Pat Grassley: ‘My expectation’ is that Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will sign pipeline legislation into law

JOHNSTON — Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley’s “expectation” is that Gov. Kim Reynolds will sign into law legislation dealing with property rights, eminent domain and pipeline projects.

The Iowa Legislature during the recently concluded legislative session passed a bill that would regulate hazardous liquid pipelines and other infrastructure and would restrict the use of eminent domain — the process by which the government seizes land for infrastructure projects.

Grassley and his fellow House Republicans have passed similar bills in each of the past three legislative sessions, but before this year the bills were not considered in the Republican-controlled Senate. And Reynolds has not publicly taken a position on any of those bills or more broadly on the topic of property rights, eminent domain and pipelines.

Grassley, while appearing on Iowa PBS’ latest episode of “Iowa Press,” said Friday that he has not yet spoken with Reynolds about the bill, but that it is his expectation that Reynolds will sign the bill into law.

After the Iowa Legislature passed the bill Monday, a spokesman for Reynolds said the governor’s office is reviewing the bill. The governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

“We’ve passed bills for multiple years. We’re extremely happy to see something already work its way finally through the Senate,” Grassley said Friday. “I would be hopeful and my expectation would be that the governor would sign that piece of policy that does finally give some certainty to landowners.”

The 21 Senate Republicans who voted against the bill Monday asserted that they also support Iowans’ private property rights, but expressed concern that the legislation will hamper economic growth by stifling all types of infrastructure projects — not just pipelines — and alleged the true goal of the bill was to kill a current proposed carbon capture pipeline project in Iowa.

Grassley said Friday that the legislation “provides the protections” that Iowa landowners need.

“My expectation as speaker of the Iowa House, I would be hopeful that (Reynolds) would sign that,” Grassley said. “Based on the feedback I’ve had from landowners, I know multiple members of our caucus have been trying to communicate as well that they would love to see that bill passed. …

“I think it’s something that we (Iowa House Republicans) would really have a high expectation of the governor to sign,” Grassley said.

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Pat Grassley talks possible gubernatorial campaign

Grassley also Friday discussed his potential campaign for governor. Reynolds announced last month that she will not seek re-election, and Grassley is among the Iowa Republicans who have said they are considering a run for the office.

Grassley, who is from New Hartford, has been in the Iowa Legislature since 2007 and has been House speaker since 2019. He said Friday that now that the Legislature has concluded its work for the year, he will take “the next couple of weeks” to make his decision.

“I think that you have to make sure that’s something that you’re ready to do,” Grassley said of a potential gubernatorial bid. “I think I would have the ability to do it. I think I would have the ability to raise money. I’ve had a lot of people reaching out for support. ...

“I would say for me that’s probably the No. 1 driving factor is the impact that it may have on my kid (and) my personal life when it comes to the farm and other things. So that’s one of the biggest factors that I have that I’m trying to weigh right now.”

Former state legislator Brad Sherman is the only officially declared Republican candidate for governor. U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra and state legislator Mike Bousselot have formed exploratory committees to consider a run for governor.

Iowa Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat, this week announced his campaign for governor.

“Iowa Press” airs on Iowa PBS at 7 p.m. Friday and noon Sunday and can be viewed any time at iowapbs.org.

Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com

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