From the Desk of Senator Bennett
Greetings, Friends!
It's been another whirlwind week at the Capitol, with substantive legislation under consideration, and many visitors. Keep reading for some pictures of this week's visitors as well as important information about what's going on.
Work at the Statehouse can be challenging and confrontational at times. Things can get pretty heated, so it's great when a bill comes along that people from both sides of the aisle can agree on. This week, I served on a subcommittee that advanced a bill (SSB3012) that regulates the volume of commercials on streaming services. What's the issue? Have you ever played an audiobook, podcast, or soothing music from a streaming platform, only to be jarred or have a sleeping baby jarred awake by a loud commercial? Many constituents approached me with this complaint and luckily, my colleagues across the aisle have heard about it, too. SSB3012 is a reasonable piece of consumer protection legislation which gives consumers, not advertisers, control over the sound level in their homes.
Meet my clerk!
Fun fact: during the legislative session, a senator’s days in Des Moines are BUSY. To help manage everything and make sure we’re keeping up with our responsibilities to our constituents, each Iowa State Senator works with a legislative clerk. Clerks are trusted aides working with a senator on a whole bunch of issues. Clerks help senators manage their legislative portfolios – things like committee and subcommittee assignments, bill filings, and amendments. They serve as administrative assistants, communicators, schedulers, sounding boards, and confidants. In short, clerks play an indispensable role in the Iowa Senate.
My clerk’s name is Michael. This is his fifth year at the Statehouse, his third year clerking, and his first time clerking for me. Michael is a native of Cedar Rapids and in his spare time he enjoys bouldering, board games, and creating jingles for friends and family.
Big issues to keep an eye on
Every year, the Legislature deals with proposals on a really wide array of issues. We’re talking about everything from cancer prevention to jet ski regulations – truly, every issue you could imagine.
In those hundreds or thousands of policy ideas each year, there are always a couple of issues that stick out and occupy a lot of our time under the Golden Dome. K-12 school funding, for example, is a big point of conversation and debate every year. This year, the two big issues that legislators will be dealing with are property taxes and eminent domain.
We caught a glimpse of the property tax issue at the tail end of the 2025 legislative session. The massive, unwieldy proposal was introduced late in the session and didn’t move very fast or very far. But now the issue of property tax reform is back in a big way. Here’s the headline: we still have no idea what will be in the final proposal. The majority party currently has three separate and unique plans for property tax reform: one in the Senate, one in the House, and one from the governor.
So, while the final details are murky, what’s crystal clear is that the majority party’s inaction on real property tax relief – nearly a decade of nothing – has driven us to this inflection point. Senate Democrats are ready to work on property tax reform that creates permanent, sustainable relief for Iowans who need it. This should be a conversation and a process that happens out in the open, rather than behind closed doors, and brings everyone to the table. If we can create a simpler, more predictable system that encourages investment in the state and ensures local governments can continue to provide public safety and other essential services that residents want, you’ll see broad bipartisan support for property tax reform. But we can’t let “reform” become a code word for yet another giveaway to corporations or the wealthy and leaves working families and communities shortchanged.
The second major issue before the Legislature this year is even more contentious and fraught than property tax reform. Last year was the first time the issue of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines had reached the Senate floor, after years of stonewalling from Senate Republican leadership. There were different proposals in the House and Senate, and, after weeks of fits and starts and several blow-ups on the Senate floor, one made it through both chambers and to the governor’s desk, where it was promptly vetoed.
This year, the issue is back in full force. The House introduced a bill in the first week, ran it through committee, and brought it to the floor for debate on Wednesday. (It passed 64-28.) Senate Republican Leader Mike Klimesh introduced a bill in the Senate (SF 2067), which is different than the House bill. It’s not at all clear at this point that Republicans in the House and Senate are any more aligned this year than they were last year, or whether any of these proposals has any real hope of advancing through both chambers.
If you feel passionately about these issues – or any issue – please don’t hesitate to reach out with your thoughts, comments, or concerns, both to me and to Senate Republicans, whose email addresses you can find here.
I’ll do my best to keep you updated as these ideas, and the hundreds of other policy proposals, move through the Iowa Senate this year.
Quick Updates
Iowa driver’s license renewal: Iowans wanting to schedule a time to renew their driver’s license or utilize other motor vehicle services can now find all locations in one place. A new system from the Iowa Department of Transportation combines all 18 walk-in locations and 79 county treasurers’ offices. The site allows users to navigate and find the best time and most convenient location to complete the transaction.
Land and Water Conservation Fund grants available: Iowa’s cities and counties can now apply for funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant program, which provides financial support for outdoor recreation projects at the local level. The grant cycle is open through March 6, 2026. The program provides up to 50 percent cost share in the form of reimbursement grants, with annual assistance of up to $250,000 per proposal. For more information and to apply, visit Iowa DNR LWCF web page
Deer donation program open year around: Hunters may sign up as a deer donor or recipient with the Iowa Deer Exchange at www.iowadnr.gov/deer.
This Week in the Capitol
Senator Staed and I visited with 4-H members from Linn County. I loved hearing about how 4-H has positively impacted their lives; something that I know about from first-hand experience!
FFA members from all over the state came to visit the Capitol this week. I had the pleasure of speaking with four students from Prairie High School. They came prepared with great questions about legislative issues that Iowa farmers are facing.
Contact Senator Liz Bennett at [email protected] or follow her on social media.
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