Our look at the biggest bills that passed and failed in the Iowa Legislature's 2024 session

Iowans will soon see changes to laws relating to taxes, education, mental health and more after lawmakers adjourned the 2024 legislative session with a flurry of action over the weekend.

The session was dominated by Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposal to overhaul the state’s Area Education Agencies and raise minimum teacher pay to $50,000 per year.

Beyond that, the session saw the passage of new laws on tax cuts, religious freedom, immigration and allowing school staff to obtain professional permits to carry guns at school.

Iowa’s behavioral health system and state boards and commissions will also see major changes after lawmakers approved Reynolds’ proposals to consolidate both systems.

It was another year marked by Republican priorities, while Democrats, who are in the minority in the House and Senate, criticized their colleagues for not advancing bills to protect abortion rights, raise wages and provide more aid for child care and affordable housing.

Here’s what happened to some of the biggest proposed Iowa laws this year.

Click to go to the section of bills most important to you:

Education | Health care | State government | Business | Law enforcement & courts | Immigration

EDUCATION 

Bills signed into law

Area Education Agency overhaul

Reynolds signed a far-reaching education law making major changes to how the state’s Area Education Agencies are funded and structured, one of the most prominent and controversial issues of the session.

In the 2025-26 school year, AEAs will continue receiving 90% of the state funding they currently receive to provide special education services, while school districts will receive the other 10%.

Districts will also gain control of pools of money previously sent to the AEAs for general education and media services, worth about $68 million. House File 2612.

Exclusive: Nearly 350 workers leave Iowa AEAs as Kim Reynolds pushed to overhaul education agencies

Arming school staff and requiring school resource officers

Teachers and other school employees can obtain professional permits to carry guns on school grounds and will be granted qualified immunity for using reasonable force, under a bill signed by Reynolds.

The law also requires Iowa’s largest districts to employ school resource officers in high schools, unless their school board votes to opt out. House File 2586.

Increasing teacher pay

The broad education law Reynolds signed also raises starting teacher pay. Minimum teacher pay is set at $47,500 for the coming school year and rises to $50,000 the next year. Before the new law, Iowa’s minimum was $33,500.

Teachers with at least 12 years of experience will receive a minimum salary of $60,000 in the coming school year, and $62,000 for the following school year and beyond. New state money to help districts pay the new minimums will be built into the state’s education funding formula in the coming years.

The law also includes $14 million for schools to raise non-salaried school staff pay. House File 2612.

Bills that passed

Eliminating DEI positions at state universities

This bill requires Iowa’s three public universities to eliminate all staff positions focused on diversity, equity and inclusion unless they are necessary for the schools' accreditation or to comply with state or federal law.

The schools would also be prohibited from establishing or maintaining a DEI office or requiring any person to provide a DEI statement.

The bill codifies directives already adopted by the Iowa Board of Regents last fall. Senate File 2435.

Reviewing and revising educational standards, curriculum

The State Board of Education would revise Iowa’s social studies standards to include specific themes and topics, such as the structure of government, civics and “exemplary figures and important events in Western civilization, the United States and the state of Iowa.”

The bill also commissions a review of core curriculum and graduation requirements and instructs the board to craft a statewide literacy plan focused on “evidence-based reading instruction.” House File 2545.

School security and covering training costs for armed staff

Schools that choose to arm staff members could use their professional development funds to help pay for training required for staff members to obtain a professional permit to carry weapons, under this bill passed by lawmakers.

The bill would also require schools to complete safety reviews, create a task force to make recommendations for new building code standards for school safety and create a pilot grant program for schools that want to integrate gun detection software with their security cameras. House File 2652.

Teaching literacy

Schools would be required to provide personalized lesson plans to students in kindergarten through sixth grade who are not reading at grade level. If a parent asks for their child to repeat a grade, the school must honor the request.

The bill requires students in Iowa's teacher-preparation programs to take the "Foundations of Reading" assessment developed by Massachusetts. House File 2618.

HEALTH CARE 

Bills signed into law

MOMS program changes

Iowa no longer has to hire a third-party administrator to oversee the More Options for Maternal Support (MOMS) program under a bill signed by Reynolds.

Instead, the Department of Health and Human Services can directly oversee the program, which was established to send state dollars to pregnancy resource centers that counsel women against abortion and offer a range of donated items and services.

Democrats have condemned the program, saying it gives inaccurate medical information. Senate File 2252.

Bills that passed

Postpartum Medicaid coverage

Low-income mothers would be eligible for a full year of Medicaid coverage after giving birth under a bill passed by Iowa lawmakers, up from 60 days under current law.

Coverage would only be available to those with a family income up to 215% of the federal poverty level ($64,500 annually for a family of four). That’s down from a maximum family income of 375% of the federal poverty level (about $117,000 for a family of four) under current law.

An estimated 1,700 women and babies would be cut off from coverage each month. Senate File 2251.

Overhauling mental health and substance use services

Reynolds’ plan to reshape mental health and substance use treatment services in Iowa merges the state’s 13 regions for mental health and disability services and 19 regions for substance use and gambling services into seven behavioral health districts.

The Department of Health and Human Services would take over management of disability services. House File 2673.

Bills that failed

Birth control expansion

Iowans 18 and older could have gotten birth control, including pills, birth control patches and vaginal rings, from a pharmacist without first seeing a doctor, under a bill from Reynolds that would have expanded access to contraceptives.

The bill, which Reynolds also proposed last year without success, would have allowed pharmacists to dispense an initial three-month supply of birth control, and a 12-month supply after that.

Patients would have had to see a doctor within 27 months after a pharmacist dispensed the birth control. House File 2584.

Death of an 'unborn person'

Iowans would have faced more prison time for terminating a pregnancy without the consent of the pregnant person under a bill that passed the House but did not receive a Senate hearing. The bill also would have changed the language in the law from someone who “terminates a human pregnancy” to someone who “causes the death of an unborn person.”

The bill would have defined “unborn person” as “an individual organism of the species homo sapiens from fertilization to live birth.”

It would not have applied to abortions performed with the consent of the pregnant person. House File 2575.

Pregnancy videos in health class

Iowa’s human growth and development classes from grades 7-12 would have been required to show students a computer-generated video detailing the stages of pregnancy under this bill that failed to pass.

Senate Republicans removed a specific reference to the “Meet Baby Olivia” video developed by an anti-abortion group. House File 2617.

STATE GOVERNMENT 

Bills signed into law

Changing statute of limitations for Boy Scout abuse survivors

Reynolds signed a law to help Iowa Boy Scouts who were sexually abused as children recover more money through a national bankruptcy settlement with the Boy Scouts of America.

The law makes an exception to Iowa’s statute of limitations for filing lawsuits in child sex abuse cases. The exception applies only to the former scouts. Senate File 2431.

‘Religious freedom restoration act’

The government cannot “substantially burden” someone’s exercise of religion except in furtherance of a compelling government interest, under a law signed by Reynolds.

A person whose exercise of religion has been burdened has the power to go to court to seek damages or other means of redressing the harm against them. Democrats said the legislation would allow discrimination. Senate File 2095.

Repealing gender balance for boards and commissions

Beginning July 1, Iowa will no longer mandate a balance of men and women serving on state and local boards and commissions, under a new law that eliminates the decades-old requirement.

The push came as part of Reynolds’ effort to shrink state government by consolidating more than 100 boards and commissions. Senate File 2096.

Bills that passed

Banning guaranteed income programs such as UpLift

Programs that provide guaranteed income payments — like the UpLift pilot program operating in Polk, Dallas and Warren counties — would be banned under this bill that passed the House and Senate. Existing programs could remain in effect until Jan. 1, 2025.

The attorney general would be granted the power to sue cities or counties to halt any new program. House File 2319.

Boards and commissions consolidation

Dozens of Iowa boards and commissions will be eliminated under this bill, which was a priority for Reynolds. The legislation merges several additional boards and reduces the membership of others.

It would also require every remaining board and commission to be reviewed once every four years to determine whether it should continue to exist, as well as require virtual participation options in meetings. Senate File 2385.

Flat tax constitutional amendment

Iowa lawmakers approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would require the state to have a flat income tax rate, rather than a graduated income tax system with multiple brackets, if the state imposes an income tax at all.

Lawmakers must pass the measure again in 2025 or 2026. It would then be placed on a statewide general election ballot and would require majority approval to be added to the Iowa Constitution. Senate Joint Resolution 2004.

Penalties for violating open meetings laws

Elected officials who violate the state’s open meetings laws would be subject to increased fines and potential removal from office by a court. House File 2539.

Higher legislative threshold for tax hikes

Lawmakers approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would require any increase in income taxes to be approved by a two-thirds majority of lawmakers in the House and Senate.

Lawmakers must pass the measure again in 2025 or 2026. It would then be placed on a statewide general election ballot and would require majority approval to be added to the Iowa Constitution. House Joint Resolution 2006.

Bills that failed

Defining ‘man’ and ‘woman’

Reynolds’ bill, which passed the House Education Committee, would have added new definitions of “man,” “woman” and “sex” in state law, and would have required new birth certificates for transgender Iowans that reflect their sex assigned at birth as well as their current identity.

It advanced through committee in the House but never saw floor debate. House File 2389.

‘Don’t Tread on Me’ license plates

Iowans could have bought custom yellow Gadsden Flag license plates with the slogan “Don’t Tread on Me” under this bill that passed the House but not the Senate.

The fees from purchasing the special license plates would have been given out as grants to nonprofits to provide training on “the right to keep and bear arms.” First preference for the grants would have gone to the Iowa Firearms Coalition, the state-recognized association of the National Rifle Organization. House File 2639.

Letting state agencies outsource audits

State agencies would have been allowed to hire a certified CPA to perform their annual audit, rather than the state auditor’s office, under a bill that passed the Senate but failed to advance in the House.

Auditor Rob Sand’s office called the proposal a political ploy to undermine Iowa’s only statewide elected Democrat. House Republicans said they had concerns over the cost of hiring outside firms to conduct the audits. Senate File 2311.

Limiting ballot challenges, banning drop boxes

Iowans would have faced an earlier deadline to return mail-in ballots under this bill, which passed the House but failed to receive a Senate vote.

The measure would have also banned ballot drop boxes and ranked choice voting, allowed federal candidates convicted of felonies to run for office in Iowa and restricted challenges to presidential candidates’ place on Iowa’s ballot. House File 2610/Senate File 2380.

Pay increase for state lawmakers, statewide elected officials

Iowa's governor, statewide elected officials such as the attorney general and state auditor, and members of the Iowa Legislature would have received a $10,000 raise next year, under a bill that passed the Iowa House but did not receive a Senate vote. The bill would also have provided annual cost-of-living increases.

It would have been the first pay increase for statewide elected officials and lawmakers in almost 20 years. House File 2700.

Union recertification

Public employers would have been required to provide the state with a list of employees in a public union within 10 days of receiving notice that the union was seeking to hold a recertification election.

If the employer failed to provide the list, the Public Employee Relations Board would have issued a written notification of the failure. If the employer did not provide the list within another five days, PERB would have immediately decertified the union. Senate File 2374.

BUSINESS 

Bills signed into law

Foreign farmland ownership

Reynolds signed this law granting Iowa's attorney general more power when investigating foreign owners of Iowa farmland. The attorney general has subpoena power for financial information, purchase agreements and other documents.

The law also raises penalties for foreign companies or individuals that fail to register their purchases or holdings and requires the secretary of state to compile an annual report of foreign land ownership. Senate File 2204.

Bills that passed

Hemp regulations

Consumable hemp products would be limited to 4 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per serving and 10 milligrams per container under this bill passed by lawmakers.

It also ramps up regulations and penalties for violating Iowa’s existing laws and imposes a 21-year-old age minimum to purchase products. House File 2605.

Labeling of lab-grown or plant-based meat alternatives

Lab-grown meat and plant-based meat alternatives could not be labeled as meat without including qualifying phrases like "meatless" or "imitation" on their labels under this bill. Egg alternatives would also have to include similar qualifying labels on their packaging. The bill would apply only to food processing facilities, not grocery stores.

School districts, community colleges and the state’s public universities would be barred from buying “misbranded” meat or egg alternatives.

The bill requires the state to seek a waiver from the federal government that would allow barring recipients of federal nutrition programs, such as SNAP, from using that money to buy egg alternatives. Senate File 2391.

Bills that failed

Electric transmission lines 'right of first refusal'

This bill would have replaced a 2020 law that relates to competitive bidding requirements for electric transmission lines, giving the "right of first refusal" for new projects to companies with existing infrastructure.

The 2020 law is tied up in court, and Republicans see an Iowa Supreme Court ruling as overreaching into legislative branch business. But the bill did not receive a floor vote. House File 2551/Senate File 2372.

Eviction notices for tenants

Under this bill, landlords could have initiated eviction proceedings sooner by counting holidays and weekends in the required three-day notice period for renters. Current law requires a notice period of three business days.

The bill also would have allowed landlords to include illegal provisions in their leases, as long as they did not enforce them. Current law bans landlords from knowingly using leases that include illegal provisions. House File 669/Senate Study Bill 3102.

Legal protections for pesticide manufacturers

Legislation that passed the Senate would have permitted pesticide labels to have "sufficient warning" so long as it complies with federal regulations. It aimed to protect companies such as Bayer from lawsuits accusing their products of not adequately warning of potential health issues, including cancer.

It failed to make progress in the House. Senate File 2412.

Soil health

Iowa's watershed management authorities would have added soil health to their missions under this bill, which would have also made changes to some water quality and flood control programs. House File 2642.

LAW ENFORCEMENT & COURTS 

Bills signed into law

Banning nonconsensual AI-generated pornography

Two bills criminalize pornography using someone’s likeness that is created or altered using artificial intelligence.

• House File 2240 criminalizes the distribution of pornographic images of adults that are created or altered using artificial intelligence or other means.

• Senate File 2243 makes clear that using the likeness of an identifiable minor to create an altered pornographic image is covered by Iowa's current law prohibiting the sexual exploitation of a minor, including the possession or purchase of pornographic images of children.

Increased penalties for ‘swatting’

Filing false reports to law enforcement, known as swatting, is subject to increased penalties under a bill signed by Reynolds.

The new penalties are a response to an increase in swatting calls at school buildings, prompting lockdowns, canceled classes and large law enforcement responses. Senate File 2161.

Bills that passed

Traffic camera regulations

Automated traffic enforcement cameras would be subject to new regulations under a bill passed by lawmakers. Cities and counties seeking to use the cameras would require a permit from the Iowa Department of Transportation, communities under 20,000 people would not be allowed to issue speeding tickets through the cameras and local governments would be required to put up signs notifying drivers of the cameras.

The legislation standardizes the fines drivers could receive if they are ticketed by a traffic camera and it prohibits cameras for issuing tickets unless drivers are going more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit.

A separate bill that would have banned traffic cameras altogether and banned drivers from using handheld devices failed to pass. House File 2681.

Protecting cyclists, wheelchair users on crosswalks

Lawmakers approved a bill requiring drivers to yield the right-of-way to cyclists, wheelchair users, and other crosswalk users who aren’t on foot. House File 2568.

Bills that failed

Banning citizen review boards for police

Five cities would have had to disband their citizen police review boards if this bill had become law. The bill would have banned cities from having civilian boards to review their police departments and specified that the only avenue for addressing police misconduct is through a city’s civil service commission.

The bill also would have made several changes to the procedures that civil service commissions must follow. It passed the Senate but not the House. Senate File 2325.

Faster eminent domain hearings

Landowners who would be subjected to eminent domain and companies seeking to exercise eminent domain powers would have been able to go to court more quickly to seek review of whether eminent domain is proper under a bill that passed the House but did not receive a Senate vote.

Lawmakers removed a provision from an earlier version of the bill that would have allowed one-fifth of House or Senate members to halt eminent domain proceedings on a project. House File 2664.

Murder charges for fentanyl deaths

This bill would have created first-degree murder charges for unlawfully delivering, dispensing or otherwise providing “fentanyl or fentanyl-related substance to another person” that leads to a person’s death. House File 2576.

IMMIGRATION 

Bills signed into law

Criminalizing re-entry into Iowa by undocumented immigrants

Any person who has been previously deported or denied entry to the U.S. would be barred from entering, attempting to enter or being in Iowa under this bill signed by Reynolds. The crime would be an aggravated misdemeanor in most cases but could become a felony under certain circumstances, including if the person was arrested for allegedly committing another felony.

It’s modeled after a Texas law that is currently blocked by the courts. Senate File 2340.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.

Galen Bacharier covers politics for the Register. Reach him at [email protected]m or (573) 219-7440, and follow him on Twitter @galenbacharier.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Which Iowa Legislature bills passed and failed in the 2024 session?