Sen. Mike Klimesh

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard and Staff Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Iowa National Guard members killed in action during a December 2025 attack in Syria. It recognizes their military service, posthumous promotions, and sacrifices, while also acknowledging three wounded Iowa Guard soldiers from the same incident. The resolution directs that a copy be sent to the families of the two fallen soldiers as a formal tribute. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no policy or legal effect but serves to memorialize their service.

Maddy summarySF 45, known as the "Iowa Land Redevelopment Trust Act," allows cities, counties, and townships to create independent land redevelopment trusts. These trusts are designed to acquire and manage dilapidated, abandoned, blighted, and tax-delinquent properties. The bill aims to help communities return these properties to productive use, with the goal of revitalizing areas, providing affordable housing, and attracting new industry. Each trust would be governed by a board of directors.

Maddy summarySF 22 regulates how drivers can use electronic devices while operating a vehicle. It specifically addresses the use of these devices in a voice-activated or hands-free mode. The bill establishes penalties for any violations of these new rules. These provisions and penalties are set to become effective on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySF 219 introduces a new annual fee for owners of forest and fruit-tree reservations in Iowa, starting January 1, 2026. These reservations are currently exempt from property tax. The fee structure varies based on the reservation's location relative to the owner's homestead. Owners will pay $2 per acre if the reservation is in the same county as their homestead, or $3 per acre if it's in a contiguous county. For other reservations, including those within city limits, the fee will be a rate calculated annually by the Department of Management, with all fees deposited into the county general fund.

Maddy summarySF 165 authorizes local municipalities to establish length of service award programs for volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical care providers, and reserve peace officers. These programs are designed to provide tax-deferred benefits to these volunteers. The bill creates a state grant fund, managed by the Department of Revenue, to help municipalities fund these programs. This fund will receive an initial $1.5 million appropriation from sports wagering receipts, with annual replenishments, and will provide matching grants up to $300 per recipient per year to participating municipalities.

Maddy summarySF 48 requires hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and pregnancy resource centers in Iowa to report specific serious medical incidents to the state Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing within 15 working days. Facilities must report events like wrong-site surgery, medication errors, patient disappearances, falls, device failures, or serious injuries from contaminated products. The law specifies 15 distinct incident types that qualify as "serious reportable events," excluding certain situations like emergencies requiring immediate action. Reports must not include identifying details about patients, staff, or healthcare professionals. Failure to report could result in penalties established under the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how local emergency management agencies in Iowa fund their operations. It requires their budgets to be fully covered by specific local funding sources (like property taxes) and mandates that the local commission (defined as a municipality) certifies these budgets annually by February 28. The bill prohibits any other entity from amending these certified budgets after approval. These rules apply to property tax budgets for fiscal years starting July 1, 2026, directly affecting local emergency management agencies and their governing commissions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 268) updates Iowa's oil and gas regulations by requiring operators to submit annual filings with the Department of Natural Resources. These filings include business details, organizational plans, and contact information for all owners and officers. The bill also establishes clearer rules for confidential information (like lease terms and trade secrets), limits public access for five years, and creates a process for operators to request written variances from department rules. Additionally, it defines key terms (such as "correlative rights" for fair resource sharing) and clarifies well reporting requirements for logs and production data.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new rules for Iowa's rate-regulated public utilities (like electric and gas companies). It limits rate filings to once every 12 months unless approved early, requires general rate cases by specific deadlines (July 1, 2028, then every three years), and restricts automatic rate adjustments to costs outside the utility's control - capping adjustments within 10% of approved amounts. Utilities must also file integrated resource plans every three years (starting July 2026), including detailed 20-year analyses of energy sources and costs, while demonstrating compliance with approved energy efficiency plans. These changes aim to increase rate stability and transparency for utility customers.

Maddy summarySF 371 establishes a standardized fee structure for recording property documents with county recorders in Iowa. It requires a $10 fee per page (capped at $500 for 50+ pages) and directs $2 per document into a technology upgrade fund for equipment/software, and $3 per document into an electronic services fund for public online access systems. The bill explicitly prohibits using these fees to cover general office costs like salaries or insurance, ensuring funds only cover direct technology expenses. These provisions affect property owners paying recording fees, county recorders managing documents, and the public accessing electronic land records through the new statewide system.