Rep. Dan Gosa

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 565 establishes a partial property tax exemption for certain residential properties. This exemption applies to homes purchased from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by owners who qualify for the homestead tax credit. To be eligible, the sale must be made to provide housing in an area declared a major disaster or disaster emergency. The exemption lasts for four assessment years, starting at 80% of the property's actual value in the first year and decreasing by 20% each subsequent year.

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally recognizes and commends the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) for its 50th anniversary. It highlights NCSL's role as a bipartisan organization supporting state legislatures through research, idea-sharing, and fostering cooperation. The resolution has no policy impact; it simply expresses congressional appreciation and directs the House Chief Clerk to send a copy to NCSL.

Maddy summaryHF 614 requires Iowa's state transportation commission to prioritize improvements to U.S. Highway 30 across the state, specifically from the Missouri River near Missouri Valley to the Mississippi River near Clinton. The bill mandates that the commission include in its long-range transportation plan a strategy to expand all two-lane sections of this highway segment to four-lane divided roadways until the entire route meets that standard. This policy change directly affects Iowa's transportation planning process and the communities along U.S. Highway 30. The bill does not create new funding but directs the commission to prioritize this specific highway in its existing planning framework.

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 821 requires Iowa's Department of Administrative Services (DAS) to create an online contractor performance assessment system. This system will allow government agencies to evaluate contractors, architects, and engineers who work on public projects in Iowa. It uses specific metrics like whether work was completed on time, if costs stayed within budget, and the history of change orders to assign performance grades. Government agencies can then use this system to determine if a contractor is "responsible" when awarding future contracts. The bill directly affects contractors working on state public projects and the agencies that hire them.

Maddy summaryHF 811 repeals Iowa's school tuition organization (STO) tax credit, which allowed taxpayers to reduce their individual or corporate income tax by 75% of donations to STOs. The bill ends this credit for contributions made on or after July 1, 2025, and reduces the 2025 credit cap from $20 million to $10 million. It fully repeals the tax credit provision on July 1, 2031, removing all future eligibility and references to the credit in tax law. This directly affects individuals, corporations, and STOs that previously used or issued these tax credits.

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 summaryHF 804 requires Iowa public and nonpublic schools to conduct criminal history checks on contractors and their employees before hiring them for specific construction or renovation projects at school buildings. It mandates schools to review three public registries (sex offenders, child abuse, and dependent adult abuse) for anyone working on new school buildings or renovations occurring during school hours with students present. Schools must document compliance, may charge contractors for the check costs, and must bar individuals listed in those registries from performing any construction work. This applies to all school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools.