Budget & Taxes

passed · Iowa · Senate Apr 30, 2025

SF 635: A bill for an act relating to the abatement of property taxes owed on property owned by certain volunteer emergency services providers and including effective date and applicability provisions.

SF 635 authorizes property tax abatements for eligible volunteer emergency services providers on their homesteads. To qualify, volunteers must have served for at least five years, earn less than $5,000 annually from their service, and be in good standing with their agency. They can petition their county board of supervisors, who will review the request and notify local taxing authorities, allowing them to object to the abatement. If approved, the abatement reduces property taxes and special assessments by 10%, up to $500 per year. Volunteers with ten or more years of service may receive this abatement for the remainder of their lives, provided their homestead remains in the service area.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides property tax abatement for low-income volunteers (earning <$5k annually), directly reducing tax burden per bill's explicit provisions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax

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in committee · Iowa · Senate May 6, 2025

SSB 1231: A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, department of education, and state board of regents, and including contingent effective date provisions.

SSB 1231 is an appropriations bill that allocates state general funds to various components of the education system for the fiscal year 2025-2026. It provides funding for the operations of the Department for the Blind, the Department of Education, and the State Board of Regents. Key provisions include appropriations for general administration, career and technical education, school food services, early childhood programs such as Birth to Age Three Services and Early Head Start, and statewide student assessment. The bill also directs the Department of Education to submit a report on its antibullying programming.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds to education departments and programs, directly supporting public service funding through appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates state funds to education departments, early childhood programs, and career education, directly supporting system operations and student services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Early Childhood School Funding Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Iowa · Senate May 6, 2025

SSB 1233: A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the judicial branch.

This bill appropriates over $220 million from the state's general fund to the judicial branch for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025. The funds are allocated to cover salaries for judges and court staff, jury and witness fees, and reimbursements for state public defender attorney fees. It also designates specific amounts for court-ordered services for juveniles, including school-based supervision and delinquent graduated sanctions programs. Additionally, the bill includes funding for the creation of a business court and establishes requirements for financial reporting and the operation of clerk of district court offices.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $220M from general fund to judicial branch for salaries, court operations, and juvenile services, directly funding essential government functions under budget management.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllocates $220M for judicial branch, public defenders, and juvenile rehabilitation programs (school-based supervision, graduated sanctions), strengthening system operations and reform initiatives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget

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in committee · Iowa · Senate May 9, 2025

SF 170: A bill for an act relating to the historic preservation tax credit available against the individual and corporate income taxes, the franchise tax, and the insurance premiums tax.

SF 170 amends a prior law related to the historic preservation tax credit for individuals and corporations. The bill extends the date for preserving existing rights for these tax credits from January 1, 2023, to July 1, 2023. This means that historic preservation tax credits issued or awarded before July 1, 2023, will not be subject to the reduced refundability changes enacted in 2022. Taxpayers holding these credits will retain their original rights to claim or redeem them, including any carryforward amounts.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExtends historic preservation tax credit validity, preserving existing taxpayer benefits and preventing reduced refundability for credits issued before July 1, 2023.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes

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died · Iowa · Senate May 13, 2025

SF 652: A bill for an act relating to economic development and housing by modifying provisions concerning economic development programs and modifying provisions concerning Iowa’s urban renewal law, and including applicability provisions.

SF 652 modifies Iowa's economic development programs and urban renewal laws, primarily focusing on housing initiatives. It broadens the definition of "economic development" to include workforce housing and allows urban renewal funds to be used for low and moderate-income family housing. The bill adjusts how certain property taxes, including some school district levies, are allocated in urban renewal areas. It also introduces limitations on the amount of tax revenue municipalities can retain from urban renewal areas over time and sets specific requirements for housing projects within these areas, including a minimum for low and moderate-income housing.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects urban renewal tax revenues toward affordable housing, aligning with fiscal management for public services and housing initiatives.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly broadens economic development to include workforce housing and allocates urban renewal funds for low/moderate-income housing, directly advancing affordable housing initiatives.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Revenue Tax Incentives Affordable Housing Community Development Housing Finance Tags Economic Development

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in committee · Iowa · Senate May 14, 2025

SSB 1240: A bill for an act making appropriations from the sports wagering receipts fund, and including effective date provisions.

SSB 1240 appropriates funds from the sports wagering receipts fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025. It allocates $14 million to the Department of Education to supplement the compensation of non-salaried education support personnel in school districts. School districts must report staff information by July 1, 2025, to receive these funds, which will be distributed based on student enrollment. Additionally, the bill appropriates $8 million to the Department of Public Safety for its public safety equipment fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $14M to education support staff and $8M to public safety from sports wagering receipts, directly funding public services using dedicated tax revenue.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $14M from sports wagering fund to supplement non-salaried education support staff compensation, directly funding school personnel under education department.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAllocates $14M to supplement compensation for non-salaried education support personnel, directly supporting wages under Labor & Employment topic.85% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding

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failed · Iowa · Senate May 14, 2025

SF 297: A bill for an act relating to contracts entered into by state agencies and including applicability provisions.

SF 297 sets new rules for contracts state agencies in Iowa must use when buying goods or services. It bans 19 specific contract terms that could unfairly burden the state, such as clauses requiring the state to cover a vendor’s legal costs, using foreign law, hiding payment terms, or forcing arbitration. The bill also requires all contracts to follow Iowa law and be litigated in Iowa courts. These rules apply to all state agency contracts signed or renewed after the bill takes effect, directly affecting how state agencies negotiate and manage vendor agreements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill prevents state financial burdens by banning costly contract terms, promoting fiscal responsibility in government spending management.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement

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died · Iowa · House May 14, 2025

HF 965: A bill for an act relating to the adoption tax credit available against the individual income tax, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.

HF 965 increases the state adoption tax credit available against the individual income tax. It raises the maximum credit for qualified adoption expenses from $5,000 to $20,000 per adoption, directly affecting taxpayers who adopt a child. The credit is refundable, meaning any amount exceeding a taxpayer's liability can be returned. This bill takes effect upon enactment and applies retroactively to adoptions finalized on or after January 1, 2024.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases refundable adoption tax credit from $5k to $20k, providing direct tax relief for adoptive families and reducing tax liability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits

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in committee · Iowa · House May 15, 2025

HF 1018: A bill for an act relating to the historic preservation tax credit available against the individual and corporate income taxes, the franchise tax, and the insurance premiums tax.

House File 1018 amends a previous law regarding the historic preservation tax credit. This bill extends the period during which existing historic preservation tax credits are protected from changes to their refundability. Specifically, it shifts the cutoff date for preserving existing rights to these tax credits from January 1, 2023, to July 1, 2023. This means that taxpayers who were issued, awarded, or allowed historic preservation tax credits prior to July 1, 2023, will have their rights to those credits, including any carryforward amounts, protected from certain reductions in refundability.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExtends deadline for historic preservation tax credits, protecting existing tax benefits without altering rates or structure, aligning with tax credit preservation as a supportive fiscal measure.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes

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in committee · Iowa · House May 15, 2025

HF 961: A bill for an act relating to individual income taxation by exempting certain amounts received from nonqualified deferred compensation plans and including retroactive applicability provisions.

HF 961 exempts up to $500,000 of income from nonqualified deferred compensation plans from state individual income tax. This exemption applies to taxpayers who are disabled, 55 years of age or older, or the surviving spouse or survivor with an insurable interest of an individual who would have qualified. The bill amends the state's tax code to include this new subtraction from net income. It also includes retroactive applicability, making it effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts $500k income from tax for disabled, 55+, or surviving spouses, providing targeted tax relief per tax code amendment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax

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