In Week 12, the Iowa Legislature passed through the second funnel and Rita Hart dropped her contest of the election results. The Governor has signed over three dozen bills....more
The eleventh week brought a steady bustle around the Capitol as we head into the next important legislative deadline, the second and final funnel ends on Friday, April 2. In order for bills to continue to be considered by the...more
With two weeks until the second funnel, week 10 was dominated by extended floor debates on big-ticket Republican priorities.
..Rental Vouchers (SF252) prohibits local ordinances that require landlords to accept federal...more
3/22/2021
/ Background Checks ,
Censorship ,
Governor Reynolds ,
Gun Laws ,
Housing Choice Vouchers ,
Inheritance Tax ,
Pending Legislation ,
Public Schools ,
Rental Property ,
Social Media ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures
With funnel week behind us, both chambers focused their efforts on floor work to move bills past the second funnel (April 2). Bills that survived this first funnel must now be passed out of the originating chamber and...more
As this was the first funnel week of the 2021 legislative session, both chambers focused their efforts on committee work. Despite already passing a massive number of bills through committee in the first seven weeks of the...more
As of the end of week six, the legislature had passed more than 1,500 bills out of committee. Week seven saw even more committee action, and legislators continue to advance bills in an effort to meet the upcoming funnel...more
The highlight of this week in Iowa and around the country remains Mother Nature and the unprecedented weather cycle causing major disruptions in the power grid. Here in Iowa, temperatures spent much of the week below zero,...more
2/22/2021
/ Census ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Election Laws ,
Governor Reynolds ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Legislative Committees ,
Pending Legislation ,
Redistricting ,
Severe Weather ,
State Legislatures ,
Vaccinations
Week 5 at the Iowa legislature brought a lot of action both in committee and in each chamber. Dozens of bills passed out of House and Senate committees each day this week, which is a much faster pace than any recent session. ...more
Week four brought extensive committee work in both chambers Monday-Wednesday, with a slower day on Thursday due to the snow in Des Moines and across the state, though virtual meetings allowed the Senate to continue to conduct...more
Both chambers gaveled in for the third week of the legislative session, despite a massive snowstorm that dumped historic levels of snow across most of Iowa and the Des Moines metro.
While the emphasis this week was...more
Update: On Monday, January 25, the Governor introduced another bill, SSB1065, which establishes a student first scholarship program for certain pupils attending nonpublic schools.
The legislature did not meet on Monday in...more
1/26/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Education ,
Executive Orders ,
Governor Reynolds ,
Private Schools ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Public Schools ,
Relief Measures ,
Scholarships ,
State Constitutions ,
State Legislatures ,
Tax Deductions ,
Teachers
The Legislature convened on Monday, January 15, with new COVID-19 protocols controlling access in the Capitol. The opening of the General Assembly began with remarks by leaders in both chambers and joint conventions for the...more
The 2021 session of the 89th General Assembly began today, Monday, January 11.
The Makeup of the 89th General Assembly -
Republicans maintain their majority in both chambers. House Republicans picked up six seats in...more
Governor’s Desk-Bill Status Report -
After an 11-week recess and a number of long days and late nights, the “second” session of the 88th General Assembly of Iowa adjourned sine die Sunday, June 14, 2020, almost two months...more
After an 11-week recess due to COVID-19 and a number of long days and late nights, the “second” session of the 88th General Assembly of Iowa adjourned sine die at 1:40 p.m. Sunday, June 14, 2020, almost two months after it...more
Legislators returned to the Capitol Wednesday, June 3, to resume the 2020 session after being paused due to COVID-19 for 11 weeks. The session is expected to adjourn sine die for 2020 on Friday, June 12....more
Legislative Branch Update -
The General Assembly returns Wednesday, June 3, to resume the 2020 legislative session. When they reconvene, the House and Senate will amend joint rules to accommodate the unprecedented second...more
On Wednesday, May 13, the Iowa House Republicans issued a press release, stating the intention of the legislature to resume the 2020 legislative session at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3. The Legislative Council will...more
This week saw more Governors easing restrictions on economic activity in their states as confidence grows that adequate resources have been marshaled by the government and health care systems to be able to respond to a surge...more
This week, as states around the country began slowly re-opening, the federal guidelines were allowed to expire signaling a shift in focus from quarantine to containment. The second round of Paycheck Protection Program funding...more
Federal Update -
This week, Congress passed, and President Trump signed into law H.R. 266, the interim coronavirus response package (known as Phase 3.5). The bill includes...more
With the Senate failing to reach agreement on additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), they have adjourned for the week planning to continue negotiations throughout the weekend. Majority Leader McConnell...more
Federal Update -
This week, the focus at the federal level was on the next round of funding for the COVID-19 aid package as well as planning for a return of “normality.”...more
On Sunday, March 22, Governor Reynolds issued a third State of Public Health Disaster Emergency Declaration that was effective immediately. The declaration provides additional mandatory closures as well as further regulatory...more
Multiple financial assistance and relief programs are now available to help Iowa small businesses in light of the COVID-19 pandemic:
SBA loans, announced by Governor Reynolds on March 21. The U.S. Small Business...more