Articles Tagged: Iowa Legislature

The bill would expand Iowa’s flagship Major Economic Growth Attraction, or MEGA, program to allow tax incentives for an NFL franchise building a stadium in the state

A bill in the Iowa Legislature would increase taxes on tobacco products and implement an excise tax on vape and consumable hemp products as lawmakers aim to tackle the state’s rising cancer rates.

Iowa Republican legislators are again moving forward proposals that would let legal gun owners keep firearms in locked vehicles on school and college property and ease restrictions on who can carry. Critics warned the bills could expand access to firearms in places and situations considered high-risk.

Education leaders, disability advocates agree student behavior needs to be addressed, but worry about ‘segregation’ and how the proposal would be funded.

Months earlier than usual — and with legislation advancing to prohibit tuition increases in one way or another — Iowa’s Board of Regents on Tuesday proposed rate increases for the 2026-27 academic year aimed at addressing “uncertainty surrounding other primary revenue sources.”

A proposed increase in state funding for Iowa’s K-12 schools advanced by House Republicans would still fall short of preventing staff reductions and program cuts, education advocates say.

Also in the notebook, a proposal to expand Iowa’s bottle bill is moving forward in Des Moines.

Exemptions from restrictions on obscene materials would be lifted from Iowa public libraries under legislation advanced by state lawmakers Monday.

A bill advancing at the Iowa Capitol would establish new guardrails on the use of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs), aiming to balance law enforcement’s investigative needs with heightened concerns about privacy, civil liberties and data sharing.

Iowa legislators not alone in proposing changes to sentencing, police training and immigration enforcement agreements.

Reimbursement for home security systems and allowing legislators to get professional weapons permits are among the proposals.

Libraries across the state are turning to individual and collective action to advocate for continued materials access.

Republican-backed bills targeting transgender protections and parental authority, and a statewide school dress code proposal, are advancing at the Iowa Capitol.

Iowa House Democrats will now look to hold their one seat in Northwest Iowa in this November’s general election

This week on the On Iowa Politics podcast, we discuss multiple pieces of controversial legislation at the Iowa Capitol, federal immigration enforcement, and a bill to lure the Chicago Bears to Iowa.