Iowa Catholic Conference Newsletter, Feb. 2, 2026

Last minute reminder: the mid-term party precinct caucuses are scheduled for tonight (Monday) at 7 p.m. Here are the locations:

• Democratic Party precinct caucuses

• Republican Party precinct caucuses

While the state Senate will gavel in for a short time today, action will pick up at the Statehouse on Tuesday.

Last week at the State Capitol

The Catholic bishops of Iowa and several of our Iowa Catholic Conference board and committee members visited the State Capitol last week for our annual Legislative Breakfast. It’s a time for meetings with legislative leaders and informal chats with legislators as they stop by in the morning. Check out some photos on our Facebook page.

One of the ICC’s priorities this year is to help improve access to preschool. HSB 604 passed a House Education subcommittee last week. The bill would allow community providers such as Catholic preschools to apply to the state Department of Education for funding. The bill also allows for continued partnerships with public school districts.

Other bills supported by the ICC were passed by a subcommittee last week:

• HSB 611 – regulation of AI chatbots

• SSB 3014 would require the state to maintain of inventory of its AI systems as well as prohibit AI systems from determining the hiring and firing of state employees, or transferring duties performed by state agency employees to AI

• HF 2241 would expunge (remove) some convictions of crimes committed by people who have been trafficked. The proposal recognizes that victims were subject to coercion and abuse when in captivity and it should help victims get their lives back. Iowa is one of three states that do not expunge some convictions.

At the federal level, the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act (H.R. 4323) was signed into law by President Trump with the support of Catholic Charities USA . About one-third of Catholic Charities agencies in the U.S. assist survivors of human trafficking.

Back in Iowa we were pleased to see that a subcommittee hearing to consider HF 2041, mandating maximum local law enforcement cooperation with ICE, was canceled. We’ll see if it gets rescheduled. Unfortunately, a bill also opposed by the ICC forbidding cities or counties from implementing Community ID programs (HSB 552) passed out of subcommittee. 

You can contact state legislators any time at www.votervoice.net/icc/home.

Prayer for Life event set for Thursday

The Iowa Prayer for Life event is scheduled for this Thursday, Feb. 5. You can join us at the State Capitol for a day of prayer and advocacy. Here’s the schedule:

Learn to Lobby - 10:30–11 a.m. - Room TBD

Advocates with the Iowa Catholic Conference and The Family Leader will equip you to confidently engage legislators and advocate for life-affirming policies.

Exhibitors and Pro-Life Resources - 10:45-11:45 a.m. - Rotunda

Prayer Rally for Life – noon to 1 p.m. - Rotunda

Tentative speakers include Gov. Kim Reynolds, Sen. Amy Sinclair, Rep. Jon Dunwell, with prayer by Father Nick Stark, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Carlisle.

Lobby Your Legislators – 1-2 p.m.

Meet with legislators to encourage, pray with, and advocate for life-affirming legislation, including protecting life at conception, regulating “black market” abortion pills, and supporting mothers through the MOMS program.

Also coming up this week:

• The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider HF 571, the “Med Act,” on Tuesday. The bill offers additional conscience protections to medical professionals.

• The ICC anticipates testifying in support of HSB 314 on Tuesday as well.  The bill would permit the Board of Parole to consider a release petition from a profoundly ill inmate.

• The ICC is monitoring SSB 3013, which would provide that a user who provides input to the AI owns the output based on the input. Which is probably as confusing as it sounds. There’s a subcommittee hearing scheduled this week on the bill. The Institute for Family Studies reports that 60% of voters in the U.S. agree with Pope Leo’s statement that builders of Al should cultivate moral discernment.

USCCB president calls for Holy Hour as a ‘moment of renewal’

“Your faith matters. Your prayers matter. Your acts of love and works of justice matter,” said Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “The current climate of fear and polarization, which thrives when human dignity is disregarded, does not meet the standard set by Christ in the Gospel,” he continued, and as a step toward healing, invited bishops and priests across the United States to offer a Holy Hour for Peace.