Iowa legislative session concludes, May 18, 2025

The first session of the 91st General Assembly wrapped up after pulling an all-nighter in the early morning hours of Thursday, May 15. We are so grateful for your contacts with legislators on important issues this year.

The Iowa Catholic Conference worked on a couple of last-minute amendments for the “standings” appropriation bill, usually the last bill of the session:

• We were successful in advocating for a provision that requires state money “generated” by nonpublic school students for media and educational services be sent to an Area Education Agency for services to those nonpublic schools. The status quo is that the money currently can be used by the public school district for any lawful purpose.

• The ICC was also working on a proposal to clarify that the state Department of Human Services would provide technical assistance to pregnancy support centers applying for funds from the More Options for Maternal Services (MOMS) program, but that didn’t happen.

Some pieces of good news last week:

• The “human smuggling” bill the ICC has been fighting all year, HF 572, was not brought up for debate in the Senate.

• HF 189 passed both chambers and is headed to the governor. It requires public schools to accept nonpublic students to participate in sports (except football) if the nonpublic school hasn’t offered the activity for two years. This bill came about because some public schools have been cancelling long-term sharing agreements with nonpublic schools.

A couple disappointments:

• SF 615 passed the Senate and was sent to the governor. It sets an 80-hour a month work requirement for some Medicaid recipients. Between the governor’s waiver request asking for essentially the same thing, and legislation pending in Congress, more work requirements for some Medicaid recipients are on the way.

• The governor’s bill which would allow community providers of preschool such as Catholic preschools to apply directly to the Department of Education for funding didn’t get brought up for debate in the House. We think the bill failed in part because of concerns it would hurt childcare centers by taking away some of their business.

• The Senate didn’t bring up HF 571, the “Med Act.” The purpose of the bill was to protect medical professionals from retaliation due to exercising the right of conscience. We believe it got caught up in the internal Republican fallout from a dozen Republican Senators refusing to vote for a budget unless they got a vote on the bill that limits the use of eminent domain by private companies. Ultimately that bill passed with several Republicans voting for and against.

• We were happy to see the House unanimously passed HF 1026, which would increase the state adoption tax credit for parents to $20,000, but the Senate didn’t take it up.

Two other priorities of the governor and many legislators - property tax reform and a revision of Iowa’s energy policies - will have to wait for next year.

‘Strangers and Guests’ letter

In May of 1980 Catholic bishops from eleven Midwestern and Plains states issued a regional statement on land issues called “Strangers and Guests: Toward Community in the Heartland.” The bishops who signed and issued the statement represented Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

We noticed that the statement was difficult to find online, so for historical purposes we scanned it and put it up on the Iowa Catholic Conference website. The statement is still relevant today.

Action needed - the “Big, Beautiful” bill

According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, key congressional committees are deciding which policies become part of a large tax and economic package called budget reconciliation. This package will affect everyone, including families and those who are most vulnerable. Deep cuts are being proposed to Medicaid, SNAP, and other important social safety net programs as members of Congress debate how to pay for the package.

Please urge your members of Congress to oppose cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, keeping in mind how budget and tax decisions will impact families, especially the most vulnerable families, and to use budget reconciliation to support the needs of children and families experiencing poverty.

In addition, a recent study by a coalition of researchers found the abortion pill to be of far greater harm to pregnant women than has been reported.  Mifepristone, the first pill of the drug-inducing abortion process, works to starve the baby in the womb before the then dead baby is expelled with the aid of another drug, misoprostol.

We encourage you to contact your representatives in Congress, the Commissioner of the FDA, Martin A. Makary, M.D. and the Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and tell them to take action to stop harming women. For more information on the study and the harm that is being done through chemical abortions, go to StopHarmingWomen.org.

Unfortunately, the state legislature did not act on this issue this year.

And finally,

With the end of the legislative session, we will be sending Your Monday Morning Update less frequently.  Thanks again for paying attention to important concerns in our state and country!