Rep. Samantha Fett

Maddy summaryHF 240 requires pipeline applicants in Iowa to provide proof of sufficient insurance or surety before a hazardous liquid pipeline permit is granted. This insurance must cover damages from pipeline discharges (both negligent and intentional), property damage from construction or leaks, and increased insurance costs or inability to obtain insurance for nearby residents. Pipeline companies must either purchase insurance for affected residents or reimburse them for higher premiums caused by the pipeline's presence. The bill was recommended for passage by committees but was withdrawn on March 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryHF 127 requires Iowa counties with populations of 125,000+ (based on the latest census) or those containing a state university campus to use "Plan Three" for electing county supervisors. This means these counties must adopt a specific representation map for supervisor elections, with new maps due by October 2025 for the 2026 general election. For supervisor vacancies, the bill mandates special elections in larger counties (125k+ population or university campuses) but allows appointments in smaller counties instead. The bill directly affects county governance structures in qualifying counties, altering both election planning and vacancy procedures.

Maddy summaryHF 239 restructures Iowa's Office of the Consumer Advocate within the Department of Justice, establishing it as a separate division. The bill specifies that the attorney general appoints the consumer advocate (subject to Senate confirmation), sets their salary, and requires regular reports to a committee of state officials (secretary of agriculture, auditor, treasurer). It clarifies that the office's expenses and salaries are funded separately from the utilities commission, with costs for services covered by the commerce revolving fund. The bill also defines how the office may charge expenses for its services in utility proceedings, ensuring fiscal separation between the two entities.

Maddy summaryHF 34 requires schools, child care centers, and colleges to include clear information about immunization exemptions and how to qualify for them in specific communications. This includes providing exemption details in school communications to parents, on school websites, and in registration materials for elementary/secondary schools and child care facilities. The bill also mandates that higher education institutions include exemption information in any communication related to student immunization requirements. These requirements apply to all public and private schools, child care centers, and colleges in Iowa, with costs covered by existing school funding.

Maddy summaryHF 920 appropriates $1 million from Iowa's general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to support the Double Up Food Bucks program. The program provides matching funds for SNAP recipients to purchase fresh produce at participating farmers markets and grocery stores across Iowa. Starting January 1, 2026, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services must submit annual reports to the legislature detailing program participation, locations, and redemption rates. The funding does not expire at year-end but remains available for the program's continued operation.

Maddy summaryHF 191 prohibits the intentional emission of air contaminants within Iowa for the purpose of deliberately altering temperature, weather, or sunlight intensity (geoengineering). It directly affects any entity or individual conducting such emissions in the state, overriding conflicting existing laws. The bill requires the Environmental Protection Commission to adopt implementing rules, including emergency rules for immediate enforcement. Key mechanisms include a clear prohibition on weather-modification emissions and a mandate for the Commission to develop specific regulations under existing rulemaking procedures. The bill focuses solely on preventing intentional atmospheric manipulation, not general air pollution control.

Maddy summaryHF 237 sets clear conditions under which the Iowa Utilities Commission can impose sanctions on people or groups (intervenors) participating in contested cases. The bill prohibits the commission from threatening or imposing sanctions unless it determines an intervenor was knowingly dishonest or violated a criminal law AND caused actual, quantifiable injury exceeding $500 to the commission. This directly affects intervenors in utility commission proceedings by requiring specific, documented misconduct and harm before penalties can be applied. The bill does not change utility regulations but modifies the commission's sanction process to require stricter proof.

Maddy summaryHF 436 exempts purchases of child restraint systems (like car seats) from Iowa's sales and use tax, reducing costs for parents buying them. It also requires insurance companies to include the value of these systems in auto insurance settlements when a vehicle suffers partial or total damage. The bill defines "child restraint system" as federally compliant seats meeting safety standards (per 49 C.F.R. §571.213) and applies to auto losses occurring on or after July 1, 2025. This directly affects families purchasing child seats and insurers handling auto damage claims.

Maddy summaryHF 201 creates a new criminal offense for sharing someone's personal information without consent to harass them. It prohibits purposefully distributing details like home addresses, phone numbers, email, social media, or work locations with intent to threaten, intimidate, or alarm the person or encourage others to do so. Violations are classified as aggravated misdemeanors, punishable by fines up to $8,540 or up to two years in jail. This law directly affects individuals who share others' private details online or offline to cause harm, providing a specific legal remedy for this form of harassment.

Maddy summaryHF 88 modifies Iowa's education laws to clarify requirements for private instruction, world language teaching, and tuition tax credits. It requires parents of privately instructed children to submit detailed course outlines, immunization records, and blood lead test results by September 1 each year. The bill defines "independent private instruction" as non-accredited programs with ≤4 unrelated students, no tuition, and religious focus, while ensuring diplomas from such programs are treated equally to public school diplomas. It also prohibits altering grammatical gender in world language instruction (e.g., Spanish/French) and provides a 25.5% tax credit for tuition paid for kindergarten through grade 12. These changes apply immediately upon enactment.