State lawmakers faced their first major deadline of the 2025 legislative session this week.
Most bills had to be approved by a committee in the chamber in which they started in order to remain eligible for debate this session. But there are major exceptions: any bills related to taxing and spending aren’t subject to the deadline, and legislative leaders have ways of reviving “dead” proposals later on if they wish.
House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, highlighted bills that seek to overhaul higher education in the state by targeting majors to meet workforce needs and restricting DEI programs. He also said bills seeking to limit SNAP benefits to healthy foods and establish Medicaid work requirements are priorities.
“We’ve continued to come in and try to address the issues that we think are extremely important,” Grassley said. “Now some of those are going to be — you know, like cost of living, for example — issues that we’ve been talking about, you’re going to start seeing more of those conversations.”
Grassley said many of those will be tax-related proposals that are not subject to this week’s deadline, including expanding eligibility for the child care tax credit and eliminating sales taxes on everyday products.
Democratic leaders said they are frustrated because the GOP majority has been advancing bills that Iowans didn’t ask for instead of focusing on lowering costs.
“For the party of ‘small government,’ the Republicans sure do think a lot of great ideas come out of Des Moines, and are sure interested in taking over the decisions that we make about vaccines, about education, about how we live our lives, about who gets civil rights — who doesn't,” said House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights.
Konfrst said Democrats proposed bills focused on lowering housing, health care and child care costs but failed to garner Republican support to advance them.
Here are some bills that advanced and failed ahead of the first “funnel week” deadline:
Bills that advanced
Restricting cell phones in schools: The governor’s proposal would create a baseline ban on cell phone usage during instructional time in schools, although districts could adopt more restrictive cell phone policies. It would also require 6th through 8th graders to learn about the effects of social media as part of their health curriculum.
Distracted driving: The bill would tighten Iowa’s laws around cell phone use while driving by requiring any use of devices to be in hands-free mode.
Medicaid work requirements: Proposals in the House and Senate would require some Iowans to work in order to receive government-funded health insurance through Medicaid.
Pesticide lawsuits: The bill proposed by Bayer, the maker of Roundup, would say pesticide companies can’t be sued for failing to warn consumers of health risks if they follow labeling requirements. Opponents argue it cuts off access to justice for people who get cancer and other severe illnesses from pesticide exposure.
Medication abortion reversal: Under the bill, abortion providers would have to inform patients of the risks of medication abortion and the possibility of reversing the procedure. Opponents say the bill is not supported by scientific evidence.
Expanding health care access: Gov. Kim Reynolds is proposing more funding for health provider financial incentives and tapping into federal funds to add medical residency positions. Her bill also includes a proposed “hub and spoke” model for rural health care.
Making it a crime to refuse ICE detainer requests: The bill would make it a crime for a law enforcement officer to refuse a federal request to keep an immigrant in jail to make it easier for ICE to arrest them. It follows an Iowa sheriff’s announcement that he wouldn’t follow such requests.
School of intellectual freedom: The bill would establish an independent “school of intellectual freedom” at the University of Iowa, dedicated to studying “the historical ideas, traditions and texts that have shaped the American constitutional order and society.” The school would offer major and minor programs, as well as graduate programs.
Bills that failed to advance
Repealing the natural resources trust fund: Currently, the Iowa Constitution states the next time Iowa increases the sales tax, a portion of the tax would go towards maintaining the state’s parks, trails and other natural areas, as well as enhancing water and soil quality. The proposed constitutional amendment would have redirected the revenue to a property tax relief fund instead.
Guns on school property: The bill would have allowed people who have a permit to carry firearms to keep their concealed weapon loaded and accessible while in their car and dropping off a child at school.
Requiring ICE agreements: The bill would have required all law enforcement agencies in Iowa to enter into agreements with ICE to identify and detain immigrants without lawful status.
Vaccine maker liability: The bill would have required manufacturers of vaccines administered in Iowa to waive their immunity from lawsuits over vaccine-related injuries.
Homelessness restrictions: The bill would have banned camping and sleeping on public property. According to the bill, if someone did not move after being issued a warning, they could be charged with a simple misdemeanor, punishable by jail time and a fine. Opponents said it would criminalize homelessness.
Extending LGBTQ topics ban: Current law bans instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools before 7th grade, though that is being challenged in court. This new bill would have extended the ban through high school.
Bill signed into law
Removing gender identity from Iowa Civil Rights Act: This new law removes specific anti-discrimination protections for transgender Iowans from state law. It also prevents people from changing the sex listed on their birth certificate and bars transgender women from women’s public bathrooms, domestic violence shelters and more. It takes effect July 1.
