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On Sunday, Governor Kim Reynolds released the following statement regarding the conclusion of the 2026 legislative session:
“As I reflect on the end of my final legislative session, I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve accomplished together on behalf of Iowans this year. With only a modest 1.4% increase to the state budget, Republicans are delivering big for Iowans.
“We kept our promise by passing meaningful property tax relief and reform, estimating nearly $4 billion in savings over the next six years. By capping local government revenue growth at 2% with clear and responsible guardrails, this plan brings certainty and discipline to a system that needed both. We’re also quadrupling the Homestead Tax Exemption, raising it to $20,000 so more of a home’s value is protected against taxes. And by lowering school levies while fully maintaining school funding, the state is stepping up to carry a greater share of the responsibility, easing the burden on Iowa taxpayers while keeping our commitment to strong public schools. Finally, we created First Home Iowa tax-deductible savings accounts to help young Iowans begin preparing for homeownership.
“We strengthened educational freedom by ensuring more equitable state funding follows students who choose public charter schools and expanding access to both academic and extracurricular opportunities. We approved the University of Northern Iowa, home to Iowa’s largest teacher education program, as a new charter school authorizer to grow high-quality options while maintaining strong accountability. We also expanded access to Iowa’s statewide voluntary preschool program, helping reduce waitlists and ensure more families can benefit from high-quality early learning.
“We took intentional steps to make Iowa a healthier state by refocusing food assistance programs on nutrition, eliminating certain dyes and additives from school foods, and requiring medical schools and continuing medical education to include nutrition courses. Limiting screentime and increasing daily physical activity for elementary students will help young Iowans establish lifelong healthy behaviors. And by allowing psychologists licensed in other states to practice in Iowa, we will expand our health care workforce and improve access to care.
“We supported strong and stable families by reforming foster parent training to ensure more foster homes are available for children in need. We also made child care assistance permanent for child care workers, providing them a reliable, affordable way to remain in the workforce and ensure access to quality child care for working families across our state.
“And we passed a comprehensive plan to improve water quality in Iowa, a $319 million investment over the next 12 years.
“Throughout my time in office, the commonsense, conservative policies we’ve enacted will ensure our state remains strong, prosperous, and vibrant for generations to come. That has been my commitment to Iowans since day one, and I will continue to serve with that same purpose during my final months in office.”
