Legislative Session - 2025

If you are looking for something to talk to your representatives or senators in the Iowa legislature, here's two summaries prepared by Cynthia Farmer with the Center For Rural Affairs.

Senate File 3 and House Study Bill 83 are companion bills, having been introduced in each chamber.  Introduced by Sen. Lynn Evans and Rep. Megan Jones, the bill language would designate additional flood mitigation activities to include reconnection of floodplains as well as wetland and oxbow restorations as “essential county purposes” in regard to the issuance of General Obligation bonds by counties. Essential county purposes do not require a vote from constituents like a "general county purpose" does. The Senate subcommittee considered the bill on Jan. 22 and recommended its passage. The House version was assigned to a subcommittee on Jan. 23, but a meeting has not been scheduled. 

House File 151 was introduced by a group of Democrats in the House. It is a bit long, but the gist of the bill relates to surface water quality by requiring the establishment and maintenance of riparian protection measures on land adjacent to public water sources. DNR would be required to develop the riparian protection inventory and map for each county, which would be used as the basis of designating public water sources. It also provides for financing - buffers would be eligible for CRP and other government programs, and provides penalties for protection measures not met. Buffer width distances are given on pages 8-9. There are some exceptions given as well. A subcommittee has not been assigned at this time.