Maddy summarySF 243, the "College Affordability Act," limits annual tuition increases for in-state undergraduate students at Iowa's regents institutions to 3% and requires institutions to freeze tuition for resident students after their first year of enrollment (starting in 2026). It mandates that institutions offer at least one baccalaureate degree program that can be completed in three years by 2027 and establish a "work plus" program where employers cover tuition and fees during part-time employment semesters. The bill also requires the board to notify student governments 30 days before tuition decisions and hold final approval meetings by December 31 of the prior fiscal year. These provisions directly affect in-state undergraduate students at Iowa's public universities.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Iowa school transportation rules for students using open enrollment. It removes mileage restrictions for districts of all sizes: for districts under 2,000 students, it eliminates the requirement that a student's home must be closer to the receiving school than their assigned school in the sending district. For districts with 2,000+ students, it removes the previous two-mile limit on transportation routes, allowing vehicles to travel farther without distance restrictions. The change directly affects students in open enrollment programs and their receiving school districts, streamlining transportation logistics regardless of residence location relative to school assignments.
Maddy summarySF 344 requires Iowa school district boards to grant reasonable access to school property for specific community organizations, defined as patriotic and national groups under federal law (36 U.S.C. §20101-240112). These organizations may distribute materials and provide instructional resources to encourage participation, but school boards must establish terms to prevent interference with classroom instruction and prioritize after-school access when feasible. The law mandates that access terms protect students, staff, and school property while ensuring school activities remain uninterrupted. This directly affects school districts (as duty-bearers) and qualifying community organizations (as beneficiaries).
Maddy summarySF 281 prohibits discharging firearms or hunting game/fur-bearing animals within 200 yards of public recreation areas. It directly affects hunters operating near these areas, including parks and recreational facilities managed by local, state, or federal governments. Key exceptions include existing public hunting areas (established before the bill's effective date) and target shooting ranges that were already operational within 200 yards. Violations are punishable as simple misdemeanors with a $35 fine.
Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 117) protects pharmacists and licensed healthcare practitioners (like doctors, nurses, and dentists) from employer or licensing board restrictions that interfere with their professional judgment when prescribing, dispensing, or administering medications. It prohibits boards or employers from creating rules that deter professionals from using treatments they deem appropriate based on their expertise and scope of practice. Any such restriction - whether in contracts, handbooks, or policies - is declared unenforceable and cannot lead to disciplinary action. The bill ensures professionals using medication decisions within their scope and best judgment cannot face license discipline for those choices.
Maddy summarySF 226 establishes a new process for reviewing eminent domain actions in Iowa. It allows property owners whose land is at risk of being taken under eminent domain (or applicants before the Iowa Utilities Commission) to petition Polk County district court for a declaratory review before the commission makes a final decision. The court can only declare legal rights and status under eminent domain law, not change outcomes, and the bill permits a new review in a different county after 18 months or if circumstances change, requiring a fresh court evaluation. Additionally, it mandates a $10 filing fee (deposited into the state general fund) and eliminates bond requirements for appeals or enforcement of related court orders.
Maddy summarySF 224 requires all Iowa Utilities Commission members to be present during live testimony at public utility, pipeline, or electric transmission line hearings. If any member is absent during testimony, the hearing must pause until all members return. For informational meetings about pipeline permits or utility projects, at least one commission member must be present, and the meeting must pause if they become unavailable until a member returns. The bill applies to hearings and meetings related to pipeline permits, electric transmission lines, and utility regulations, ensuring consistent commission presence without requiring formal meeting records.
Maddy summarySF 239 requires applicants for hazardous liquid pipeline permits in Iowa to provide evidence of sufficient insurance or surety before a permit is granted. This insurance must cover damages from pipeline discharges (negligent or intentional), property damage from construction or discharges, and increased insurance costs or inability to obtain insurance for nearby residents. Pipeline owners must either purchase insurance for affected residents or reimburse them for higher premiums caused by the pipeline. The bill directly affects pipeline companies seeking permits and property owners near proposed pipeline routes. It establishes concrete insurance requirements to address financial risks tied to pipeline construction and operation.
Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 228) changes how the Iowa Utilities Commission can impose sanctions on intervenors - third parties like consumer groups or businesses participating in utility rate cases. It requires the commission to find two specific conditions before threatening or imposing sanctions: (1) the intervenor was knowingly dishonest or violated a criminal statute, and (2) the intervenor caused quantifiable injury exceeding $500 to the commission. The bill directly affects intervenors in contested utility cases by limiting sanctions to only the most severe misconduct with clear financial harm. It does not create new sanctions but sets strict procedural barriers for their use.
Maddy summarySF 5 expands Iowa's invasion of privacy law to include possessing non-consensual intimate images. It makes it a crime for someone to knowingly possess photos or videos taken without consent for sexual gratification, even if they didn't take the images themselves. This applies when the person being filmed was in partial or full nudity and had a reasonable expectation of privacy. Violating this law is classified as an aggravated misdemeanor and a tier II sex offense, requiring 10 years of sex offender registration. The bill directly affects individuals who possess such non-consensual images, broadening the scope of criminal liability beyond just capturing them.