Sen. Lynn Evans

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Iowa public school districts to offer elective high school courses (grades 9-12) focused on biblical texts, including the Old Testament, New Testament, or both. School boards must approve such courses after a school improvement committee recommends them by majority vote. Courses must teach biblical content to help students understand culture and society, while strictly following religious neutrality rules - no endorsement of any faith, and students may use alternative Bible translations. The bill also permits displays of religious materials in class if educationally appropriate, without requiring students to engage with texts conflicting with their family's beliefs.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 320) creates a new capital murder offense in Iowa for intentionally killing a peace officer while the officer is on duty. It establishes the death penalty as the mandatory punishment for this specific crime, directly affecting individuals charged with such murders and requiring specialized legal representation for indigent defendants in these cases. Key provisions include mandating qualified attorneys for capital murder cases, creating a new process to assess an inmate's sanity before execution, and requiring automatic Supreme Court review of all death sentences to ensure they are legally imposed and not excessive. The bill also amends existing laws to clarify the circumstances that qualify as capital murder, including killings of officers "under any circumstances" with knowledge of their status.

Maddy summarySF 321 prohibits Iowa public school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic schools using state funds from paying dues or participating with high school athletic organizations that don’t classify schools based on enrollment for sports competitions. Organizations must use actual enrollment numbers (with a 1.5 multiplier for nonpublic schools using education savings accounts, but not moving schools more than one classification up) to determine competition divisions. The rule takes effect January 1, 2027, though organizations could begin using the system for the 2025-2026 school year. The bill excludes eight-person football from this requirement.

Maddy summarySF 365 is a procedural bill that directs the Iowa Department of Administrative Services to authorize a monument honoring Martin Treptow on the state capitol complex grounds. It requires the department to solicit and approve a monument application, which must include the poem "My Pledge" by Treptow in the design, along with cost, funding, and timeline details. If multiple applications are submitted, the department and Capitol Planning Commission will select the one best meeting construction and maintenance requirements. The bill does not change laws or affect citizens but formalizes the process for placing this commemorative monument.

Maddy summarySF 64 allows Iowa school districts impacted by federally or state-declared natural disasters to receive an additional budget adjustment. If a disaster occurred in the base year or the year before, the district qualifies for an extra adjustment equal to the amount they received in their base year. This extends an existing budget adjustment policy (which normally covers a 1% cost difference) to include disaster recovery needs. The bill directly affects school districts in Iowa that meet the disaster declaration criteria, providing them with an additional year of funding to cover unexpected costs.

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 changes the minimum interest rate for Iowa state funds invested in bank certificates of deposit (CDs). It requires these investments to earn interest at no less than half the federal funds rate published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, replacing the current system where the state treasurer sets the minimum rate. The policy directly affects how state money is invested in CDs by state agencies and other public bodies. This ensures state funds earn a rate tied to a national benchmark, rather than a rate set by the treasurer.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 120) amends Iowa law to require parental consent for minors seeking vaccinations against sexually transmitted diseases or infections. Currently, minors can consent to STI-related medical care (prevention, diagnosis, treatment) without parental involvement; this bill creates an exception specifically for STI vaccinations, mandating parental consent for that service. It directly affects minors under 18 seeking STI vaccines and their parents or legal guardians. The key provision changes Section 139A.35 of the Iowa Code to exclude vaccinations from the existing minor-consent exception for STI care. The bill is currently in committee review.

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 115 requires Iowa school districts to obtain written parental consent before enrolling students in human growth and development courses or facilitating attendance at related educational conferences. It mandates that school boards annually provide parents with specific information about such courses, materials, and conferences. The bill prohibits schools from requiring student participation in these programs without a parent's written request for excusal. School districts must cover the costs of compliance using existing state school foundation aid, as specified in the bill.