Sen. Janet Petersen

Maddy summarySF 502 requires Iowa employers with 15 or more employees to include a specific pay scale (salary or hourly range) directly in all job postings, ads, or recruitment communications - without allowing references to external sources. It applies to both direct employers and third parties (like job boards) handling recruitment. Violations carry civil penalties of $100 to $10,000 per offense, enforced by Iowa’s Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. The law aims to increase pay transparency for job seekers in Iowa.

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 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 438 establishes a state-funded 988 emergency service fund to support suicide and crisis lifeline services in Iowa. It allocates $3 million annually from the state general fund starting in fiscal year 2025-2026 to the fund, controlled by the Department of Health and Human Services. The fund will provide financial support to organizations operating the 988 service if federal funding for these services is interrupted, delayed, or reduced. This directly affects crisis hotline providers who rely on the 988 system (accessible by dialing 9-8-8 or texting) to maintain uninterrupted emergency mental health support.

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 436 removes a $7 million annual cap on real estate transfer tax receipts that can be directed to Iowa's Housing Trust Fund (HTF). Currently, only $7 million of the 30% of these taxes designated for the HTF can be transferred yearly, with excess funds going to the general fund. The bill changes this by allowing all 30% of the receipts (without the $7 million limit) to flow directly into the HTF each year. This directly affects the HTF's funding, which supports affordable housing development and preservation for low-income Iowans and the Iowa Mortgage Help Initiative.

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.