Budget & Taxes

signed · Iowa · Senate Jun 27, 2025

SF 660: A bill for an act relating to sports wagering and tourism, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

SF 660 establishes a regulatory framework for legal sports wagering within the state and allocates state funds to support tourism initiatives. It directly affects licensed sports betting operators, state tourism agencies, and businesses in the hospitality sector. Key provisions include creating licensing requirements for sports wagering entities, setting tax rates on bets, and directing new revenue toward tourism marketing and infrastructure projects. The bill was signed into law by the Governor on June 11, 2025, following unanimous passage in the Senate.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates tax revenue from sports betting and allocates funds to tourism infrastructure, directly funding public initiatives through new appropriations.95% confidence

passed · Iowa · House Jan 22, 2026

HF 986: A bill for an act relating to matters under the purview of the department of insurance and financial services, the utilities commission, and the department of transportation, including financial literacy and exploitation, tax confidentiality, health insurance rates, health savings accounts, insurer withdrawals, property insurance, service contracts, the Iowa individual health benefit reinsurance association, and the Iowa cemetery Act, motor vehicle financial liability coverage, and including penalties and effective date provisions.

HF 986 establishes new funds and initiatives to enhance financial literacy and prevent financial exploitation for the public. It creates a Financial Literacy and Investor Education Fund and a Financial Exploitation Prevention Fund, which are partially funded by reallocating a portion of agent registration fees. The bill also establishes a Senior Health Insurance Information Program Fund to provide educational materials on health insurance for older Iowans. These provisions aim to educate Iowans on financial topics and assist potential victims of financial exploitation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates new funds (Financial Literacy, Exploitation Prevention) via reallocated agent fees, advancing fiscal responsibility through targeted budgeting.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates Senior Health Insurance Information Program Fund to educate seniors on health insurance options, improving access to coverage understanding.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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introduced · Iowa · Legislature

1330DP: Public Funds, Innovation and Efficiencies (1330DP) - Auditor of State

This Iowa bill (1330DP) requires the state Auditor of State to annually create and update a list of practical, innovative best practices for efficiently using public funds - without needing new laws. The auditor must distribute these recommendations to all public entities (like cities, counties, and schools) and ask them to report which practices they are using. The auditor then compiles an annual report analyzing these responses. The bill directly affects all public entities in Iowa by establishing a voluntary reporting process for fund efficiency improvements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates efficient public fund practices through Auditor's annual report, promoting fiscal responsibility without new spending or tax changes.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Audits & Accountability

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 14, 2025

HF 27: A bill for an act relating to the deduction of the purchase amount of nonathletic school uniforms for purposes of the individual income tax, and including retroactive applicability provisions.

This bill allows Iowa taxpayers to deduct up to $500 per student for the cost of required nonathletic school uniforms purchased for children attending public or private schools. It directly affects families with school-aged children who must buy uniforms for their children's schools. The deduction applies to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, and includes retroactive application to that date. The provision does not cover athletic uniforms and is limited to the purchase amount, not other school expenses.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax deduction for school uniforms, reducing taxable income for families - direct tax relief for middle-income households under income tax policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Credits

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 22, 2025

HF 109: A bill for an act relating to the maximum amount of workforce housing tax incentives available against the individual and corporate income taxes, the franchise tax, the insurance premiums tax, and the moneys and credits tax.

This bill increases Iowa's annual cap for workforce housing tax incentives from $35 million to $50 million. It directly affects developers of workforce housing projects by expanding available tax credits against individual/corporate income taxes, franchise tax, and other levies. The key change reserves $25 million specifically for projects in small cities (as defined in state law) that registered after July 1, 2017, up from $17.5 million. This adjustment aims to boost funding for affordable housing development, particularly in smaller communities.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases tax credit cap from $35M to $50M, reserves $25M for small city workforce housing projects, expanding state funding through tax incentives.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingIncreases workforce housing tax incentives from $35M to $50M, reserves $25M for small-city projects, directly funding affordable housing development through tax credits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Affordable Housing Property Development

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 22, 2025

HF 111: A bill for an act creating an advanced registered nurse practitioner preceptor tax credit available against the individual income tax, and including applicability provisions.

HF 111 creates a tax credit for advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) who serve as unpaid clinical preceptors for nursing students. Eligible preceptors receive a $500 credit per qualifying clinical mentoring session (with at least 100 hours of supervised learning), capped at $2,000 annually for individual income tax. To qualify, preceptors must provide uncompensated instruction at their workplace, be selected by nursing programs, and have at least one year of preceptor experience. The credit applies to tax years starting January 1, 2026, and any unused portion isn’t refundable or carryable to other years.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax credit against individual income tax for ARNPs, offering targeted tax relief aligned with fiscal support.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill incentivizes nursing preceptors to mentor students, directly supporting higher education training access and program capacity in nursing education.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates tax credit to incentivize ARNPs to mentor nursing students, strengthening healthcare workforce development and improving future provider access.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 22, 2025

SF 44: 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 44 extends the deadline for claiming historic preservation tax credits from January 1, 2023, to July 1, 2023. It ensures taxpayers who received credits before July 1, 2023, can still apply them against individual/corporate income taxes, franchise tax, or insurance premiums tax. The bill expands an existing provision protecting pre-July 2023 credits from changes to refundability rules established by prior legislation. It does not alter the credit amount or future refundability terms.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExtends deadline and protects existing historic preservation tax credits, maintaining current tax relief without altering credit amounts or future terms.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 22, 2025

SF 29: A bill for an act relating to property tax exemptions by changing the homestead tax exemption to a credit for owners attaining sixty-five years of age and increasing the military service tax exemption, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.

This Iowa bill (SF 29) changes property tax benefits for specific groups. It replaces the existing homestead exemption for homeowners aged 65+ with a credit equal to $6,500 in actual property taxes paid, available to those with household incomes under 250% of the federal poverty level. It also increases military veterans' property tax exemption to a credit equivalent to $4,000 (based on actual tax rates), applying to honorably discharged veterans. Both changes take effect retroactively for assessment years beginning January 1, 2025. The bill directly affects elderly homeowners and veterans who meet income or service criteria.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax credits for seniors (65+) and veterans under 250% poverty level, reducing property tax burden for lower-income groups.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransIncreases military veterans' property tax exemption credit to $4,000, expanding benefits for honorably discharged veterans.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Tax Incentives

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 29, 2025

HSB 96: A bill for an act relating to permissible local sales and services tax expenditures.

This bill (HSB 96) clarifies that cities and counties in Iowa may use local sales and services tax revenue to fund nonprofit organizations (specifically those exempt under IRS 501(c)(3)) that provide public services within their communities. It directly affects local governments and qualifying nonprofits by expanding eligible recipients for these tax funds beyond previous interpretations. The key change adds explicit language to the tax code, allowing payments to 501(c)(3) nonprofits for services like emergency medical support or other public programs. This does not create new taxes or change tax rates but specifies existing tax money can now be directed to these nonprofits for public service delivery.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands eligible recipients for local tax revenue to fund public services via 501(c)(3) nonprofits, strengthening fiscal management of existing tax funds.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Revenue Sales Tax Tax Incentives

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 29, 2025

HF 31: A bill for an act creating the new resident and new graduate tax credits, available against the individual income tax, and including retroactive applicability provisions.

HF 31 creates two new Iowa tax credits: one for "new residents" (individuals who moved to Iowa for full-time employment with no prior residency in the state) and one for "new graduates" (Iowa-educated individuals under 30 working full-time in Iowa). Both credits reduce state income tax by 100% for up to four consecutive tax years, starting with the first or second year of eligibility. The credits are non-refundable if they exceed tax liability, expire if recipients receive public assistance after the first claimed year, and apply retroactively to tax years beginning January 1, 2025. Eligibility is limited to one-time lifetime use per individual.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates 100% income tax credits for new residents and graduates, providing direct tax relief to targeted groups and reducing state tax liability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Tax Credits Tax Incentives

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