From the Desk of Senator Blake
Week 2 was the start of subcommittee meetings trying to get bills moving along. In Iowa, a bill must make it through a subcommittee of (usually) three legislators, then a full committee of a dozen or more legislators, then a majority vote of all Senators, repeat all those steps on the Iowa House side, and THEN be signed by the Governor. This lengthy process makes it very difficult for a bill to become a law as there are at least seven different roadblocks that might keep a bill from moving forward.
I sat on about half a dozen different subcommittees ranging from Declaration of Value changes, Power of Attorney changes, to Athletic Trainer interstate compacts. However, the most controversial that impacts the lives of Iowans would be HF 571, Medical Exercise of Conscious.
Besides the fact that this is already covered in many ways by federal law, the bill would create new code chapter to allow health care providers, facilities, and insurance payors to opt out of providing for or covering ANY medical procedure or service that violates their conscience. The bill further protects providers, facilities, and payors from any form of discrimination or employer retaliation from refusing treatment.
This bill would be a direct attack on patient care and access. The bill would potentially allow for discrimination in the health care space and could cause harm by denying vital medical services. Laws in similar states have denied access to prenatal care to an unmarried woman and other services related to women’s reproductive freedom and access to LGBTQ populations.
However, one of my largest fears is the fact that insurance payors are roped in on this bill. A corporation and a person are inherently different. The moral and ethical center of a corporation is to make a profit, provide a product or service that is sold, and maximize market share. That is not a knock on them, that is just what they do. Do we want health insurers deciding whether certain cancer treatments are too expensive and hurt their bottom-line or are against their profit-making conscience? This bill is dangerous not only for groups that might be marginalized, but potentially all Iowans.
I’ll do my best to continue the fight to stop this bill.
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 Kayla Dienberg.
Kayla is in her third year at Drake Law School, and this is her first year as my clerk. She is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, so naturally she is very passionate about the Green Bay Packers. In her free time, Kayla loves to cook and watch reality TV with her friends. She hopes to continue working in politics in some way after law school, so she’s excited to be here!
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.
Have old batteries? Local drop-off containers accept electronics like laptops and tablets as well as loose household batteries, including alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, etc.), button batteries, and batteries from power tools. All residents are welcome to use the free community drop-offs in the Metro area:
Volunteers needed at Iowa Veterans Cemetery: The Iowa Veterans Cemetery is looking for volunteers to assist with wreath removal on Tuesday, February 3rd at 9:30am at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter. To volunteer, please email [email protected]. For directions: https://dva.iowa.gov/veterans-cemetery/idva-iowa-veterans-cemetery
This Week in the Capitol
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