Maddy summaryHF 2077 modifies Iowa's education funding rules to allow school districts to use money from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) fund for increased insurance costs associated with employing individuals who hold professional permits to carry weapons under state law. The bill expands the definition of "school infrastructure" under the SAVE fund to specifically include these higher insurance premiums. This change directly affects school districts that hire permit holders for security roles, providing funding flexibility for related insurance expenses. The policy change is purely procedural, clarifying eligible uses of existing SAVE fund resources without altering the fund's overall purpose or creating new financial obligations.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHF 2118 establishes a pilot program allowing Iowa voters with disabilities that prevent hand-marking of ballots to independently mark absentee ballots by mail using assistive technology (such as nonvisual or low-vision access tools). It requires the state election commissioner to create rules for the program, including a mail request method for eligible voters. The program must test feasibility across enough counties if not statewide, with annual reports to the legislature. The pilot expires on July 1, 2029.
Maddy summaryHF 2376 appropriates $2 million from the general fund for the fiscal year 2026-2027 to expand Iowa's Return to Community program, which helps individuals transition from institutional care to community living. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to report on the program's outcomes by December 31, 2027. The bill also increases reimbursement rates by 5% for adult day care services under home and community-based services waivers, while maintaining other existing reimbursement rates for medical assistance and social services. This directly affects providers of community-based care and participants in the Return to Community program.
Maddy summaryHF 2225 creates a tax credit for Iowa residents who paid nonresident tuition at state universities and later work in the state as health care professionals, teachers, licensed veterinarians, or professional engineers. The credit equals 100% of the difference between the nonresident and resident tuition rates they paid during their studies, available within three years of graduation while employed in Iowa. Unused credit can be carried forward for up to five years to offset future income tax, but it is not refundable and does not apply to nonresidents. The bill requires the Board of Regents to publish historical tuition rates online and applies retroactively to tax years starting January 1, 2026.
Maddy summaryHF 2107 appropriates $2.5 million from the state general fund to the Department of Health and Human Services for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. This funding will administer and provide matching state funds to the statewide child care solutions fund program, which matches private donations to expand child care access across Iowa. The program directly affects child care providers and families by increasing available funding for child care services through public-private partnerships. The bill creates no new regulations but allocates existing state funds to support this matching mechanism.
Maddy summaryThis resolution honors Staff Sergeants William Nathaniel Howard and Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Iowa National Guard members killed in action during a December 13, 2025, enemy attack in Palmyra, Syria. It recognizes their service, sacrifice, and posthumous promotions to staff sergeant, while also acknowledging three wounded Iowa National Guard soldiers from the same incident. The resolution formally expresses the House of Representatives' respect for their lives and sacrifice, and directs copies to be sent to their families as a gesture of recognition. This is a commemorative resolution with no policy or funding changes, solely intended to honor the fallen service members and their families.
Maddy summaryHF 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.
Maddy summaryHouse File 963 proposes to exempt the sale of laundry soap or detergent from the state sales tax. This bill directly affects consumers who purchase these cleaning products and the retailers who sell them. It achieves this by adding a new subsection to Section 423.3 of the state's Code, specifically exempting the sales price of laundry soap or detergent. As a result, these items would also be exempt from the state's use tax.
Maddy summaryHF 962 modifies the Iowa child and dependent care tax credit, affecting taxpayers who claim this credit against their individual income tax. It reduces the number of graduated income thresholds used to calculate the credit from seven to four. The bill also removes the current maximum income threshold for eligibility, allowing taxpayers with higher incomes to potentially claim the credit. Specifically, taxpayers with Iowa net income of $25,000 or more would be eligible for 50% of the federal child and dependent care credit. These changes would apply retroactively to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025.
Maddy summaryHF 964 proposes to exempt the sale of toilet paper from the state's sales tax. This would directly affect consumers, who would no longer pay sales tax on toilet paper purchases, and retailers, who would stop collecting sales tax on this item. The bill achieves this by amending Section 423.3 of the state's code, adding the sale of toilet paper to the list of items exempt from sales tax. By operation of existing code, this exemption would also apply to the use tax.