This week in the Iowa Legislature
As the third week of the 2025 legislative session got underway, it was marked by a surge in subcommittee activity as lawmakers settled into their first full week of business. Legislators finalized bill drafts and scheduled over 130 subcommittee hearings and 27 full committee meetings, making for a packed agenda leading up to Thursday afternoon when the House kicked off its first floor debate of the session! As committee work intensifies in the coming weeks, expect legislative priorities to take shape and key policy battles to emerge. We’ll keep you updated as developments unfold.
Casino Moratorium
The Casino Moratorium hit the fast track at the Capitol this week. On Monday, the House Ways and Means Committee greenlit the measure (HF 144), and the full House passed the bill after a contentious floor debate Thursday afternoon ending with a much anticipated 68-31 bipartisan vote with 12 Republicans joining 19 Democrats in opposing the bill. Meanwhile, the Senate companion bill (SSB 1069) passed both the subcommittee and full committee on Thursday making it eligible for floor debate on Monday. The fate of the Cedar Rapids Casino’s gaming license rests in the hands of the Iowa Senate.
Democrats Flip LG Cournoyer’s Senate Seat Blue
The race to fill the Senate seat vacated by now Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer ended in an upset on Tuesday night with Democrat Mike Zimmer edging out Republican Katie Elizabeth Whittington by 339 votes. Political onlookers expected the Senate District 35 special election to be an easy Republican hold as President Trump carried the district by 21% in November. Zimmer, a school board member from Clinton County, will serve the remainder of Cournoyer’s term which runs through 2026. While his victory marks an energizing pickup for Democrats, Republicans still maintain their 34-16 supermajority in the Iowa Senate.
Senate Matches Governor’s K-12 Spending Target
On Tuesday, Iowa Senate Republicans announced a proposal to increase state funding for public K-12 schools by 2% next school year, aligning with Gov. Reynolds’ budget proposal. This would allocate $235 million in new spending to public schools. This matches recent year K-12 spending levels, but public school groups and Democrats continue to argue 2% does not even keep up with inflation. House Republicans have yet to announce their K-12 education spending target.
Court Approves Settlement to Ensure Children Receive Mental Health Services
A federal court has preliminarily approved a landmark settlement agreement in a class action lawsuit against the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), aiming to ensure children with mental health disabilities receive the care they need—where they need it—without being separated from their families and communities. This suit, filed by Disability Rights Iowa and its partners, addresses long-standing gaps in mental health services that have led to unnecessary institutionalization. Advocates call the agreement a crucial step toward a more effective, community-based system of care for Iowa’s youth. For more information… Click here to read the full settlement release from DHHS.
Looking Ahead
The Cedar Rapids Casino license decision could come as early as Monday. The House is set to announce its K-12 education spending proposal, with negotiations and debate on funding expected next week. Subcommittee and committee hearings will also continue to move forward at a quickened pace. Click here to view the daily hearing schedule and virtual access information.