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Sioux Center, IA 51250
Thursday marked the end of the first legislative funnel deadline. If a bill hasn’t been voted out of a committee in either the House or Senate by this point in the session, the issue is likely “dead” for the year. There are some exceptions, of course – leadership bills, oversight bills, and budget bills and tax bills.
While this is not a comprehensive list, here are a few highlights of what bills died and survived the first legislative funnel:
Good News: These GOP Bills Are Dead
- National Anthem required to be sung in schools (HSB 587)
- Death Penalty (SSB 3085)
- Not allowing localities to ban conversion therapy (SF 2037)
- Dictating who we can love and marry (SF 2129)
- Policing our restrooms in public places (SF 2055)
- Tinkering with our U.S Constitution (SF 2130)
- Dangerous Ivermectin treatment authority (SF 2122)
- City council take over of libraries (SSB 3166) (HSB 678)
- Removing gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Code (HF 2082)
- Eliminating early voting (HF 2373)
- Politicization of judicial selection (SF 2317)
- Voucher expansion to private preschools (HF 2353)
- Partisan elections for school board, city and merged AEA’s (HSB 633)
- School to employ chaplains services to students (SSB 3092/HF 2073)
- Making it harder to get the abortion pill (HF 2122)
Bad News: These Reynolds & Republican Bills Still Alive
- Eliminate AEA mental health and special education services (SSB 3073/HSB 713)
- Erase LGBTQ+ Iowans from Iowa code (HF 2389)
- Union-busting bill targeting police, firefighters, teachers, and other public servants (SSB 3158)
- Arm teachers in public and private schools (HSB 675)
- Cutting Iowans’ voices out of boards & commissions (SSB 3172)
- Take money from public schools to give to charter schools (SSB 3157/HSB 673)
- Lowering teaching qualifications (HF 255)
- Underfunds K-12 Schools (HSB 712)
- Eliminate the gender balance requirement on state boards (HF 2540/SF 2096)
- Eliminate asbestos inspections (HF 2426)
- Restricting access to STI vaccinations for Iowa youth (SF 2064)
- Lowering accountability of taxpayer dollars to anti-abortion fake clinics (SF 2252/HF 2057)
- Restrict diversity, equity and inclusion work at universities (HF 2327)
- Changes nutrient management plans allowing for producers to avoid requirements and pollute waterways (SSB 3152)
- Restricts the DNR from purchasing public land (SSB 3129)
- Lawsuit immunity for pesticide companies giving people cancer (SSB 3163)
- Allows government agencies to bypass a state audit (SF 2311)
- Putting up barriers for eligible Iowans to vote (SSB 3161/HSB 697)
- Using religion to discriminate (HF 2454/SF 2095)
- Get rid of social security and medicaid (HJR 7)
- Immunity to discriminate in health care (SSB 3006)
- Forcing local governments to transfer property to private schools (SF 2333)
- Reduced protections for tenants (SSB 3102)
STILL ALIVE: Bi-Partisan Bills Moving Ahead
- Raising pay for teachers and education professionals (HSB 714)
- More transparency to protect Iowans when they sell their homes (SF 2290/HF 2394)
- Cancer Protections for Firefighters and Cops (HF 2482)
- Voters with disabilities pilot project (HSB 591)
- Paid parental leave for state employees (HF 2557)
- Makes school start date a little more flexible (HSB 585)
- Ban foreign land ownership (HF 663 / SF 2204)
- Increase college savings plans (HF 2537 / SF 2236)
- Expanding incentives for school districts to share (SF 2105)
- Increases funding to the State Housing Trust Fund (HF 2188)
- Increases the amount of Workforce Housing Tax Credits (HF 2420)
- Dyslexia specialist endorsement grant program (HF 2377)
- Expand preschool (SF 2075)
- Insurance coverage for biomarker testing to improve patient care (SF 2159/HF 2492)
- Price caps for insulin drugs (SF 2214)
- Insurance coverage for prevention of ovarian cancer (SF 2363)
- Insurance coverage for diagnostic and supplemental breast exams (SF 2358)/HF 2489)
- Protecting consumers from bots purchasing event tickets (SF 2322)
- Protecting land from being tied up in eminent domain actions (HF 2522)
- Consumer data protection, health information and apps (SF 2321)
- Criminalizing the use of AI in sexual exploitation of a minor (SF 2243/HF 2241)
- Expedites Iowan’s medical prior authorization process (HF 2488)
- Increases Iowans’ prescription drug pricing transparency and helps local pharmacies hold PBMs accountable (HF 2401/SSB 3079)
- Increases penalties for individuals who falsely report bomb or terrorist threats (HSB 2165/SF 2161)
- Combatting gift card fraud (SF 2334)
- Greater access to birth control (HSB 642)
- Helping to employ individuals with disabilities (HSB 198)
