The Iowa Senate focused on floor debate last week. After bills pass the Senate, they are sent to the House of Representatives for their consideration.
PASSING LANES
The Senate voted to strengthen Iowa’s “left-lane camping” traffic laws. While driving on Iowa roads with multiple lanes, we have all come across drivers using the left lane (sometimes referred to the “passing lane”) going slower than the speed limit or slower than other vehicles. This can be a frustrating disruption to the flow of traffic. Senate File 2116 requires drivers to drive in the right-most lane (or a middle lane), with the exceptions of passing another vehicle, avoiding obstructions in the road, or preparing to make a left turn.
SUPPORT FOR NEW MOMS
As promised, Republicans worked to create and improve programming for pregnant mothers. Senate File 2251 was approved to expand Medicaid benefits during pregnancy. The bill expands Medicaid coverage for mothers during their pregnancy from 60 days through 12 months postpartum and adjusts the qualifying income level. These Medicaid benefits for pregnant women are one of several programs available to women and families supported by taxpayer dollars, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program, Family Investment Program (FIP), and the More Opportunity for Maternal Support (MOMS) program. I look forward to continuing to work on legislation and programming to support families and our mothers.
Iowans support constitutional amendment protecting tax cuts
A recent poll indicates Iowans overwhelmingly support a constitutional amendment to require a supermajority vote by the Legislature to raise income tax rates in Iowa. It also showed that Iowans would support putting the flat tax into the Iowa Constitution.
Senate Republicans have prioritized tax relief since we gained the majority in 2017. Since then, we’ve passed historic tax reform legislation. In 2018 we passed our first tax relief package, prioritizing Iowa’s families, farmers, and small businesses by lowering Iowa’s top income tax rate. In 2021, we passed a billion-dollar tax cut, providing additional tax relief to small businesses, eliminating the inheritance tax, and providing both income and property tax relief to Iowans. Finally, in 2022, we passed the historic flat tax and eliminated taxes on retirement income. Providing Iowans with real, permanent tax relief, makes Iowa more competitive with other states and simplifies Iowa tax code. This session the Senate Ways and Means committee has been working to deliver their legislation to continue to provide Iowans with even more tax relief.
A constitutional amendment requiring a supermajority to raise income tax rates in Iowa will protect these reforms, further protect the dollars of hard-working Iowans, and most certainly need broad support of lawmakers to raise taxes in the future, if there was ever a need.
