The bills that survived the first major deadline of Iowa’s 2025 legislative session show that Republicans have moved forward with a number of their priorities through bills focused on issues ranging from higher education to carbon capture pipelines to child care access.

The Legislature’s self-imposed “funnel” deadline culls most legislation from further consideration if the measure has not received committee approval. In the first funnel, bills must receive committee approval in one chamber to remain eligible; there will be a second funnel deadline April 4, when bills must have passed one full chamber and a committee in the opposite chamber to remain eligible.

Bills that do not meet these set deadlines are considered “dead” for the session – but there are several caveats. Language from bills that do not meet the “funnel” deadline can still be added as amendments to other surviving bills, or can be brought forward as leadership-sponsored legislation. Additionally, bills that involve taxes, spending and government oversight components are exempt from the funnel.

Public school funding stalled

There’s one notable bill with a spending component that has not been passed this year — the state’s funding for the public school system.

The House sent its public school funding proposal to the Senate in February, a package that included a 2.25% per-pupil funding increase, a one-time allocation of $22.6 million for per-pupil costs and an increase to transportation equity payments. The Senate had approved a 2% SSA rate that did not include the other funding components, matching Gov. Kim Reynolds’ initial proposal. The Senate has not taken up the House’s education spending package since.

House Speaker Pat Grassley said House Republicans are “still having conversations” with Senate Republicans and the governor on SSA, but did not say any agreement has been reached.

Lawmakers have a self-imposed deadline of passing the State Supplemental Aid (SSA) rate for public K-12 schools within 30 days of the governor’s budget being released. This time limit passed by in February. While there is no penalty for not passing SSA within this timeframe, a delay in passing this measure can cause issues for schools that must submit their budgets in early March.

Grassley said during his discussions with local school districts, many are budgeting with the expectation that the Senate and governor’s SSA rate will be approved.

“I think a lot of schools are making decisions at (2%),” Grassley said. “But we’re holding tight at this point because we feel strongly about some of those other items as well as the SSA, and the package that we have.”

Sole new law removes transgender civil rights

The only piece of legislation that has made it to Reynolds’ desk: The repeal of “gender identity” from the Iowa Civil Right Act. The law was passed quickly through the legislative process, having its first subcommittee hearing Feb. 24 and being signed into law Feb. 28.

Republicans control both chambers in the Iowa Legislature, in addition to holding all but one statewide elected office. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst said Democrats are frustrated by what bills Republicans have chosen to move forward this session, which she said are “focused on anything but lowering costs for Iowa families.”

Here’s what to know about some of the high-profile legislation that made it past the first deadline of the session.

What survived

Pay increases: Senate File 544 would increase the salaries for state lawmakers by $20,000, in addition to providing a $100,000 salary bump for the governor and pay increases of $76,788 for other statewide elected officials like the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer and secretary of agriculture. The attorney general would see a salary increase of $86,331 under the proposal.

Grain indemnity: House File 508, formerly House Study Bill 131, would increase the grain indemnity fund minimum and maximum to $8 million and $16 million, respectively, to help cover farmers’ losses when their buyers go broke. The bill, which advanced from the House Agriculture Committee Feb. 18, would also allow farmers with credit-sale contracts to partake in the fund’s protections.

Reducing nitrogen fertilizer: House Study Bill 165 would create a pilot program within the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, with a goal of reducing the statewide average use of commercial nitrogen fertilizers by 15%. The bill advanced from the House Agriculture Committee.

Eminent domain for CO2 pipelines: House Study Bill 287 specifies that the “construction of hazardous liquid pipelines for the transportation or transmission of liquefied carbon dioxide” does not constitute a public use for the purpose of condemning agricultural land. House Judiciary Committee advanced the bill Thursday, though the Senate version, Senate File 92, did not advance.

Firearm age limits: House Study Bill 262 would lower the age limit for carrying a firearm from 21 to 18. While the current version of the bill would allow people ages 18-21 to obtain permits like concealed carry licenses, Holt said there would likely be an amendment to remove this provision in order to satisfy National Instant Criminal Background Check System requirements.

Pesticide lawsuits: Senate Study Bill 1051 would protect pesticide manufacturers from certain lawsuits, including those that claim the products gave users cancer. It advanced from the Senate Judiciary Committee as Senate File 394.

Bible studies in public schools: The education committees in both the House and Senate approved legislation related to elective social studies courses in Iowa public high schools on the Bible. Senate File 510 and House File 448 direct the Iowa Board of Education to establish course standards for elective social studies classes on “Hebrew Scriptures or the Old or New Testament of the Bible” for students in grades 9 through 12. The legislation includes language requiring the state board and school districts to remain in compliance with state and federal laws on religious neutrality.

Cellphones in school: Reynolds’ bill to set a statewide minimum policy on cellphones in schools gained approval in both chambers. Senate File 370 and House File 782 would require school boards to adopt a policy banning the use of personal electronic devices during instructional periods to be implemented in the 2025-2026 school year. Students in grades 6 through 8 would also be required to take “effects of social media” training under the proposal.

Child abuse investigations: The Senate Education Committee passed two bills aimed at investigating child abuse in schools in the same meeting, Senate Files 517 and 518. Senate File 517 would make the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services responsible for investigating alleged child abuse cases at schools. Senate File 518 would require schools to place any employees under investigation for child abuse by the Board of Educational Examiners on administrative leave immediately.

Fetal development instruction: The Senate passed Senate File 175 in a 31-13 vote in February, a bill that would require human growth and development and health classes in grades 1 through 12 to show fetal development videos and graphics that depict “the humanity of the unborn child by showing prenatal human development, starting at fertilization.” While the bill does not mention “Meet Baby Olivia,” a video produced by an anti-abortion organization, by name, critics said the measure could allow content with non-scientifically accurate information to be shown in public school courses.

Grooming behavior: House File 167, formerly House Study Bill 46, requires mandatory reporting of licensed school employees to the Board of Educational Examiners if they engage in “grooming behavior” toward students. “Grooming behavior” is defined as “the process of building trust or emotional connections with a student with the intent to exploit such student.”

Home schooling: House File 888 makes multiple changes to current regulations on home schooling, including the elimination of requirements for families that homeschool their children to provide proof of immunization and blood lead tests and submit to the state an “outline of course of study.” It also removes a current restriction that only four children who are unrelated to a homeschooling instructor can receive private instruction from that person.

The bill also includes a section prohibiting the use of gender-neutral language in high school world language classes for languages that have a grammatical gender system, like Spanish and French.

Library associations: House File 880 would change library eligibility for Enrich Iowa funds provided through the State Library of Iowa to exclude members of a nonprofit organization — such as the Iowa Library Association or American Library Association — that “promotes federal and state legislation related to libraries and engages in advocacy efforts at the federal, state or local level.”

Math, civics education: Senate File 450 is the governor’s proposal to help improve math education in Iowa. It would require early screening and targeted intervention strategies for K-12 students who are struggling with math, and direct the Iowa Department of Education to provide support to schools and districts to help construct personalized mathematics instruction plans for students who need assistance in the subject. The bill would also require Iowa students to pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Naturalization Test with 60% or higher before graduating high school.

The companion version of the legislation in the House, House File 784, also cleared the committee process. The House also passed the provision requiring high school students pass the Naturalization Test to graduate as a separate bill, House File 165.

School chaplains: House File 884 would allow public school districts and charter schools to hire religious chaplains or allow them on a volunteer basis to provide “services” to students and staff.

School technology: Senate File 516, renamed from Senate File 237, would direct the Iowa Department of Education to work with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to create a working group focused on school technology and its impacts. The group will look at the impacts of technology like school laptops, slideshow presentations and more on “social and behavioral development, attention span, mental concentration and learning ability of students,” according to the legislation, and submit a report on its findings and best practices to the General Assembly by Dec. 31.

Sexual abuse education: Senate File 172, also called “Erin’s Law,” would have the Department of Education craft guidelines for schools to utilize in teaching students in kindergarten through sixth grade about child sexual abuse.

Tampons, pads in school bathrooms: The House Education Committee approved House File 883, legislation that would provide funding for schools to provide free feminine hygiene products in Iowa school bathrooms for 6th through 12th grade students. The funding would be available beginning in the summer of 2025 through June 30, 2028.

Threat assessment teams: House File 163 would authorize K-12 school districts, private schools and charter schools to create threat assessment teams that could consist of school officials, law enforcement officers as well as mental health and social services workers. The teams would be tasked with coordinating resources and intervening when a student exhibits behavior that could pose a threat to the safety of other students or school staff.

Use of names, pronouns: Students or teachers could not be disciplined for not using a transgender student’s legal name or incorrect pronouns under Senate File 8, approved by the Senate Education Committee. Parents of transgender children said the measure would override “parental rights,” allowing teachers or other students to purposefully ignore a parent’s directive to address their child by a name different from their legal name.

Civil government course: House File 402, formerly House Study Bill 56, would require college students to take a course on American history and civil government in order to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. The course would cover the U.S. government and its history, founding documents and “the study of and devotion to American institutions and ideals,” according to the legislation.

College reporting requirements: Senate File 520, formerly Senate Study Bill 1075, would have community colleges report program-level data to the Iowa Department of Education, rather than the state community colleges bureau. The Iowa Department of Administrative Services and Department of Education would also be directed to develop an annual compensation schedule and set employee benefits for all employees of the Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Iowa School for the Deaf.

DEI in community colleges: House File 855 would add community colleges to legislation passed last year barring state universities from funding or maintaining DEI offices.

DEI in private universities: House File 854 would prohibit private universities from opening, funding or otherwise maintaining offices of diversity, equity and inclusion as a prerequisite for participation in the Iowa Tuition Grant program.

DEI courses in public universities: House File 269, formerly House Study Bill 53, would bar state universities from requiring students take a course related to diversity, equity and inclusion or critical race theory to satisfy general education requirements or earn any level of certification or degree, with certain exceptions. Employees of the institutions are also prohibited from requiring or incentivizing faculty to participate in DEI or critical race theory-related practices or include those topics in content.

Financial information: Universities would also have to report certain financial information online under House File 296, formerly House Study Bill 59. Budgets lines, expenditures and goods and services totaling $50,000 would be required to have posted online, as well as written contracts, salary reports and any expenditures made related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Foreign funding: House File 575, formerly House Study Bill 54, would have state universities craft an annual report on foreign funding sources, amounts and how funds were used.

General education requirements: House File 401, renamed from House Study Bill 63, would codify general education requirements for Iowa’s public universities, which include requirements to take courses in English and composition, math and statistics, natural and social sciences, a world language, the humanities, Western heritage and American heritage. According to the bill, these classes cannot “distort significant historical events or include any curriculum or other material that teaches identity politics or is based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, or privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States of America or the state of Iowa.”

Iowa Tuition Grant changes: House File 867 would require Iowa College Aid to direct half of Iowa Tuition Grant dollars to students enrolled in degree programs relating to high-wage, high-demand job fields.

Loan programs: Called a “transparency bill” by Rep. Heather Hora, R-Washington, House File 703, previously House Study Bill 152, would require the Iowa student loan liquidity corporation, or ISL Education Lending, to report certain loan data to Iowa College Aid relating to the annual percentage rate of the Federal Direct PLUS loan compared to college family loans and partnership loans. If these loans have a lower APR than the federal loan program, Iowa College Aid would need to post the information online and share it with universities, which would add it to financial aid offers.

National Guard financial aid: House Files 117 and 118, both passed out of the Iowa House of Representatives, expand scholarship offerings for members of the Iowa National Guard and their families. HF 117 would establish a new scholarship program for National Guard members pursuing certifications that are not associate or higher-level degrees. HF 118 changes monetary limits on the existing National Guard Service Scholarship program to “the difference between the tuition rate at the institution attended by the national guard member less any financial aid the national guard member receives under certain specified federal programs,” according to the legislation, and strike language that stops where the recipient goes for drills, which unit they belong to or whether they are a member of the Iowa Army or Air National Guard from impacting the award amount they receive.

Penalties for pro-terrorism language on campus: House File 576, formerly House File 115, would have state universities and private colleges receiving Iowa Tuition Grant dollars penalize certain nonimmigrant visa-holders for voicing support for, or encouraging others to support, terrorist organizations or actions. Penalties include suspension, expulsion and job termination.

School of intellectual freedom: Both the Iowa House Higher Education Committee and Senate Education Committee have moved ahead legislation to establish a “school of intellectual freedom” at the University of Iowa. House File 437 and its companion, Senate File 127, would require the new school focus on “the historical ideas, traditions and texts that have shaped the American constitutional order and society,” according to bill language, and promote free speech, civil discourse, civic education and intellectual diversity.

Tuition cap: House File 440, previously named House Study Bill 51, would cap in-state tuition and fee increases for public university students at 3% and guarantee those students won’t see increases during their undergraduate years. Universities would also need to establish at least one three-year degree program and institute work plus programs, where students can work part time and have their tuition paid for by a qualified employer.

Tuition waivers: House File 577, formerly House File 154, would have state universities waive tuition and fees and provide a $5,000-a-semester stipend for undergraduate students who earn the highest-possible scores on the ACT or SAT.

Tuition cap: House File 440, previously named House Study Bill 51, would cap in-state tuition and fee increases for public university students at 3% and guarantee those students won’t see increases during their undergraduate years. Universities would also need to establish at least one three-year degree program and institute work plus programs, where students can work part time and have their tuition paid for by a qualified employer.

Child care access: The governor’s proposal on child care advanced through the committee process in both chambers as Senate File 445 and House File 623. The legislation would create a new $16 million competitive grant pilot program using existing Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) funding and federal Child Care and Development Fund Wrap Around Child Care funds, providing up to $100,000 annually in three-year grants for preschool providers and child care centers to provide full-day care for children. The measure would also move roughly $3.6 million currently allocated to the Shared Visions program for at-risk children from birth to age 5, to go toward grants for programs focused on at-risk 3- and 4-year-old children.

Child care workers: House File 382 would expand existing law by allowing minors as young as 16 to provide “flex care” for children from infancy to age 2 at a child care center without adult supervision. Currently, teenagers are limited to caring for children over age 2.

Health care training, access: Reynolds’ bill on health care, House File 754, was approved unanimously by the House Health and Human Services Committee Wednesday. The measure seeks to address health care workforce shortages and expand rural health care access through multiple changes including increased funding for the state’s student loan repayment program and for Medicaid rates for providers serving mothers and infants. It also directs the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to draw down more than $150 million in federal funds to create a projected 115 new residency slots at Iowa teaching hospitals.

HPV vaccine for minors: Senate File 304 would remove the ability of minors to consent to receiving the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, or other vaccinations to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, without parental approval. While most minor vaccinations require parental consent, there is currently an exemption in Iowa law for medical care related to the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of sexually transmitted diseases or infections.

Medicaid work requirements: Senate File 363 would require Medicaid recipients to work, participate in a work program or volunteer at least 20 hours per week. Certain people would be exempt from the requirement, including people under age 19 or over age 64, people medically certified with a disability that makes them unable to work, people who are pregnant or parenting a child under age 1 or a child with a serious illness or disability. People in substance abuse treatment would also be exempt.

Medication abortion restrictions: House File 775, formerly House Study Bill 186, would restrict Iowans’ access to abortion medication by mail by requiring in-person distribution of the medication and written consent that the patient understands the risks and potential to reverse the effects of the abortion medication. The bill was advanced by the House Health and Human Services Committee Feb. 26.

Medical conscience: House File 571 and Senate File 220 grant health care professionals, institutions and payors the right to not participate in or pay for a health care service that that they say goes against their conscience. These entities could not be held civilly, criminally or administratively liable for not providing a service that they say violates their conscience, with exceptions for emergency medical services.

Double Up Food Bucks: Bills in both the House and Senate have advanced out of their respective committees to allocate $1 million to the Double Up Food Bucks program which allows recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to double their spending on produce. Senate File 232 has been referred to an appropriations subcommittee after advancing from committee as Senate Study Bill 1012.

Food dyes and margarine: House File 212, formerly House Study Bill 5, would ban synthetic food dyes, margarine and other artificial additives from school meals, snacks and beverages. The bill has had significant updates, since it was first introduced, to more closely resemble a California law and passed the House Education Committee Jan. 29.

Rural grocery initiative: House File 59, renumbered as House File 550, would establish a grocer reinvestment program and a local produce processing grant program and allocate $2 million for the two programs this year and next. Advocates say the funding would help provide access to healthy food in rural communities.

Citizenship on IDs: House File 439 would require driver’s licenses or non-operator identification cards to include a person’s citizenship status. Supporters said the measure would help poll workers confirm a person’s eligibility to vote, but opponents said listing citizenship status on IDs could lead to discrimination.

Citizenship verification for voting: Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate’s proposal, Senate File 550, would allow the Secretary of State’s office to contract with state and federal agencies to verify the citizenship status of registered voters, in addition to requiring the Iowa Department of Transportation to share with the office a list of individuals who indicated to the DOT that they are not citizens. These measures, alongside the ability to work with private vendors, will allow the state to verify the citizenship status of registered voters, Pate said.

Hands-free cellphones: The House Transportation Committee unanimously passed House Study Bill 64, renumbered House File 827, on Feb. 12 and the companion bill, Senate File 22, cleared a committee the same day. The legislation would ban the use of handheld cellphones or other electronic devices while driving.

Anti-SLAPP lawsuits: House File 472 would protect entities like newspapers and activists from “strategic lawsuits against public participation,” or SLAPP lawsuits, by allowing for expedited relief in court on actions that involve freedom of speech and of the press, and other First Amendment rights. The measure is meant to help prevent lawsuits filed to stop individuals or organizations from speaking publicly or reporting on certain issues by engaging in a lengthy, expensive legal battle. In addition to the bill gaining House Judiciary Committee approval, the Senate Judiciary Committee also passed its version of the bill, Senate File 47.

Booking photos: House File 47 would limit the release of police mugshots to the public until after the person arrested has been convicted of the crime for which they were arrested. The bill includes some exceptions.

Immigration law enforcement: Under House Study Bill 285, law enforcement officers who knowingly and intentionally” fail to comply with federal immigration law enforcement as directed to by state law would face a Class D felony charge.

Land acquisition: Senate File 553, formerly Senate Study Bill 1198, would block the Department of Natural Resources from purchasing land at auction, or acquiring land from anyone other than a willing donor or seller. The bill advanced from the Senate Natural Resources Committee Wednesday, but the House version of the bill, House File 714, did not advance.

State horse: Senate Joint Resolution 4, formerly Senate Study Bill 1064, would designate the American cream draft horse as the official state horse of Iowa. According to the bill, it is the only draft horse breed native to the United States and is believed to have bloodlines in rural Iowa. SSB 1064 advanced from its committee, then was reassigned to the Senate State Government Committee and is safe from the funnel cut off. A similar bill, House Study Bill 292, did not advance from committee.