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2018 Iowa legislative session

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2018 legislative sessions coverage
Iowa General Assembly

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General information
Type:   State legislature
Term limits:   None
Session start:   January 8, 2018
Session end:   May 5, 2018[1]
Website:   Official Legislature Page
Leadership
Senate President:   Charles Schneider (R)
House Speaker:  Linda Upmeyer (R)
Majority Leader:   Senate: Jack Whitver (R)
House: Chris Hagenow (R)
Minority Leader:   Senate: Janet Petersen (D)
House: Mark Smith (D)
Structure
Members:  50 (Senate), 100 (House)
Length of term:   4 years (Senate), 2 years (House)
Authority:   Legislative Department, Iowa Constitution, Sec 3
Salary:   $25,000/year + per diem
Elections
Redistricting:  Iowa Board of Apportionment

This page provides an overview of the 2018 Iowa General Assembly and its general and special sessions. The timelines below contain noteworthy events from the sessions curated by Ballotpedia throughout the year.

If you know of any additional events that should be added to this page, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Overview

In 2018, the Iowa General Assembly was in session from January 8, 2018, through May 5, 2018.

The General Assembly continued its legislative session past its projected adjournment date of April 17, 2018, to resolve disagreements surrounding the state budget and tax legislation. Lawmakers needed to agree on a tax plan and budget and the governor needed to sign it before the legislature could adjourn.[1]

Partisan control

Iowa was one of 26 Republican state government trifectas in 2018. A state government trifecta occurs when one political party holds the governor's office, a majority in the state Senate, and a majority in the state House. For more information about state government trifectas, click here.

The following tables show the partisan breakdown of the Iowa General Assembly in the 2018 legislative session.

Senate

Party As of July 2018
     Democratic Party 20
     Republican Party 29
     Independent 1
     Vacancies 0
Total 50

House

Party As of July 2018
     Democratic Party 41
     Republican Party 58
     Vacancies 1
Total 100

Leadership in 2018

House

Senate

Regular session

Status of legislation at the end of the regular session

This table details the status of legislation covered on this page at the end of the regular session.

Status of legislation at the end of the 2018 regular session
Legislation Subject area Actions during the regular session Status at the end of the regular session
SF 481 Prohibit sanctuary cities Passed General Assembly Governor signed
SF 359 Restrict abortions if fetal heartbeat detected and prohibit transfer of fetal body parts in Iowa Passed General Assembly Governor signed
SF 2281 Restrict abortions if fetal heartbeat detected Passed Senate Did not see further action
HF 2377 Limit opioid prescriptions Passed House
Passed Senate 		Governor signed
SF 2417 Tax cuts Passed General Assembly Governor signed
Appropriations bills Budget Passed General Assembly Governor signed

April 4, 2018

Iowa General Assembly approves bill related to sanctuary jurisdictions
The Iowa General Assembly approved Senate File 481 along party lines, sending it to Gov. Kim Reynolds (R). SF 481 would prohibit local entities from barring or discouraging law enforcement officers from enforcing immigration laws. Local entities would not be able to prevent law enforcement from inquiring about the immigration status of an individual under arrest or from assisting federal immigration officers.[2]

Republicans, who voted in favor of the bill, said it would protect residents and prevent crime. Sen. Julian B. Garrett (R) said, "[The bill] is legal and it is supported by the public. It deals with people who are in custody. They have been arrested for something in addition to being in the country illegally. ... So why is it so objectionable to say that they should be deported?"[2]

Democrats, who opposed the legislation, said that Iowa did not have sanctuary cities. Republicans pointed to Iowa City, which adopted a policy not to commit local resources to federal immigration law enforcement. Independent Sen. David Johnson opposed the bill: "This is a dangerous piece of legislation. We should step back from it and invite more dialogue." Johnson proposed an amendment to establish an immigration enforcement work group. The amendment failed.[2] Read more here.

Update: Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed SF 481 on April 10, 2018.

April 18, 2018

Three bills, in addition to budget and tax plans, prevent adjournment
Three pieces of legislation, in addition to a budget plan and a tax plan, prevented the Iowa General Assembly from adjourning on its designated date of April 17, 2018.[3]

  • Senate File 359 would prohibit acquisition, transfer, or use of a fetal body part in Iowa, even "for valuable consideration." The bill made exceptions for determining the life or health of the fetus or pregnant woman, diagnostic or forensic tests for pathological study, or donation of the body part after stillbirth.[5]
  • House File 2377 would limit opioid prescriptions, require prescriptions to be filed electronically, and implement Good Samaritan laws, in which individuals seeking treatment for a drug-related overdose for themselves or others would not be arrested or prosecuted for controlled substance violations. The House unanimously approved the bill in February.[3][6]
Update:
  • SF 2281 was sent to the state House where it did not see further action.
  • SF 359 passed the General Assembly on May 1, 2018, and Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed it on May 4, 2018.
  • HF 2377 passed the state Senate on April 30, 2018, and Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed it on May 14, 2018.

May 1, 2018

Lawmakers pass bill restricting abortion if fetal heartbeat is detected
The Iowa General Assembly approved Senate File 359, which would prohibit abortion if a doctor detected a fetal heartbeat (usually around six weeks of pregnancy). The bill would make exceptions for rape, incest, fetal abnormalities, and to save the life of the mother.

Some Republican lawmakers expressed hope that the bill would be challenged in court. Sen. Rick Bertrand (R) said during the floor debate, "This bill will be the vehicle that will ultimately provide change and provide the opportunity to overturn Roe v. Wade. There's nothing hidden here about the agenda."[7] Becca Lee, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, said the bill would institute an "intentionally unconstitutional ban on 99 percent of safe, legal abortion, designed to challenge Roe v. Wade." In an email to Reuters, Lee wrote, "The bill weaponizes fetal heartbeat, which is by all accounts an arbitrary standard that bans abortion long before the point of fetal viability."[8]

The legislation was sent to Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) who did not say whether she would sign it.[7] Read more here.

Update: The governor signed the legislation on May 4, 2018.

May 4, 2018

Gov. Reynolds signs bill restricting abortion if fetal heartbeat is detected
Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed Senate File 359, which prohibits doctors from performing abortions if a fetal heartbeat is detected. The bill allows exceptions for rape, incest, fetal abnormalities, and to save the life of the mother. SF 359 passed the legislature along party lines, with no Democrats voting in favor.

Reynolds said in a statement:[9]

“ I understand and anticipate that this will likely be challenged in court, and that courts may even put a hold on the law until it reaches the Supreme Court. However, this is bigger than just a law. This is about life. I am not going to back down from who I am or what I believe in.[10] ”

The American Civil Liberties Union and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund announced plans to challenge the bill in court.[11] Planned Parenthood tweeted, "As we announced today, we will fight this dangerous law in court on behalf of you, your rights, and your health. We will fight like hell with everything we have."[12]

May 5, 2018

Iowa General Assembly passes measure reducing state taxes over next six years
The Iowa General Assembly approved a bill that would reduce taxes over the next six years, including $398 million in income tax cuts for individuals and small business owners in 2019. According to the Des Moines Register, the bill would reduce the individual income tax brackets to four, with a top rate of 6.5 percent, by 2023. The bill also included efforts to protect the state from revenue shortfalls by limiting the tax cuts if the state calculated lower budget numbers in 2023 or 2024.[13][14]

The bill, SF 2417, passed along party lines with all Democrats and independent Sen. David Johnson opposed and all Republicans in favor. Republicans viewed the bill as relief for state residents, while Democrats thought the bill resulted in a loss of income for state programs like health care and education.[14]

  • Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) said, "Republicans led on tax reform in 2018. Hard-working, middle-class Iowa families, farmers, small-business owners and workers get meaningful relief, all while Iowa's budget priorities in future years are protected."[14]
  • Sen. Rob Hogg (D) said, "The bill would result in a loss of income tax revenue to the state of more than $400 million a year - revenue the state needs for these programs. This tax bill will make the problem of budget cuts even worse."[14] Read more here.
Update: The governor signed S 2417 on May 30, 2018.

May 30, 2018

Iowa Governor passes largest tax cut in state history
Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed SF 2417, which reduces the state income tax by $2.86 billion over six years. Officials projected a $725 million increase in sales tax revenue over six years, as SF 2417 requires Iowa residents to pay sales tax for online shopping and digital purchases. In a press release, Gov. Reynolds said, "I signed this bill for every Iowan who works hard to earn a paycheck and deserves to keep more of it. It’s one of the reasons why I feel so strongly that government must never forget that it’s the people’s money they’re spending." A press release from the governor's website said the bill was "fiscally responsible and sustainable for the state's budget."[15]

Sen. Liz Mathis (D) disagreed: "Most Iowa taxpayers won't get a tax cut, or see very little cut in their taxes. Our revenues are already low and we've cut things that help the state grow, such as education and help for small businesses." Senate Minority Leader Janet Petersen (D) said she thought the tax cut would result in "deep, deep cuts to health care services, job creation and education, and public safety" as well as property tax increases.[16]

The bill passed the legislature on May 5, 2018, without Democratic support. The state Senate voted 28-20 and the state House voted 54-32.

Budget

2018

The Iowa General Assembly passed a $7.4 billion budget bill on May 5, 2018, and Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed it on June 1, 2018. The budget increased funding by 3.2 percent over fiscal year 2018 levels, but programs still saw cuts due to a provision allocating $110 million to the state's reserve funds.[13] The bill allocated $3.2 billion for schools and $1.8 million for health and human services in fiscal year 2019.[17]

The two chambers of the Iowa General Assembly disagreed about budget and tax plans, preventing the legislature from adjourning its 2018 session by the designated date of April 17, 2018. The Iowa House of Representatives proposed a tax plan to reduce individual income taxes by $1.3 billion over five years, while the Iowa State Senate proposed lowering state taxes on individuals and corporations by $2 billion over five years.[3]

Disagreement on the tax package prevented the legislature from voting on a budget bill. Without a tax bill, legislators were unable to estimate how much money would be available in the 2019 fiscal year, which began July 1, 2018.[18]

Process

See also: Iowa state budget and finances
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The state operates on an annual budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[19]

  1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies between June and July.
  2. Agency requests are submitted to the governor by October 1.
  3. Public hearings are held in December.
  4. The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the Iowa State Legislature by February 1.
  5. The legislature adopts a budget in April or May.
  6. The fiscal year begins in July.

Iowa is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.[19][20]

The governor is statutorily required to submit a balanced budget. In turn, the legislature is statutorily required to adopt a balanced budget.[19]

Noteworthy events

Sen. Bill Dix resigns, triggering leadership changes

Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix, a Republican, resigned from the District 25 seat in the Iowa State Senate on March 12, 2018, after a website published photos and video of him kissing a female lobbyist.[21] Dix represented District 25 from 2011 to 2018. He served as state Senate majority leader from 2013 to 2017. His resignation resulted in a leadership change for the state Senate. Sen. Jack Whitver, who was the Senate president when Dix was majority leader, took over the position of state Senate majority leader. Sen. Charles Schneider replaced Whitver as state Senate president, Sen. Amy Sinclair replaced Schneider as majority whip, and Sen. Jake Chapman replaced Sinclair as assistant majority leader.[22]

Sexual misconduct in the state capitol

On May 24, 2018, state Sen. Nate Boulton, a Democratic candidate for Iowa governor, suspended his campaign after being accused of sexual misconduct. On May 21, 2018, the Des Moines Register reported that three women accused Boulton of inappropriate touching.

Boulton said in a statement, "It is devastating to me that anything that I said or did crossed that line because I know me, and I didn’t do that in any sort of intentional way, and if I misread a situation, I apologize for it. But it doesn’t matter. I’m not trying to make excuses, I’m not trying to change anyone’s account. All I’m here to say is I’m sorry, I apologize and I understand." His wife said she supported her husband "100 percent without a doubt."

Boulton's Senate colleagues called for his resignation from the Iowa State Senate. Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen said sexual harassment was unacceptable and indicated she would support an investigation into the allegations against Boulton if he did not resign.[23]

See also

Elections Iowa State Government State Legislatures State Politics
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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The 2018 legislative session continued past its projected adjournment date of April 17, 2018. The Daily Iowan, "Iowa legislators still hammering out deals on tax reform, budget as the session carries on," April 18, 2018
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Des Moines Register, "'Sanctuary cities' immigration bill passes Iowa Senate, sent to governor," April 4, 2018
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Iowa State Daily, "Iowa legislature will likely continue session without pay as budget plans finalize," April 17, 2018
  4. ↑ The Iowa Legislature, "Bill Information - Senate File 2281," accessed April 18, 2018
  5. ↑ The Iowa Legislature, "Bill Information - Senate Fil 359," accessed April 18, 2018
  6. ↑ The Iowa Legislature, "Fiscal Note HF 2377," March 5, 2018
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 CNN, "Iowa lawmakers pass the nation's most restrictive abortion ban -- as soon as a fetal heartbeat is detected," May 3, 2018
  8. ↑ Reuters, "Iowa passes 'fetal heartbeat' abortion ban, most restrictive in U.S." May 2, 2018
  9. ↑ Office of the Governor of Iowa Kim Reynolds, "Gov. Reynolds releases statement after signing heartbeat bill," accessed May 7, 2018
  10. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  11. ↑ NPR, "Iowa Bans Most Abortions As Governor Signs 'Heartbeat' Bill," May 5, 2018
  12. ↑ Twitter, "Planned Parenthood on May 4, 2018," accessed May 7, 2018
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Des Moines Register, "Iowa Legislature adjourned: How will this year's session change Iowa?" May 5, 2018
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Iowa State Daily, "Iowa Legislature approves $2.1 billion tax overhaul; ending 2018 session," May 6, 2018
  15. ↑ Office of the Governor of Iowa Kim Reynolds, "Gov. Reynolds signs tax reform bill into law," May 30, 2018
  16. ↑ Governing, "Iowa Governor Signs Largest Tax Cut in State's History," June 1, 2018
  17. ↑ NonPareilOnline.com, "Iowa lawmakers wrap up session after approving $2.1 billion in tax cuts," May 7, 2018
  18. ↑ Des Moines Register, "Capitol bucket list: 5 key issues as Iowa Legislature marches toward adjournment and lawmakers' lunch money runs out," April 14, 2018
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2021," accessed January 24, 2023
  20. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Separation of Powers: Executive Veto Powers," accessed January 26, 2024
  21. ↑ CBS News, "Iowa Senate leader Bill Dix resigns after video shows him kissing lobbyist," March 12, 2018
  22. ↑ Des Moines Register, "Jack Whitver replaces Bill Dix as Iowa Senate majority leader," March 14, 2018
  23. ↑ The Courier, "UPDATE: Nate Boulton suspends campaign for governor," May 24, 2018
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