Iowa Bill Book

The bill would lower the amount Iowa employers pay into unemployment insurance, which could shrink the fund that pays workers' benefits.

Workers could see smaller unemployment checks or higher taxes later, while businesses get cheaper insurance, so the public should watch this bill now.

Employers

• Accountability (neutral) — No new oversight or reporting requirements added.. The bill changes tax calculations but does not increase accountability.
• Rights & Protections (hurts) — Potentially reduces benefits for workers.. Lower employer contributions may shrink the unemployment fund.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Shifts cost from employers to workers or the fund.. Reduced taxes for employers could lead to higher costs for workers later.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Bill does not add transparency measures.. No new disclosure or public input requirements.
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — Alters fund calculations in ways that may lower resources.. Removing $150 million and changing reserve ratio calculations reduces fund size.

• Official text (IA HF980)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF980
• LegiScan — HF980https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF980/2025

This bill would give parents $4,000 per child to skip public school, pulling an unlimited amount of money directly from the state's general fund.

This bill creates a massive, open-ended drain on the state budget by handing out $4,000 checks to parents who choose private school or homeschooling. Because the money comes straight from the general fund, it leaves less money for public schools, roads, and other services that everyone relies on. While it requires a yearly report to catch fraud, writing a blank check from public funds for private choices forces regular taxpayers to foot the bill.

Everyday People

• Funding Tilt (hurts) — Creates an open-ended drain on the state's general fund.. The bill appropriates 'an amount necessary' from the general fund to pay for all advanced tax credits, with no cap.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Shifts public tax dollars to private choices.. Taxpayers will fund the $4,000 credits for families who choose not to use the public school system.
• Accountability (neutral) — Includes basic fraud reporting.. Requires the department to file an annual report detailing the number of claims and any known fraudulent claims.

Pushing for it: Eligible parents ($4,000 per child)
Bearing the cost: State general fund

• Official text (IA HF2078)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF2078
• LegiScan — HF2078https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF2078/2025

This bill would let Amish-owned businesses stop participating in the state unemployment system, meaning their workers would not get unemployment checks if they are laid off.

While this bill is designed to respect the religious beliefs of Amish business owners who oppose government insurance, it does so by stripping a basic safety net from their workers. If a worker gets laid off, they will not get unemployment benefits to help them pay rent or buy groceries. Even though workers have to sign a waiver, giving up standard labor protections should not be a condition of getting a job.

Amish Business Owners

• Accountability (hurts) — Carve-out for specific employers. Lets a specific group of employers avoid paying into the state unemployment safety net.
• Rights & Protections (hurts) — Removes worker safety net. Workers at these businesses lose their right to collect unemployment benefits if they are laid off.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Shifts burden to laid-off workers. If a worker loses their job, they bear the full financial burden without state help.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Requires written notice. Requires employers to get a written agreement from workers so the loss of benefits is not hidden.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — Neutral. Does not directly tilt state funding.

• Official text (IA HF2607)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF2607
• LegiScan — HF2607https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF2607/2025

The bill would give big companies tax breaks if they move their headquarters to Iowa and promise new full‑time jobs and benefits.

If passed, Iowa could spend tax revenue on incentives instead of services, while hoping the promised jobs actually materialize, so voters should watch the bill’s progress.

Corporations

• Accountability (neutral) — no new oversight. Bill creates program but does not add accountability measures
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — does not affect personal rights. No change to individual legal rights
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — tax incentives reduce state revenue. Tax breaks shift cost to taxpayers
• Process Transparency (neutral) — eligibility set by authority. Eligibility criteria are defined but public input is limited
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — favors large corporations. Incentives target big businesses rather than small firms

• Official text (IA SSB3103)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=SSB3103
• LegiScan — SSB3103https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/SSB3103/2025

The bill would cancel many tax credits and stop new credit programs, meaning less tax breaks for businesses and possibly higher taxes for everyday people.

Citizens should watch this bill because losing tax credits could raise costs for jobs and energy projects, shifting the burden to taxpayers while the state gains more revenue.

Government Power

• Accountability (neutral) — Neutral. The bill does not add new oversight or accountability mechanisms.
• Rights & Protections (hurts) — Negative. Removes taxpayers' ability to claim future tax credits.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Negative. Costs shift to taxpayers who lose credit benefits.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Neutral. Bill text is straightforward but does not detail implementation steps.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Positive. Repealing credits could increase state revenue.

Pushing for it: gov_power
Bearing the cost: big_business

• LegiScan — HF625https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF625/2025

This bill takes the tax money collected from airplane sales out of the state's main budget and gives it directly to a special fund for airport projects and marketing.

This bill takes tax money collected when someone buys an airplane and locks it away for airport projects and marketing. Right now, that money goes into the state's main pot to pay for everyday things like schools, roads, and parks. By moving it to a special aviation fund, the state is giving a dedicated funding stream to the airport industry while leaving less money for everyone else.

Aviation Industry

• Funding Tilt (hurts) — Earmarks tax revenue for a specific industry. Takes tax revenue from aircraft sales that currently benefits the general public and reserves it exclusively for the aviation industry.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Reduces general state funds. Reduces the general fund, leaving less money for everyday state services that ordinary people rely on.

Pushing for it: Aviation Industry
Bearing the cost: State General Fund

• Official text (IA HF2183)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF2183
• LegiScan — HF2183https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF2183/2025

This bill lets Amish-owned businesses stop paying into the state unemployment fund, meaning their workers cannot get unemployment money if they lose their jobs.

Unemployment insurance is a safety net that helps you pay bills if you get laid off. This bill allows businesses owned by Amish people to skip out on this system because their religion does not believe in government insurance. While it respects their beliefs, it leaves anyone working for those businesses without a backup plan if they get let go. Workers do have to sign a paper saying they understand they will not get benefits, but it still takes away a basic protection for employees.

Amish-owned businesses

• Rights & Protections (hurts) — Removes safety net. Workers at these businesses lose the right to collect unemployment benefits if they are laid off.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Shifts burden to workers. If laid off, workers must rely on their own savings or community help instead of the state fund.
• Process Transparency (helps) — Requires worker consent. Employers must get a signed paper from workers explaining they will not get benefits so it is not a surprise.
• Accountability (neutral) — Neutral. The bill is a narrow religious exemption, not a broad shield against bad behavior.
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — Less money for the state fund. These businesses will no longer pay taxes into the state unemployment system.

Pushing for it: Amish-owned businesses
Bearing the cost: State unemployment fund

• Official text (IA HF2319)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF2319
• LegiScan — HF2319https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF2319/2025

This bill would set aside money for different state services and departments, affecting how government functions.

This bill is important because it decides how much money goes to state services that help people. If you care about how your state is run, now is the time to pay attention.

• Funding Tilt (neutral) — General funding for state services. The bill appropriates money for various state departments.

Pushing for it: State departments
Bearing the cost: Unknown

• Official text (IA HSB341)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HSB341
• LegiScan — HSB341https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HSB341/2025

The nonprofit that builds a regional water trail in Iowa would not have to pay sales tax on building materials and services.

The bill would cut the nonprofit’s tax bill and help it finish the water trail faster. But the state will collect less sales tax, so everyday Iowans will help pay for the project through other taxes. Voters should weigh the public recreation value against the lost revenue now that the bill is moving through committees.

Nonprofit

• Accountability (neutral) — No new oversight added. Tax exemption does not change accountability of the nonprofit.
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — No impact on personal rights. The bill does not affect individual legal rights.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — State loses sales tax revenue. Tax revenue shifts to other Iowa taxpayers.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Standard legislative process. Bill follows normal committee and floor procedures.
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — Tax break favors a specific nonprofit. Provides fiscal benefit to the designated nonprofit and its contractors.

• Official text (IA HSB774)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HSB774
• LegiScan — HSB774https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HSB774/2025

This bill would set an automatic expiration date for dozens of state tax credits, forcing lawmakers to either renew them or let them disappear.

Sunset bills like this are designed to force politicians to review whether tax breaks are actually working. While that is a great way to weed out wasteful corporate giveaways, this bill also puts a ticking clock on essential breaks for regular people, like the homestead credit, the earned income credit, and property tax relief for seniors. If lawmakers fail to renew them before the deadline, everyday people will face a quiet but massive tax hike.

Nobody / Symbolic

• Accountability (helps) — Forces regular review of tax breaks. By putting an expiration date on tax credits, the bill forces lawmakers to actively justify and renew them rather than letting corporate giveaways live forever.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Risk of higher taxes for families. If the legislature gets gridlocked and fails to renew essential family tax credits, ordinary taxpayers will automatically bear the cost of higher taxes.
• Process Transparency (helps) — Predictable review cycle. The bill creates a clear, automatic five-year expiration rule for all future tax credits.

Pushing for it: State government
Bearing the cost: Iowa taxpayers

• Official text (IA HF2342)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF2342
• LegiScan — HF2342https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF2342/2025

This bill would give Iowa veterans special help with grants, business fees, and other programs to make their lives easier.

This bill aims to give veterans more support for their service. It would make it easier for them to get state grants and help with things like housing, food, and child care. It would also help veterans who own businesses by waiving some fees they have to pay to the state. Some people might say that giving veterans special preference could make it harder for non-veterans to get the same help or grants. But supporters believe it is important to thank veterans by giving them these extra benefits.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Helps veterans access state support. The bill would give veterans preference for state grants and public assistance programs, making it easier for them to get help.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Expands benefits for veterans. Veterans would get preference for various public assistance programs, including housing and child care, and fee waivers for business filings.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — State budget pays for fee waivers and preferences. The state would forgo fee revenue from veteran-owned businesses and would fund the various programs and grants, potentially affecting general state funds.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No change to transparency. The bill does not directly impact how transparent government processes are.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Funds veteran support. The bill includes appropriations to fund state grants, public assistance, and other services for veterans.

Pushing for it: Veterans and veteran-owned businesses
Bearing the cost: State budget, potentially non-veterans

• Official text (IA HF912)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF912
• LegiScan — HF912https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF912/2025

This bill would help cities get money to fix up or tear down old, empty buildings, making neighborhoods safer and nicer for everyone.

This bill aims to clean up neighborhoods by helping cities get money to deal with old, empty, or problem buildings. If it passes, your town could get funds to tear down dangerous structures or fix up old sites, which might make your streets safer and boost property values. Some people might worry about using public money and tax credits for these projects, but supporters say it's a good way to improve communities and bring new life to forgotten areas. This is your chance to tell your lawmakers if you want your community to get this kind of help.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Cities must show successful cleanup for loan forgiveness. The bill says 25% or more of a loan can be forgiven if the city successfully cleans up the property, which means it has been cleared, cleaned, is for sale, has a reuse plan, or has been repurposed.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Improves community safety and property values. By helping cities clean up abandoned and nuisance properties, the bill would make neighborhoods safer and more appealing, potentially increasing property values for residents.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Public funds and tax credits are used. The bill would use money from the nuisance property remediation fund and the groundwater protection fund, and would offer redevelopment tax credits, meaning public funds and tax breaks would pay for these projects.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No change to transparency. The bill does not change how transparent the process for applying for or receiving funds would be.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Funds go to communities for public good. The financial assistance and tax credits are directed towards cities and communities to address abandoned buildings and nuisance properties, which serves a public benefit.

Pushing for it: Cities and communities in Iowa (Up to $500,000 in loans; up to $1 million in funding assistance; $10 per square foot for some projects)
Bearing the cost: Iowa taxpayers (indirectly) (Unknown (cost of tax credits and public funds))

• Official text (IA HF131)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF131
• LegiScan — HF131https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF131/2025

This bill would give Iowa nurses a tax break if they teach new nurses, helping more students learn and become nurses.

This bill would help advanced registered nurse practitioners who spend their time teaching new students without pay. They would get a tax credit of up to $2,000. This could make more nurses want to teach, which means more new nurses could get trained. This is good because it helps make sure there are enough nurses to care for people. Some might say that giving tax breaks means less money for other state services. But supporters believe it is a good way to help train more healthcare workers. If you think it is important to help train new nurses, now is the time to let your lawmakers know.

Nurses

• Accountability (neutral) — Neutral. The bill does not directly address accountability for harm or actions, but it does require reporting on the credit's use.
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — Neutral. This bill does not add or remove any rights or protections for ordinary people.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Cost to public. The state would give a tax credit, meaning less tax money for other state services, which is a cost to all taxpayers.
• Process Transparency (helps) — Good reporting. The bill requires the state to report yearly on how the tax credit is being used.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Helps specific workers. The bill provides a tax credit to advanced registered nurse practitioners who teach students, giving them a financial benefit.

Pushing for it: Advanced registered nurse practitioners ($1,000 to $2,000 per year)
Bearing the cost: Iowa taxpayers (via foregone revenue)

• Official text (IA HF327)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF327
• LegiScan — HF327https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF327/2025

The bill would let families claim up to $20,000 for adoption costs, instead of the current $5,000 limit.

Adoptive families could get more tax relief, making adoption cheaper and encouraging more children to be placed with families. The state will lose tax revenue, but that cost is spread across all taxpayers.

Everyday People

• Accountability (neutral) — No new oversight or reporting requirements.. The bill does not add accountability measures.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Expands tax benefit for adoptive families.. Higher credit improves financial support for families.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Reduces state tax revenue, shifting cost to all taxpayers.. Refundable credit means the state pays out even if tax liability is low.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Bill text is clear and straightforward.. No hidden provisions.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No dedicated funding source identified.. Cost is borne by general revenue.

Pushing for it: adoptive families
Bearing the cost: taxpayers

• Official text (IA HF965)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF965
• LegiScan — HF965https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF965/2025

Families who adopt a child could claim up to $20,000 of qualified expenses on their state income tax, even for adoptions finalized after Jan 1, 2024.

The bill would give adoptive families a bigger tax break, cutting the cost of adoption and helping more children find homes. Supporters say it lifts families, but some worry the state will lose money.

Everyday People

• Accountability (neutral) — No new oversight or reporting required.. The bill does not change how the credit is administered.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Expands financial help for adoptive families.. Higher credit gives families more ability to cover adoption costs.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — Cost shifts to state revenue, not to individuals.. The state will collect less tax revenue, but families pay less out of pocket.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No new disclosure requirements.. The bill does not add reporting obligations.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Provides direct financial benefit to families.. The credit is refundable, putting money back into households.

Pushing for it: adoptive families
Bearing the cost: State

• Official text (IA HF1026)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF1026
• LegiScan — HF1026https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF1026/2025

This bill would allow school workers like bus drivers and cafeteria staff to collect unemployment pay during summer break when school is closed.

Right now, many school support staff are forced to go without pay all summer. Even though they are out of work, the law blocks them from getting unemployment benefits just because they might get their jobs back in the fall. This bill fixes that unfair rule. If it passes, cafeteria workers, janitors, and bus drivers will finally get the financial help they need to survive the summer months. It is a huge win for working families who keep our schools running.

Workers

• Rights & Protections (helps) — Expands benefits. The bill removes a restriction that blocks non-instructional school employees from receiving unemployment benefits between academic terms.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Shifts burden off workers. Workers will no longer have to drain their own savings to survive the summer break without pay.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — State funding specified. The bill requires school districts to pay for this mandate using state school foundation aid.

Pushing for it: School support staff
Bearing the cost: School districts

• Official text (IA HF2156)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF2156
• LegiScan — HF2156https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF2156/2025

This bill would lower property taxes for regular homeowners, expand tax breaks for seniors, and send out direct rebate checks.

Right now, property taxes are getting too high for many families. This bill steps in to help regular people. It limits how much your taxes can go up each year. It also triples the basic tax break for owning a home and lowers the age for seniors to get extra help. If you own a home in Iowa, this bill would keep more money in your pocket.

Everyday People

• Rights & Protections (helps) — Protects homeowners from sudden tax spikes.. Caps annual property tax increases at 4 percent for eligible homeowners.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Lowers costs for everyday people.. Shifts the cost of property taxes away from homeowners by using state funds to pay for credits and rebates.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Directly funds regular citizens.. Appropriates state money directly into a fund to send rebate checks to homeowners.

Pushing for it: Iowa homeowners and seniors
Bearing the cost: State taxpayer relief fund

• Official text (IA HF2223)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF2223
• LegiScan — HF2223https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF2223/2025

This bill would help clean Iowa's water and support farmers with tax credits and loans.

If this bill passes, it could lead to cleaner water for everyone and help farmers use better practices. Now is the time to support it.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Supports monitoring and projects for better water quality.. Establishes a water quality monitoring network.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Encourages better farming practices.. Provides tax credits for agricultural best management practices.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — Funding comes from state appropriations.. State funds are allocated for water quality initiatives.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Details on project funding are provided.. Includes appropriations for monitoring and initiatives.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Significant funding for water quality efforts.. Allocates over $31 million for water quality initiatives.

Pushing for it: water quality initiatives
Bearing the cost: Unknown

• Official text (IA HF2733)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF2733
• LegiScan — HF2733https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF2733/2025

The bill would let veterans with a 100% service‑connected disability get all tuition and mandatory fees waived at Iowa public colleges if they have no other aid.

If passed, the state would cover college costs for disabled veterans, easing their financial burden, but the money would come from the colleges’ budgets, potentially affecting other students.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Institutions must follow waiver rule. Ensures state fulfills promise to disabled veterans
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Creates new right to tuition waiver. Expands education rights for disabled veterans
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Cost moved from veterans to colleges. Public colleges cover tuition for eligible veterans
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Requires certification but process is straightforward. Veteran must be certified by the VA and show no other aid
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — No new money, cost borne by colleges. State does not allocate additional funds for the waiver

Pushing for it: Veterans
Bearing the cost: Colleges

• Official text (IA HF2132)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF2132
• LegiScan — HF2132https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF2132/2025

The bill would let people and businesses claim up to $1,000 off their state income taxes for installing a radon mitigation system.

Supporters say it helps families protect their homes from dangerous radon and saves money, while opponents may worry it reduces state revenue for other services.

Everyday People

• Accountability (neutral) — neutral. The bill does not change who is accountable for radon safety.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — positive. Creates a new right for taxpayers to claim a credit for radon mitigation.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — negative. Reduces state tax revenue, shifting cost to all taxpayers.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — neutral. No new reporting or oversight mechanisms are added.
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — negative. Tax credit reduces funds available for other state programs.

Pushing for it: state
Bearing the cost: taxpayers

• Official text (IA HF211)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF211
• LegiScan — HF211https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF211/2025