This Week in the Iowa Legislature
Yet another, and maybe the busiest, week of the 2025 Legislative Session so far has passed. The House and Senate wrapped up Week 7 holding more than 150 subcommittee meetings and 26 committee meetings to ensure their priorities meet the first funnel deadline. While all of this was happening behind the scenes, thousands of Iowans filled the Capitol throughout the week protesting the highly contentious bills to remove gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act in both the House and Senate.
Several high-profile bills moved through the committee process, including a bill to close the smoking loophole on casino floors, a bill to implement a tax on vape and alternative nicotine products, a ranked choice voting ban bill, a prohibition on DEI programs at community colleges, medical conscience protections, radon testing, and practicing barbering and cosmetology without a license.
Many of the Governor Reynolds’ key priorities also advanced ahead of the first funnel deadline. Her proposals on childcare, energy, math and civics education, and school cell phone restrictions all cleared their initial legislative hurdles, positioning them for further debate in the coming weeks.
As bills coming through drafting have been slow, we saw hundreds of bills get introduced this past week, including key proposals on early childhood education, school safety emergency planning, Medicaid work requirements, and 340B drug distributors. Subcommittees in the early part of the next week will largely determine whether these measures advance or stall.
Iowa Legislature Advances Bill Removing Gender Identity from Civil Rights Act
Iowa House and Senate Republicans approved legislation to remove gender identity from the state’s Civil Rights Act, a provision originally added in 2007 under Democratic control.
On Monday the House Judiciary Committee advanced the bill on a 13-8 vote, with all Democrats and one Republican, Rep. Brian Lohse, opposing. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed SF 418 on Wednesday, followed by full Senate approval on Thursday in a 33-15 party-line vote. The House held a 90-minute public hearing Thursday morning before passing the bill later that day on a 60-36 vote, with a handful of Republicans dissenting.
The bill now heads to the Governor, who is expected to sign it. If enacted, Iowa would be the first state to eliminate existing gender identity protections in employment, housing, and credit. The proposal has drawn significant protests at the Statehouse, with thousands protesting its passage throughout the week. Notably, the business community, which has previously weighed in on similar issues, has largely remained silent.
House Advances CO2 Pipeline Bills AGAIN, Senate Yet to Act
The Iowa House Judiciary Committee overwhelmingly approved four bills addressing concerns over carbon dioxide pipelines, particularly the Summit Carbon Solutions project. The proposals would: limit new pipeline operations to 25 years, require companies to carry insurance, allow landowners to challenge eminent domain requests in court earlier, and mandate at least one Iowa Utilities Commission member attend public meetings. Each bill has a Senate counterpart, but none are poised to make the funnel deadline. The House has repeatedly pushed for pipeline regulations, while the Senate has yet to take action.
Looking Ahead
Next week is generally the most stressful week of the session, as advocates and their lobbyists work with lawmakers to push priority legislation through standing committees before the first official funnel deadline at the end of Week 8. The House and Senate have packed schedules, with several committees set to meet twice to accommodate the high volume of bills. To monitor the hearing schedule, click here to view daily events and legislative hearings.
Despite the March 7 funnel deadline, some bills—such as tax and appropriations legislation—are exempt. Additionally, lawmakers can revive stalled bills by amending their provisions onto other legislation. With the deadline looming, legislators face a critical week of negotiations and committee work to keep their priority bills moving forward.