Sen. Molly Donahue

Maddy summarySF 223 appropriates $2.5 million from Iowa's general fund for the 2024-2025 fiscal year to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This funding will be distributed proportionally to nonprofit resettlement agencies that partner with the U.S. Department of State to provide assistance to refugees in Iowa. HHS must distribute the funds within seven days of the bill's enactment to cover resettlement expenses like housing and support services. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on funding allocation without altering refugee policies or eligibility.

Maddy summarySF 199 repeals Iowa's education savings account program, which provided state funds for eligible students to cover tuition and related expenses at nonpublic schools. The bill removes this funding source and adjusts related calculations in school finance formulas that previously accounted for students using these accounts. It directly affects students who would have qualified for the program (enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12) for school years beginning July 1, 2025. The repeal takes effect immediately upon enactment, ending the program's availability for future school years.

Maddy summarySF 194 establishes a state-administered "educator supplement for all fund" to increase compensation for school district staff. It requires school districts to pay licensed educators (excluding administrators) an additional $5,000 annually and teaching assistants 10% of their base salary each year, on top of existing pay. The fund, financed through state appropriations starting July 2025, ensures districts can meet these new requirements. This bill directly affects teachers, certified staff, and teaching assistants in Iowa public schools.

Maddy summarySF 188 requires most health insurance plans in Iowa to cover contraceptive drugs, devices, and services without cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles), provided the plan covers other prescription drugs or services. It prohibits insurers from denying coverage, reducing benefits, or penalizing providers for offering contraceptive care, and defines "medical need" to allow doctors to recommend specific contraceptives without extra costs. The law applies to individual and group health plans (including those for public employees) issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, but excludes dental, vision, and short-term insurance. Insurers must clearly disclose contraceptive coverage details on their websites and via mail upon request.

Maddy summarySF 196 revises Iowa's public employee collective bargaining rules. It requires public employers and employee organizations to negotiate in good faith over wages, hours, benefits, and other terms (like dues checkoff and grievance procedures), though it does not compel either side to agree to proposals. The bill also establishes stricter decertification rules: if a union is found in contempt or convicted of violating bargaining rules, it is immediately decertified and barred from representing employees for 12 months. Additionally, it sets collective bargaining agreements at a maximum two-year term and adjusts election timelines for union representation. The bill directly affects public employees (including educators), their unions, and city civil service systems across Iowa.

Maddy summarySF 185 establishes a state-run retirement savings trust for Iowa workers, automatically enrolling employees (with a 5% default contribution rate) through payroll deductions unless they opt out. It applies to workers in Iowa who are subject to state wage withholding, with employers of 5+ employees required to facilitate payroll deductions but not to contribute. The trust operates under federal guidelines, prohibits employer ownership of contributions, and includes provisions for annual account reports, confidentiality of participant data, and explicit disclaimers that the state does not guarantee returns or cover losses.

Maddy summarySF 203 prohibits the taking (hunting or killing) of black bears, gray wolves, and mountain lions in Iowa, except under specific exceptions. The bill removes wolves from the definition of "fur-bearing animals" and creates strict requirements for livestock owners who take these animals to protect their animals, including written reports and department approval. Violations are classified as aggravated misdemeanors with potential jail time (up to 2 years) and fines up to $8,540, plus civil penalties of up to $2,000 per violation that fund the state fish and game protection fund. The bill directly affects hunters, trappers, livestock owners, and wildlife professionals, while providing limited exceptions for immediate safety or authorized activities.

Maddy summarySF 209 requires most health insurance plans in Iowa to cap out-of-pocket costs for prescription insulin at $25 per prescription (for up to a 31-day supply). It directly affects people with diabetes who have insurance covering insulin, limiting their cost-sharing for four types: rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, and long-acting insulin. The bill sets this $25 maximum for plans issued or renewed after January 1, 2026, while excluding certain insurance types like Medicare supplements. Insurers may lower costs below $25 but cannot exceed this cap for covered insulin drugs.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 195) upgrades penalties for animal torture in Iowa. It changes the first offense from an aggravated misdemeanor to a class "D" felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $1,025-$10,245 fine. For individuals with prior convictions for specific animal-related offenses (like animal abuse, neglect, bestiality, or animal contests), the penalty escalates to a class "C" felony (up to 10 years in prison, $1,370-$13,660 fine). The bill directly affects people convicted of animal torture, increasing penalties for both first-time and repeat offenders.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Iowa's victim compensation fund to cover emergency contraception and health care treatment for sexual assault victims, including abortion services. It directly affects victims of sexual assault who seek these specific medical treatments. The key change amends the fund's authorized uses to explicitly include reimbursement for emergency contraception, other health care, and abortion as part of victim care. The fund, administered by the Department of Justice, will now cover these costs alongside existing provisions like medical examinations and venereal disease treatment. This is a policy change to broaden access to covered medical services for sexual assault victims.