Sen. Tony Bisignano

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 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 summarySF 463 amends Iowa's drug paraphernalia law to expand exemptions. It explicitly states that hypodermic needles or syringes sold or possessed for any lawful purpose (not just medical use) are no longer considered drug paraphernalia. The bill also adds a new exemption for equipment used to test for fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, or drug adulterants in controlled substances. These changes directly affect individuals using needles lawfully (e.g., for medical treatment or harm reduction programs) and organizations testing for dangerous substances. The bill does not change penalties for other drug paraphernalia uses.

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.

Maddy summarySF 439 allows Iowa cities to levy a tax of up to 27 cents per $1,000 in property value to fund public libraries, directly affecting city residents who vote on the tax. The tax requires voter approval through a petition and election process: a majority must approve it at a regular city election, and it can be removed the same way. This bill reestablishes a library funding mechanism eliminated by a prior law (HF 718), restoring the specific tax rate and voter approval requirements that existed before that change. The tax would be part of a city's general fund levy, supporting library operations and services.

Maddy summarySF 434 creates a state child care solutions fund within Iowa's treasury, controlled by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The fund uses $6 million in state appropriations (for FY 2025-2026) plus interest and private donations to provide a 2:1 state match for communities that secure private investment to increase child care worker wages. This directly affects child care providers and workers in designated geographic areas ("communities"), requiring communities to raise private funds to qualify for state matching dollars. HHS must track and report annually on how funds are used, including wages increased, workers retained or hired, and new child care slots created.

Maddy summaryThis Iowa bill (SF 454) updates how workers' compensation claims for permanent partial disability are calculated. It requires using the most recent annual update to the American Medical Association's impairment guides (currently the 2024 update to the sixth edition) instead of the commissioner's rule-based adoption of older versions. The change directly affects workers injured on the job who seek permanent partial disability benefits, ensuring their impairment percentage is determined solely by the latest medical guidelines. It also prohibits using lay testimony or agency expertise in specific disability evaluations under these guidelines. The policy applies to all claims filed after the bill's effective date.