it easier to arm school staff.
In the Senate, a measure moved forward that would require employers to use the federal E-Verify system to check the immigration status of new hires. The chamber also passed a bill that bars the Iowa Department of Natural Resources from buying land at auction for public use.
To read more about what happened this week at the Iowa Capitol, follow our liveblog and sign up for IPR’s weekly newsletter, Political Sense, for Statehouse updates sent directly to your inbox.
