Rep. Rick Olson

Maddy summaryHF 263 requires all physically able students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Iowa public and accredited nonpublic schools to engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily, separate from required physical education classes. Schools must ensure this activity occurs unless a student is suspended, expelled, absent (including due to illness), or circumstances like inclement weather or early dismissal prevent it. The bill explicitly prohibits using physical education class to fulfill this 30-minute daily activity requirement. It applies directly to K-5 students and school staff responsible for implementing the activity schedule.

Maddy summaryHF 2373 proposes a state-run retirement savings program for Iowa workers. It requires employers with five or more employees to automatically enroll eligible workers (aged 18+ working 120+ days annually) in a trust managed by the Iowa Treasurer, with a default contribution rate set by the Treasurer. Participants can opt out, adjust contribution levels, or choose from low-risk investment options, including a target date fund as the default. Employers must provide annual enrollment periods and educational materials about the program. The bill is currently in committee and aims to expand retirement savings access for Iowa workers through employer-based enrollment.

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 394 restricts the Department of Transportation from designating a segment of State Highway 5 and US Highway 65 as an interstate unless federal exemptions for vehicle weight and size are secured. It creates a temporary exception, allowing implements of husbandry to continue operating on a specific portion of this highway if it becomes an interstate, until a suitable alternative route is established. The bill appropriates $250,000 to the Department of Transportation to study and develop this alternative highway route for agricultural vehicles. These provisions directly affect the Department of Transportation's authority over highway designations and agricultural vehicle operators in the specified areas.

Maddy summaryHF 914 modifies Iowa's education structure by changing how area education agencies (AEAs) operate and interact with the Department of Education. It removes outdated sections and updates key provisions, including requiring AEAs to provide evidence-based professional development and special education oversight through a new "division of special education" within the Department (not AEAs). The bill also revises budget processes, mandating that AEA annual budgets must be approved by both the Department of Education and the State Board of Education before final adoption. These changes directly affect AEAs, local school districts, and students - particularly those with disabilities - by clarifying service responsibilities and oversight for educational programs.

Maddy summaryHF 812 requests the Iowa legislative council to form an interim study committee to plan a state education summit for 2026. The committee, with specific membership including educators, administrators, and education officials, must determine the summit’s location, agenda, and speakers by December 2025. It will focus on identifying best practices in education, such as active learning and technology use, and develop speaker recommendations. The committee’s final report will propose the summit’s details to the legislature and governor.

Maddy summaryHF 740 limits rent increases for current tenants in Iowa residential rentals and mobile home parks. Landlords cannot raise rents more than three times the Midwest consumer price index (CPI) increase over the past year or the assessed property value increase (whichever is higher), whichever is greater. Mobile home park tenants must receive written notice of any rent increase at least 90 days before it takes effect. The bill directly affects existing renters in these housing types by capping annual rent hikes based on economic or property value metrics.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors Archie and Nancy Martin for their historical support of Black students at Iowa State University. It recognizes their role in addressing housing discrimination by hosting students at their Ames home (the Martin House, now a historic landmark) and advocating with university leadership. The resolution also references existing honors, including Martin Hall (named in 2004) and scholarships established in 2008 to support students of color. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges the Martin family’s contributions to educational equity.

Maddy summaryHF 727 caps the annual finance charge for consumer credit sales at 10% on unpaid balances. It applies to both open-end credit (like credit cards) and other installment credit, limiting how much lenders can charge in interest. The bill directly affects consumers who take out credit for purchases and the lenders who provide those loans. Key provisions set a strict 10% annual rate ceiling, replacing previous higher thresholds. This is a concrete policy change to limit interest costs for borrowers.

Maddy summaryThis proposed constitutional amendment would establish a fundamental right to reproductive care in Iowa's Constitution, protecting services like contraception, abortion, prenatal care, and infertility treatment. It prohibits the state from interfering with these personal health decisions unless a "compelling state interest" is proven through the "least restrictive means," with specific exceptions allowing post-viability abortion restrictions only when medically necessary to protect a patient's life or health. The amendment directly affects all Iowans seeking reproductive healthcare by enshrining these rights at the constitutional level. If adopted by the legislature and voters, it would replace current state abortion laws with this new constitutional standard, though it remains a proposal pending ratification.