116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Home / News / Government & Politics / State Government
Which bills were approved by Iowa state lawmakers this year?
A comprehensive look at what did and did not make the cut

May. 27, 2022 4:58 pm, Updated: May. 30, 2022 5:14 pm
Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, talks with House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, right, at his desk Monday in the Iowa House chambers at the Capitol in Des Moines. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
DES MOINES — Iowans will start paying less state income tax over the coming years, and eventually the reductions will mean $1.9 billion less annually in the state’s spending plan for education, health, justice and other government services.
Over the coming years, more and more Iowa gas stations will have the higher E15 blend of ethanol available at their pumps. And transgender girls in Iowa can no longer play in school sanctioned girls athletics.
It’s all because of legislation that was approved this year by the Iowa Legislature, and signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Advertisement
But some pretty significant proposals did not make the cut.
There will be no scholarship program that would shift taxpayer funding to support families who want to send their student to a private school. There will be no added transparency requirements for public schools about classroom materials and library books. And traffic enforcement cameras, like those in Cedar Rapids, were not banned.
Here are three lists of bills: those that were approved by both chambers of the Iowa Legislature and have been signed into law by Reynolds; those that were approved by the Legislature but await Reynolds’ decision; and those that failed to pass the Legislature.
Passed Legislature, signed into law
- State income tax reductions (HF 2317)
- E15 ethanol requirement (HF 2128)
- Unemployment benefits reductions (HF 2355)
- Ban transgender girls from girls sports (HF 2416)
- “Bottle bill” deposit recycling program (SF 2378)
- Regulating fireworks sales (SF 2285)
- Mobile home lot rent and fees (HF 2562)
- Judicial nominating (HF 2481)
- Antisemitism definition (HF 2220)
- Allowing teen workers to use pizza rollers (SF 2190)
- Allowing warrantless search of garbage (SF 2296)
- Radon testing in schools (HF 2412)
- Hair removal by threading (SF 2119)
- Catalytic converter thefts (SF 2287)
- Deaf and hard-of-hearing education (HF 604)
- Overweight permits for cranes (HF 2518)
- Private school special education task force (SF 2197)
- Inventory of Department of Natural Resources land (SF 2323)
- Removal of municipal utility board members (HF 2475)
- Protects sexual assault victims from questions about previous sexual experiences (HF 2239)
- Allows driver's license photo to be used in missing persons cases (HF 2123)
- Penalties for heroin distribution same as meth (HF 2462)
Passed Legislature, awaiting governor
- Not requiring COVID-19 vaccines for schools, child care centers (HF 2298)
- Two-year moratorium on new casinos (HF 2497)
- Setting child care ratios, worker ages (HF 2198)
- Antlerless deer hunting with rifles (SF 581)
- Repeal deadline for schools’ open enrollment declaration (HF 2589)
- Sales tax exemptions for diapers, feminine products (SF 2367)
- Housing deadline for state park rangers (HF 2560)
- Regulating third-party food delivery (SF 2374)
- Ban on private funding for elections (HF 2589)
- Regulating pharmacy benefits managers (HF 2384)
- District court judicial nominating commissions (SF 2581)
- Regulating ATVs on highways (HF 2130)
- Payments for child care assistance costs (HF 2127)
- Criminalizing elder abuse (SF 522)
- Procedures for police officers to be on a list for credibility issues (HF 2496)
- Penalties for assisted reproduction fraud (HF 2160)
- Expand safe haven for newborns (HF 2420)
- Setting procedures for public safety nuisances (HF 2340)
- Cashless wagering (HF 2497)
- Dairy processing and milk production fund (SF 2290)
- Gubernatorial line of succession (HJR 2005 is a proposed state constitutional amendment that does not require the governor’s signature)
- Changing state constitution to allow 18-year-olds to vote as per federal -requirements (SJR 9 is a proposed state constitutional amendment that does not require the governor’s signature)
Did not pass
- Private school tuition assistance scholarships (SF 2369)
- Prohibition of “obscene” school materials; charges for educators (SF 2198)
- Dissemination of obscene materials to minors (HF 2176)
- Ban on automated traffic enforcement cameras (SF 2319)
- Ban hand-held devices while driving (SF 2129)
- One-year moratorium on eminent domain for pipelines (SF 2022)
- Ensuring “religious freedoms” from government (HF 2437)
- Establishing year-round daylight saving time (HF 2331)
- Public assistance requirements (HF 2438)
- Naming members to judicial nominating commission (SF 2132)
- Ending Senate approval of many governor appointees (SF 2263)
- Regulating raw milk sales (SF 2309)
- Commercial truck driver liability (SF 2139)
- No county name on license plates. (SF 2229)
- Volunteer substitute teachers (SF 2356)
- School board publication requirements (HF 2499)
- Year-round school (HSB 574)
- Establish intensive psychiatric unit at mental health institutes (SF 2216)
- Establishing Iowa PBS materials as public records (HF 2488)
- Marsy’s Law for victims’ rights (HSB 525)
- Review of presidential executive orders (HF 2256)
- Increase capacity at mental health institutes (HSB 531)
- Reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers (HF 2257)
- Requiring cursive instruction (SF 2351)
- Allowing limited beer purchases for restaurants and bars from convenience stores (HF 2379)
- Regulating telemedicine abortions (HF 2389)
- Disclosure of a defendant’s privileged records (SF 2328)
- Studying technology impact on cognitive function (SF 2359)
- Free admission to school events for youngsters (SF 2306)
- Use of simulated firearms in robbery (SF 2173)
- Consumer data protection (HF 2506)
- Legal representation in adoption (HF 2474)
- Inventory checklists for rental property (HF 2471)
- Expungement of domestic abuse no-contact orders (HF 2419)
- Subject of no-contact order must provide license plate number for all vehicles (HF 2346)
- Prohibit noncompete agreements for low-wage workers (SF 496)
- Admissibility of hearsay exceptions (HF 2221)
- Discovery of evidence in sexual abuse (SF 2253)
- Formula for appointing district court judges (HF 2338)
- Lengthening time to claim previous solar project credits (HF 2395)
- Fees to employees of copies of personnel records (SF 2196)
- Setting redistricting public hearings (HF 2538)
- Spousal court testimony privilege (HF 2282)
- Regulating insurance appraisers (HF 2299)
Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com