This bill establishes a Choose Iowa school purchasing program that matches school district spending on local agricultural products with state funding, allowing schools to purchase meat, poultry, dairy, grains, eggs, honey, and produce from Iowa farms at a one-to-one reimbursement rate. It also creates a Choose Iowa food bank purchasing program that provides matching funds to Iowa food banks and emergency feeding organizations for similar local food purchases, with a cap of $50,000 per organization annually. The legislation authorizes the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to administer these programs, set membership criteria for participating farms and businesses, and use up to 5% of program funds for administrative costs. Additionally, the bill allocates $1.75 million annually to support renewable fuel infrastructure for retail motor fuel sites and $150,000 for program administration.
This bill establishes and funds the Firsthome program and the Military Home Ownership Assistance Program administered by the Iowa Finance Authority. The Firsthome program provides grants up to $10,000 for down payments and closing costs to eligible first-time homebuyers who meet income, credit score, and debt-to-income requirements while completing homebuyer education. The Military Home Ownership Assistance Program receives a $2.2 million state appropriation for fiscal year 2025-2026 to continue offering financial assistance to current and former members of the U.S. armed forces purchasing homes. The bill also defines eligibility criteria, including specific service history requirements for military personnel and their surviving spouses, and requires the Finance Authority to adopt rules to implement the programs.
HF 2689 creates a sales tax holiday for clothing under $100 sold on July 3-5, 2026, in Iowa, exempting these purchases from state sales tax (with exclusions like sportswear and protective gear). It also establishes a task force to organize commemorative activities for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, including Capitol decorations, July 2026 events, an educational display honoring U.S. presidents, and Constitution Day school instruction on September 17, 2026. The bill affects Iowa residents purchasing qualifying clothing during the specified dates and requires public schools and state agencies to participate in anniversary programming. It does not alter tax rates permanently but provides a temporary exemption for a limited period.
HF 2340 establishes the "Choose Iowa" promotional program to support Iowa agricultural products. It creates a school purchasing program where schools receive matching funds (1:1) to buy eligible Iowa-grown food products from farms or businesses enrolled in the program. It also creates a food bank purchasing program, reimbursing Iowa food banks and emergency feeding organizations at a 1:1 rate for purchasing qualifying products, with a $200,000 annual cap and a $50,000 per organization limit. The bill requires farms/businesses to be "Choose Iowa" members to participate, and the Department of Agriculture administers both programs with annual reporting requirements.
This bill appropriates $1 million from Iowa's general fund for fiscal year 2026-2027 to support the Double Up Food Bucks program. It directly affects Iowa residents who receive federal SNAP benefits (food assistance) by expanding their access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The funds will be provided as a grant to the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative to help participants double the value of their SNAP benefits when purchasing produce at participating farmers markets and grocery stores. The program aims to increase access to healthy food options without changing existing SNAP eligibility or benefit amounts.
This bill establishes the "Choose Iowa" program to promote state-grown agricultural products. It creates membership for farms and businesses producing Iowa commodities, allowing them to use a promotional logo on products. The bill also creates two new reimbursement programs: schools and school districts receive 50% matching funds for purchasing eligible Iowa-grown food (meat, dairy, produce, etc.), and Iowa food banks get matching funds up to $50,000 annually for buying local products. Additionally, it allocates $1.75 million annually for biodiesel infrastructure at retail fuel sites and specifies department administration for these programs.
This bill raises the price limit for tax-free purchases during Iowa's annual sales tax holiday from $100 to $200. The holiday occurs on the first weekend in August each year. Residents purchasing qualifying items (like clothing or school supplies) under $200 will not pay state sales tax during this period. The change directly affects Iowa consumers buying eligible items during the designated weekend.
SF 306 amends Iowa's lottery laws to clarify definitions, strengthen security, and update financial reporting. It defines "Lotto" and "self-service kiosk" (restricting them to ticket dispensing only), requires quarterly/annual revenue reports to state officials, and mandates independent CPA verification of drawing equipment. The bill prohibits state employees, their immediate family members (living in the same household for 183+ days), and vendors with access to confidential information from purchasing tickets or claiming prizes. It also creates a dedicated lottery fund for revenue transfers to the general fund and specifies security staff requirements for lottery operations.
HF 821 requires Iowa's Department of Administrative Services (DAS) to create an online contractor performance assessment system. This system will allow government agencies to evaluate contractors, architects, and engineers who work on public projects in Iowa. It uses specific metrics like whether work was completed on time, if costs stayed within budget, and the history of change orders to assign performance grades. Government agencies can then use this system to determine if a contractor is "responsible" when awarding future contracts. The bill directly affects contractors working on state public projects and the agencies that hire them.
HF 1039 allocates funding from Iowa's Rebuild Infrastructure Fund and Technology Reinvestment Fund to cover county costs for furnishing district courthouses. It directly affects county governments by requiring them to use these specific state funds for purchasing or maintaining court furniture and equipment. The bill provides a clear funding mechanism and includes effective date provisions, ensuring counties can access these resources without additional local spending. As a funding bill, it does not create new policies but directs existing state funds toward a specific local government need.
