The excitement around basketball was palpable in the Capitol this week. The Drake Bulldogs, Iowa Hawkeyes, and Iowa State Cyclones are all sending their men’s and women’s teams into the first round of the NCAA tournament. The...more
Post-funnel, the legislature’s focus narrowed to the bills that are still “alive.” Only legislation that has been voted out of committee in its chamber of origin is eligible for further consideration. As we noted last week,...more
At the end of Week 8, the Iowa legislature met its first major milestone of the 2023 legislative session. Friday brought the close of the first legislative funnel—and this first funnel was eventful....more
The theme of this session seems to be Wednesday/Thursday winter weather. Yet again winter weather hit Wednesday and remained icy into Thursday. Legislators have been bundling up to get to the Capitol to work on session...more
Yet another legislative week was shortened due to winter weather. The snowfall sent many legislators home Wednesday night, making for a quiet Thursday. The House introduced 93 new bills this week, and the Senate introduced...more
Week 5 brought movement on major legislation, including annual education funding and medical malpractice limits. The legislature kept up its rapid pace, with 69 bills introduced in the House and 59 introduced in the Senate....more
Week four brought more bill introductions and the continued rapid pace of committee work. We are four weeks from the first funnel deadline and expect committee work to continue moving bills through full committees to become...more
The headline of Week three: Governor Reynolds signed her top legislative priority into law. The highly debated Educational Savings Accounts plan passed the House and Senate after a late night of debate Monday night, landing...more
The 90th General Assembly convened for the 2023 legislative session on Monday, January 9. Monday consisted of short organizing sessions in the House and Senate and speeches by leadership in both parties. Priorities set by the...more
The 2023 session of the 90th Iowa General Assembly began Monday, January 9....more
Legislative activity came to a close last week, as Governor Reynolds signed the remaining enrolled bills into law, completing action on all of the approved legislation from the 89th General Assembly. Governor Reynolds...more
Primaries were held in seven states across the nation on Tuesday, June 7, including here in Iowa. Primaries set the matchups for the fall general election....more
Just shy of two weeks after adjournment of the 2022 Iowa legislative session, the attention of the political world (and for those on the ballot, hopefully, enough voters to keep them on the ballot in the general election)...more
Five weeks beyond the 100th calendar day of the session, the 2022 session of the 89th General Assembly of Iowa has adjourned sine die. Originally slated to end on April 20, stalled negotiations on Education Savings Plans...more
We are now 30 days beyond the scheduled 100th day of session. The legislature had been on a bit of a hiatus for the last two and a half weeks, gaveling in and out as required by Constitution/rule…until this week. Progress...more
Week 17 was more of the same. The second full week of overtime, this week came and went without an agreement on the Education Savings Accounts (ESA) issue which continues to drive the delayed adjournment. It remains unclear...more
Officially into overtime, legislators are now working without receiving per diem and without assistance from their clerks. At the end of week 16, the lack of agreement on the Education Savings Accounts (ESA) issue continues...more
Tuesday, April 20 marked the scheduled 100th day of session, and with it, per diems expire for legislators. We are now officially into overtime. It is difficult to discern when the legislature will adjourn sine die. Chambers...more
Week 14 was very similar to week 13. Small steps were made toward adjournment, but resolutions on the major outstanding issues remain elusive and the budget process continues to be on hold (except for the Transportation...more
Week 13 closes and uncertainty increases about the end of the 2022 legislative session. Initially, leadership forecasted an early adjournment. Hopes of adjournment by Easter continues to fade. Optimistic but realistic,...more
What are the two leading indicators as to when the Iowa General Assembly will adjourn for the year? The appropriations process and soil temperature. Let’s discuss that below....more
As week 11 comes to end, by Monday, March 28, there will be 23 days left until the April 19 scheduled adjournment date, which is about 16 legislative workdays. For the first time this session, this week brought a sense of...more
The legislature met their second legislative funnel deadline this week. This means that policy bills that did not receive floor approval in their originating chamber and advance through committee in the opposite chamber are...more
With the end of Week Nine, we are official beyond the halfway point of the scheduled legislative session. This week also marks one week until the second legislative funnel, which is scheduled for next Friday, March 18. There...more
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