Sen. Sarah Garriott

Maddy summarySF 2047 requires most health insurance plans in Iowa to cap out-of-pocket costs for covered insulin prescriptions at $25 per prescription for a 31-day supply. This applies to four specific insulin types: rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, and long-acting. The law affects insured individuals with diabetes who use covered insulin drugs under qualifying health plans, effective January 1, 2027. It does not apply to certain specialized coverage like Medicare supplements or short-term medical plans.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance plans and Medicaid to cover annual low-dose CT scans for lung cancer screening for specific at-risk individuals. It defines "at-risk" as people aged 40+ who smoke, have a family history of lung cancer, or have regular exposure to certain carcinogens like asbestos or radon. Private insurance must cover these screenings without cost-sharing (like deductibles or copays), effective January 1, 2027, for most health plans. Medicaid coverage is contingent on securing a federal waiver, after which it must also cover these screenings. The bill excludes certain specialized insurance types, such as accident-only or dental coverage, from these requirements.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard and Staff Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Iowa National Guard members killed in action during a December 2025 attack in Syria. It recognizes their military service, posthumous promotions, and sacrifices, while also acknowledging three wounded Iowa Guard soldiers from the same incident. The resolution directs that a copy be sent to the families of the two fallen soldiers as a formal tribute. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no policy or legal effect but serves to memorialize their service.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Iowa's Department of Health to hold semiannual joint training sessions for nursing home inspectors and facilities. The sessions must cover the top three federal citation issues from the previous year and include information about the federal Jimmo v. Sebelius settlement, which clarifies that Medicare coverage for skilled nursing/therapy depends on a patient's need for care - not their potential to improve. The training must involve the state long-term care ombudsman and nursing facility provider associations. This policy change directly affects nursing home inspectors, facilities, and Medicare beneficiaries by aligning state inspections with federal coverage policy.

Maddy summaryThis Iowa bill requires employers to prove wage deductions are lawful and mandates written notices about pay schedules, wage calculation methods, and changes affecting pay. It demands detailed pay statements showing hours worked, sales, miles, or other metrics for each pay period. Employers face penalties including liquidated damages for intentional nonpayment of wages, and the law prohibits retaliation against employees who file wage complaints. The bill directly affects Iowa employers and employees by strengthening wage transparency and enforcement.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes increasing Iowa's state minimum hourly wage to $15.00 starting July 1, 2026, for most workers, with a lower rate of $14.10 for employees in their first 90 days of employment. It requires annual wage adjustments beginning July 1, 2027, tied directly to the federal Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) from the previous year. The bill ensures wages can only increase, never decrease, and applies to all covered workers in Iowa. This affects low-wage employees and employers across the state, with the first major increase set for 2026.

Maddy summarySF 505 codifies Iowa's existing Firsthome program under the Iowa Finance Authority, providing financial assistance to eligible first-time homebuyers. The program offers down payment/closing cost grants (capped at $10,000), second loans (repayable upon home sale or refinance), and free title certificates. To qualify, applicants must be first-time homebuyers (including military members with specific service requirements), meet income/price limits, maintain a 640+ credit score, have ≤45% debt-to-income ratio, and occupy the home as a primary residence within 60 days.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Iowa's state registrar of voters to use data from the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) to automatically update the state's voter registration system. It mandates updates for specific records including duplicate registrations, address changes, deceased voters, and eligible citizens who haven't registered. The ERIC, a nonprofit shared by 24 states, provides this data to help maintain accurate voter rolls without adding new requirements for voters or election officials.

Maddy summarySF 562 regulates how health insurers use artificial intelligence in reviewing medical treatments. It requires insurers to ensure AI tools used for prior authorization decisions (like whether a treatment is medically necessary) cannot replace doctors' judgment, must base decisions on patient history and clinical circumstances, and must be non-discriminatory. The bill also sets strict timelines: insurers must respond to urgent requests within 48 hours and non-urgent requests within 10 days, with extensions only for complex cases. Additionally, insurers must publicly post annual statistics on approval/denial rates for all treatments requiring prior authorization. This bill directly affects health insurers, healthcare providers, and patients by increasing transparency and accountability in insurance review processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 561) allows Iowa cities, towns, counties, school districts, and other local governments to use ranked choice voting (RCV) or instant runoff voting (IRV) for local elections. It amends election laws to permit voters to rank candidates in order of preference, with ballots counted in rounds: if no candidate gets a majority, the least-preferred candidate is eliminated and their votes transferred until one candidate achieves a majority or all seats are filled. Local governments may choose to adopt this method for their elections, but the bill does not require any specific jurisdiction to do so. The change directly affects voters and candidates in local races across Iowa’s municipalities and school districts.