Sen. Annette Sweeney

Maddy summarySF 429 creates a pilot program to help Iowa farmers reduce commercial nitrogen fertilizer use by offering $5+ per acre incentives for adopting approved alternatives like soil conditioners or biofertilizers. The program, funded with $2 million annually starting in 2025, targets field crop producers statewide and aims to cut fertilizer application rates by 15% or 30 pounds per acre. Participants must document their use of qualifying products and follow division-approved methods. The program runs until 2030, requiring annual reports on progress and outcomes.

Maddy summarySJR 6 is a constitutional amendment proposing to repeal Iowa’s natural resources and outdoor recreation trust fund (which funded parks, trails, and conservation) and replace it with a new property tax relief trust fund. The amendment would dedicate a portion of increased sales and use tax revenue (capped at 0.375% of taxable sales) to lower school district property tax levies uniformly across the state. This fund would replace revenue previously generated from the foundation property tax levy, directly reducing property taxes for homeowners and businesses that fund public schools. As a constitutional amendment, it requires voter approval after legislative passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 333) removes the ability of Iowa cities to ban golf cart operation on city streets for people with a valid driver's license. It maintains existing restrictions: golf carts must have brakes, a slow-moving vehicle sign, and a bicycle safety flag; operate only from sunrise to sunset; and comply with local safety rules. The bill does not change current exemptions from vehicle registration or the prohibition against operating golf carts on primary road extensions (though crossing is allowed). It directly affects golf cart users and local governments managing street regulations.

Maddy summarySF 242 requires Iowa health insurance companies to cover diagnosis and treatment for pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS), PANDAS (a strep-related subset of PANS), and postinfectious autoimmune encephalopathy as medically necessary. It mandates coverage for treatments like antibiotics, behavioral therapy, and immunotherapies without denying or delaying care based on prior treatment for these conditions or unrelated health issues. The law applies to most individual, group, and small group health insurance plans issued in Iowa on or after January 1, 2026, but excludes accident-only, dental, vision, and other specified coverage types. Insurance companies may still request treatment notes from healthcare providers to verify medical necessity.

Maddy summarySF 250 creates a program to help rural Iowa counties and municipalities recruit attorneys by offering financial incentives. It targets areas with populations under 26,000 located more than 20 miles from a city of 50,000+ residents. Eligible attorneys receive annual tuition reimbursements (90% of University of Iowa law school costs) over five years, with counties covering 35% of the cost. The program limits participation to five attorneys and requires them to work full-time in the area for five years while providing legal services to low-income residents.

Maddy summaryThis bill protects employees of private employers (not government entities) who report potential law violations or safety dangers to Iowa legislators. It prohibits employers from stopping employees from making such disclosures to lawmakers, requiring employees to inform employers about disclosures, or retaliating (e.g., firing, demoting) for making these reports. Employees who face retaliation can seek court-ordered remedies like reinstatement, back pay, or up to three times their annual wages. The bill also ensures confidentiality for these disclosures and communications with legislators, barring compelled disclosure under state law.

Maddy summarySF 197 requires Iowa health insurance plans to cover prescription drugs for advanced (stage 4) cancer and related symptoms without forcing patients to try cheaper alternatives first. It applies to most health insurance policies (like employer plans and HMOs) starting January 1, 2026, but excludes accident-only, Medicare supplement, and workers' compensation plans. Coverage must be provided for FDA-approved drugs that are medically necessary for metastatic cancer and supported by scientific evidence. This directly affects insurers selling plans in Iowa and benefits patients with advanced cancer needing these specific treatments.

Maddy summarySF 201 exempts up to $500,000 of income from nonqualified deferred compensation plans (employer retirement plans for select employees) from Iowa's individual income tax for eligible individuals. It directly affects disabled people, those aged 55 or older, and surviving spouses with an insurable interest in a qualifying deceased person. The bill allows these taxpayers to exclude both the plan amount and its earnings from taxable income, mirroring existing retirement income exclusion rules. This exemption applies retroactively to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill reduces the maximum speed limit on unpaved secondary roads under county jurisdiction to 45 miles per hour at all times, replacing the current rule of 55 mph during daylight and 50 mph at night. It directly affects drivers on county-maintained unpaved roads and requires counties to update speed limit signs. Counties may temporarily use approved stickers on existing signs instead of replacing all signs immediately, until regular replacement schedules apply. Existing speeding penalties (ranging from $30 to $135+) remain unchanged for violations under this new limit.

Maddy summarySF 112 would establish a new Iowa transactional currency backed by physical gold and silver stored in a state-approved depository. Individuals or other states could purchase the currency by paying for the equivalent amount of gold or silver (with fees), with each unit representing a specific fractional troy ounce of metal. Holders could redeem the currency for U.S. dollars (by selling the metal) or for physical gold/silver (by receiving the metal from the depository), and the treasurer of state would set security and fraud prevention rules. The bill directly affects currency buyers, the treasurer’s office, and approved depositories, but does not change existing state or federal currency laws.