Sen. Izaah Knox

Maddy summarySF 223 appropriates $2.5 million from Iowa's general fund for the 2024-2025 fiscal year to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This funding will be distributed proportionally to nonprofit resettlement agencies that partner with the U.S. Department of State to provide assistance to refugees in Iowa. HHS must distribute the funds within seven days of the bill's enactment to cover resettlement expenses like housing and support services. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on funding allocation without altering refugee policies or eligibility.

Maddy summarySF 157 changes Iowa's unemployment benefit calculation by increasing the maximum benefit amount from 16 to 26 times an individual's weekly benefit amount during a benefit year. This directly affects unemployed Iowans who qualify for benefits, as it allows them to receive more total benefits before reaching the cap. The bill also includes a special provision: workers laid off due to an employer closing their facility get the 26x maximum benefit, even if it exceeds their wage credits. Current law limits benefits to 16x the weekly amount, but this bill expands that limit. The change applies to all eligible individuals, with the exception for business closures triggering the higher cap.

Maddy summarySF 147 strengthens wage payment protections for Iowa employees by requiring employers to prove deductions are lawful and obtain written employee authorization for them. It mandates clear written notices about pay schedules, wage calculation methods, and changes affecting pay, plus detailed pay statements showing hours worked, sales, or miles earned. Employers face penalties for non-payment, including liquidated damages and attorney fees, while prohibiting retaliation against employees who file complaints or cooperate in investigations. The bill directly affects all Iowa employers and their workers by clarifying wage transparency and enforcement mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all Iowa public school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to publish mental health resources from "your life Iowa" (a state program) on their websites or link to them online. Schools must also collaborate with enrolled students to develop new ways to improve awareness of these mental health resources. The law directly affects students and schools by mandating accessible online resource sharing and student involvement in awareness efforts. It does not change funding or create new services, but standardizes how schools provide mental health information.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Iowa school boards to establish a process for appointing student liaisons who serve as nonvoting representatives at board meetings. School districts must create an application and selection process, and if applicants meet the criteria, the board must appoint at least one student to this role. The student liaison attends regular board and committee meetings (but not discipline-related sessions), accesses nonconfidential materials, and advocates for student perspectives on education policies. The Department of Education must provide school districts with a model application and selection process to guide implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Iowa school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to provide free breakfast and lunch programs to all students whose families earn at or below 300% of the federal poverty level starting July 2025, increasing to 400% for 2026-2027, and becoming universal (no income limit) beginning July 2027. It appropriates state funds to cover costs not covered by federal programs, ensuring meals meet nutrition standards. The bill directly affects all eligible schools and their students, expanding access to free meals while mandating compliance with federal and state nutrition rules. The state board of education must adopt rules to administer these provisions, effective upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 66) allows courts to permit minors (under 18) and witnesses with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, or developmental disabilities to testify remotely via two-way video equipment instead of in the same courtroom as the defendant. It requires a court to make a specific finding that this is necessary to prevent trauma that would impair the witness's ability to communicate. The testimony is recorded in a separate room and displayed in the courtroom through a video connection, with only essential personnel and those aiding the witness's well-being allowed in the testimony room. The defendant can view the witness during testimony, and the witness can see the defendant, but the defendant is not physically present in the testimony room. This change aims to reduce emotional distress for vulnerable witnesses while maintaining courtroom procedures.

Maddy summarySF 109 establishes Iowa's first state-run paid family and medical leave insurance program. It provides eligible employees at covered employers (private companies with 10+ workers, or all public employers) with up to 12 weeks of paid, job-protected leave annually for reasons like childbirth, caring for a seriously ill family member, or their own serious health condition. Employees qualify after working 1,250 hours over 12 consecutive months. The program covers up to 16 combined weeks of family and medical leave per year, with benefits calculated based on the employee's "spendable weekly earnings."

Maddy summarySF 101 increases Iowa's state minimum hourly wage to $15.00 for most workers starting July 1, 2025, and sets a separate $14.10 minimum for new employees during their first 90 days of employment. The bill automatically raises both wage rates annually on July 1 beginning in 2026, using the same percentage as federal Social Security cost-of-living adjustments. It ensures the minimum wage never decreases and applies to all employers covered by Iowa's wage laws.

Maddy summarySF 63 creates an Iowa cancer research program funded by a $4 million appropriation from the state general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026. The Department of Health and Human Services will use these funds to support cancer research projects at Iowa's public colleges and universities, allocating $1.25 million each for pediatric cancer research, cancer prevention research (addressing Iowa's high cancer rates), and basic cancer research (studying cellular responses to cancer). The department will select projects through requests for proposals, prioritizing scientific merit, potential health benefits for Iowans, and inclusion of diverse expertise. Up to 5% of the funds may cover administrative costs for the program.