This week in the Iowa Legislature
The fifth week of the 2025 Legislative Session began with hundreds of Iowans gathering to protest the pesticide immunity bill and Governor Kim Reynolds signing an executive order to launch the Iowa DOGE task force. It ended Thursday with a public hearing and House floor debate on K-12 education funding. And, in true Iowa fashion, no legislative session would be complete without a mid-week snowstorm sweeping through, making for a fairly quiet day at the Capitol Wednesday.
Several more hot-button bills made their way through the committee process this week including hands-free driving, LGBTQ+ topic teaching limitations for high schools, medical practitioner conscience protections, and House eminent domain proposals.
The Governor announced the date for the special election in House District 100 will be held on Tuesday, March 11. This seat became vacant upon the passing of Rep. Martin Graber a few weeks ago.
K-12 Education Funding
In an effort to meet their self-imposed deadline (Feb. 13), the Legislature focused on State Supplemental Aid (SSA) for K-12 education, but disagreements between the Senate and House have delayed its final approval. On Tuesday, Senate Republicans passed their proposed 2% increase for K-12 education funding (SF 167), aligning with the Governor’s recommendation. However, the bill faced opposition from three Senate Republicans—Shipley, Driscoll, and McClintock—who joined all Democrats in voting against it. The bill ultimately passed with a 29-18 vote.
Meanwhile, House Republicans introduced their own K-12 funding proposal, suggesting a slightly higher 2.25% increase along with one-time funds for transportation costs and operational sharing. After a public hearing on Thursday morning, the House amended their 2.25% proposal onto SF 167 and passed the amended version with a 58-35 vote. Five House Republicans—Lohse, Cisneros, Moore, Determann, and Dieken—joined all Democrats in opposing the bill.
The amended bill now heads back to the Senate for consideration. The outcome of this debate will determine the level of support Iowa’s K-12 schools receive, impacting resources available for students and educators statewide.
Senator Zimmer Sworn in
After his surprise special election victory last month, Senator Mike Zimmer, a Democrat from Clinton County, was officially sworn into the Iowa Senate on Monday to represent District 35. His addition restores the Senate’s composition to a 34-16, the same as before the election. Sen. Zimmer brings extensive experience in education to his new role as a teacher, administrator and most recently as the school board president. He now works as a Career and Technology Education Consultant for the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency and is a small business owner. He will serve as the Ranking Member on the Agriculture Committee and as a member on Education, Health & Human Services, Natural Resources, and Transportation committees.
Looking Ahead
As the legislature continues to push priorities forward, we anticipate that the House and Senate will reach a final agreement on K-12 education funding and send it to the Governor next week. Meanwhile, hundreds of bills are still awaiting final review and introduction at the Legislative Services Agency (LSA). With the First Funnel deadline just three weeks away, many of these bills may not receive a hearing this session due to drafting delays. To keep up with what is sure to be a packed week of subcommittee and committee hearings, click here to view the daily hearing schedule and virtual access information.