Week eight marks the halfway point in the legislative session and two weeks until the session funnel on Friday, March 18. This week brought the most floor action we have seen all session, with over 50 bills advancing through...more
Week seven brought major legislative action. The legislature passed historic tax reform on Thursday, a major priority of Governor Reynolds and leadership in both the House and the Senate for 2022. These recent developments,...more
The Iowa legislature met its first major milestone of the 2022 legislative session. Today brings the close of the first legislative funnel. This means that for bills to remain “alive” and eligible for further action, the...more
The headline of week three: tax, tax, tax – both the Senate and the House introduced their tax proposals this week. Also this week, two notable trends continued to develop and emerge...more
Week 2 of the legislative session was shortened by the MLK Jr. holiday weekend as well as travel difficulties caused by the weekend winter storm. Bill introductions continue to ramp up, with 152 bills introduced this week...more
The 2022 session of the 89th General Assembly began Monday, January 10.
Legislative Branch Developments
Makeup of the 89th General Assembly
Republicans maintain their majority in both chambers. House Republicans...more
On Thursday, October 28, the second Iowa special legislative session concluded with the legislature approving the second Legislative and Congressional District Plan (SF621) and Covid Vaccine Exemptions (HF902). Governor...more
On Thursday, October 21, the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) delivered its second redistricting plan, including the second set of maps, to the Iowa legislature....more
The Legislative Services Agency (LSA) delivered its second redistricting plan, including the second set of maps, to the legislature at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, October 21. A short time later the maps were released for the public...more
Today, October 5, 2021, the Iowa Senate rejected the first Legislative and Congressional District Plan. The plan, SF620, failed to pass 18-32, thus triggering the need for the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) to prepare a...more
On Thursday, September 16, the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) delivered its first Proposed Redistricting Plan Report, to the Iowa legislature. The U.S. Census Bureau determined the total resident population of Iowa as of...more
At 10:00 a.m. Thursday, September 16, the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) delivered its first Proposed Redistricting Plan Report, including the first set of maps, to the legislature....more
Special Iowa Legislative Session -
Governor Reynolds signed a proclamation today, September 14, 2021, declaring a special legislative session to convene on Tuesday, October 5, 2021. The purpose of this special session...more
Two and a half weeks beyond the 110th calendar day of the session, the 2021 session of the 89th General Assembly of Iowa adjourned sine die just before midnight on Wednesday, May 19. Originally slated to end April 30,...more
5/24/2021
/ Abortion ,
Affordable Housing ,
Broadband ,
Child Tax Credit ,
Concealed Weapons ,
Diversity ,
Employee's Childcare ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Renewable Fuel ,
Social Media ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Education Departments ,
State Elections ,
State Legislatures ,
Tax Reform ,
Vaccine Passports
Officially into overtime, week 17 ended with many negotiations left to be had. Rank and file legislators were not called into the Capitol on Monday (5/3) or Tuesday (5/4) as there was no floor work or committee blocks...more
Budgets and floor debate dominated week 13. Most of the work was packed into Tuesday, April 6, and Wednesday, April 7, with short sessions at the beginning and end of the week....more
4/12/2021
/ Appropriation ,
Broadband ,
Constitutional Amendment ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Diversity ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Property Tax ,
Redistricting ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Constitutions ,
State Legislatures ,
Tax Reform
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
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
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
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
Candidate Filing Deadline -
Next Friday, March 13, is the filing deadline for the June primary. This is a critical deadline to watch because we will know the field of candidates (other than write-in) for all the...more
Following the first funnel, this week we predictably saw an uptick in floor action in both chambers and a couple of debates that lasted into the evening. The late nights had as much to do with the volume of the work as it did...more
In 1979, after a legislative session that didn’t end until July, the Iowa General Assembly decided it needed a way to better organize the work it was doing. What resulted was a legislative process now referred to as “The...more