Sen. Sarah Garriott

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment for Iowa that would limit consecutive service for state legislators. It would prevent anyone first elected to the Iowa General Assembly after 2028 from serving more than 12 consecutive years in either the House or Senate, and require a mandatory two-year break after reaching that limit. The amendment applies only to legislators first elected for terms beginning January 1, 2029, or later. If adopted by the next legislature and approved by voters, it would change the state constitution to impose this term limit.

Maddy summarySF 557 prohibits Iowa legislators, legislative staff, and their immediate family (spouse or child) from buying, selling, or trading financial instruments using nonpublic information gained from their official government roles. It requires these individuals to report all such transactions to the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board within 30 days, including details like the instrument type, value, and any relevant legislative matters. The board must publicly post these reports online in a searchable format for transparency. Violations are classified as a class C felony, with penalties including fines, disgorgement of profits, and potential disciplinary action by the ethics committee.

Maddy summarySF 479 authorizes Iowa's Secretary of State to refuse to file business documents or remove information from them if they are materially false, fraudulent, or intended for unlawful purposes (Section 6). It directly affects business entities, such as partnerships and LLCs, that file documents with the Secretary of State. Key provisions include creating a process for removing "unauthorized use information" (like personal details used without consent) from business records through notarized affidavits (Sections 8-10) and clarifying that the Secretary's filing decisions do not affect a document's legal validity (Section 7). The bill focuses on administrative procedures for document handling, not new business regulations.

Maddy summaryThis resolution commemorates Lutheran Services in Iowa's 160-year history of providing human services across the state. It formally designates March 11, 2025, as "Lutheran Services in Iowa Day" to honor their work in areas like early childhood programs, foster care, mental health services, and support for people with disabilities. The resolution has no policy or funding impact; it is purely ceremonial recognition of the organization's contributions to Iowans.

Maddy summarySF 558 updates Iowa's Medicaid program to improve service delivery and provider rights. It requires Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) to provide conflict-free case management and independent assessments for long-term care members, and allows them to opt into a fee-for-service program. The bill creates a new external review process for providers denied services or reimbursement, mandating MCOs to clearly notify providers of their appeal rights and pay a $1,000 penalty if they fail to comply with notification requirements. Providers automatically win reviews if MCOs miss deadlines for documentation or notifications. These changes directly affect Medicaid providers, MCOs, and long-term care recipients in Iowa.

Maddy summarySF 559 would allow speech language pathologist assistants (SLPAs) working under licensed speech pathologists to be reimbursed for services provided to medical assistance program recipients (Iowa's Medicaid program). The bill requires Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to adopt rules enabling this reimbursement and to seek federal approval via a waiver or amendment to Medicare/Medicaid rules. This change would directly affect SLPAs and medical assistance recipients by expanding covered services, but only takes effect after HHS receives federal approval. The bill does not change current reimbursement for licensed speech pathologists.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 556) seeks to expand continuous eligibility under Iowa's WIC program for pregnant women, postpartum women, and infants whose family income is at or below 375% of the federal poverty level. It requires Iowa's health department to request a federal waiver by August 2025 to provide continuous coverage during pregnancy (instead of periodic renewals), and 12 months of continuous postpartum and infant eligibility. If federal approval is denied, Iowa must report the costs by December 2025 and could fund the expanded eligibility starting July 2026 using state funds, if the legislature appropriates money. The policy directly affects low-income families seeking nutrition support during pregnancy and early childhood.

Maddy summarySF 480 requires Iowa state employers to provide up to three days of paid leave for employees following the death of a parent, child, or spouse. This replaces the current system where state employees could use up to 40 hours of accrued sick leave annually for such family deaths. The bill directly affects all Iowa state employees who experience the loss of an immediate family member. It establishes a specific, dedicated leave entitlement rather than relying on existing sick leave rules.

Maddy summarySF 485 requires nonpublic schools receiving tuition payments through Iowa's education savings account program to meet specific standards. These schools must follow public school board accountability rules, submit required data reports, maintain accreditation like public schools, and comply with teacher licensing requirements. The bill modifies the definition of "qualified educational expenses" to include these new requirements for participating nonpublic schools. It also removes a previous provision that prevented the state from requiring schools to adjust their educational programs to receive payments.

Maddy summarySF 452 amends Iowa's public employee collective bargaining laws, directly affecting state and local government workers (including educators) and their unions. Key provisions include requiring written member consent for dues checkoff, specifying negotiable topics like health and safety (while excluding retirement systems), and revising election rules to prevent frequent union representation changes. The bill updates procedures for union certification, decertification, and collective bargaining agreements, with new rules limiting election petitions for one year after a certification or decertification. It also clarifies that public employers must negotiate in good faith on agreed-upon topics without forcing concessions.