Rep. Bob Kressig

Maddy summaryHF 607 increases Iowa's Medicaid eligibility income threshold for pregnant women and infants from 215% to 375% of the federal poverty level. It directly affects low-income pregnant individuals and infants whose families earn up to 375% of the federal poverty level, expanding access to coverage. The bill requires Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services to submit state plan amendments to the federal government by January 2026, enabling 12 months of continuous postpartum Medicaid coverage for eligible pregnant women and updating infant eligibility rules. This change aligns with federal provisions under the American Rescue Plan Act and aims to improve healthcare continuity for this population.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution authorizes Iowa to replace its current U.S. Capitol statue of Samuel J. Kirkwood with one honoring former Governor Robert D. Ray. It creates a seven-member committee (appointed by the governor) to raise funds through donations for the statue exchange, commissioning the new statue, and relocating the Kirkwood statue. The resolution establishes a state fund to manage these costs and requires the Kirkwood statue to be permanently displayed at Iowa's state capitol building. The bill does not appropriate state funds but relies on private donations for the replacement process.

Maddy summaryHF 554 modifies Iowa public school library requirements. It requires school districts to employ a licensed teacher librarian (starting July 1, 2025), removing the previous option of hiring someone previously employed at a public library. The bill eliminates enforcement mechanisms like written warnings and hearings for library program compliance, removes confidentiality protections for parents requesting book removals, and deletes prohibitions against student involvement in material removal decisions. These changes directly affect school districts, library staff, and parents making material removal requests.

Maddy summaryHF 504 establishes a robotics grant program within Iowa's STEM collaborative initiative to provide funding for school robotics programs. It appropriates $400,000 to offset costs like team stipends, competition fees, kits, and travel for public school districts, nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools. The bill also allocates $100,000 to the University of Northern Iowa to develop a public-private partnership supporting the Iowa regional FIRST robotics competition. These provisions directly support K-12 robotics education and competition participation through targeted financial assistance.

Maddy summaryHF 462 removes time limits for civil lawsuits by victims of sexual abuse in Iowa. It eliminates the previous 5-year deadline for cases involving counselors, therapists, school staff, or instructors, and establishes no statute of limitations for all sexual abuse civil actions. The bill also revives previously dismissed cases where lawsuits were barred by expired deadlines or failure to file. This applies only to civil claims for damages, not criminal matters, and takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryHF 455 changes Iowa's unemployment benefit rules by increasing the maximum total benefit amount an individual can receive in one benefit year. Currently, benefits are capped at 16 times the weekly benefit amount; this bill raises that cap to 26 times the weekly amount. The bill directly affects Iowa workers who qualify for unemployment benefits, ensuring they can receive up to 26 weeks' worth of benefits based on their prior earnings. The key change simplifies the calculation by removing the previous lower limit tied to wage credits, though benefits remain tied to the individual's base period earnings. This adjustment applies to all eligible claimants, including those laid off due to employer closures.

Maddy summaryHF 431 removes all time limits for victims to file civil lawsuits related to sexual abuse, human trafficking, or sexual exploitation of minors in Iowa. It applies directly to victims of these specific harms, including cases involving counselors, school staff, or others in positions of trust. The bill revives previously dismissed cases where the time limit had expired, allowing victims to file new lawsuits even if they were previously barred. This change takes effect immediately upon enactment, eliminating prior deadlines like the five-year window for school-related abuse claims.

Maddy summaryHF 368 updates Iowa's water quality laws to regulate large livestock operations. It specifically requires medium and large concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) - like major dairy or hog farms - to obtain federal-style NPDES permits for managing manure and wastewater. The bill establishes state rules for manure storage, treatment, and facility inspections, aligning with federal Clean Water Act standards. These permits aim to prevent pollution from runoff into rivers and streams, directly affecting agricultural operations that meet the CAFO size definitions.

Maddy summaryHF 412 modifies Iowa's child care assistance program to better support unhoused parents. It defines "unhoused" as lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (including living in motels, shelters, cars, or transitional housing) and requires the Department of Health and Human Services to extend the 30-day employment-based eligibility limit for parents of children under six years old who are unhoused. The bill also exempts unhoused children from program waiting lists and mandates an expedited process for approving assistance and extensions for unhoused applicants. These changes directly affect low-income parents experiencing housing instability who are seeking work.

Maddy summaryHF 376 sets specific limits on campaign contributions for Iowa candidates. It restricts contributions to $4,000 from individuals or political committees and $40,000 from political parties for statewide office candidates (like governor), while lowering these caps to $1,000 and $10,000 for state senator or representative candidates. The bill applies separately to each primary, general, and special election within an election cycle. Violations carry penalties including a serious misdemeanor charge (up to 1 year in jail and $2,560 fine) or civil penalties up to $2,000.