HF 408 appropriates state funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to eliminate all waiting lists for Iowa's Medicaid home and community-based services waivers as of June 30, 2025. The bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to use funds calculated by a Medicaid forecasting group (including staff from health, management, and legislative services agencies) to remove individuals from waiting lists. This funding specifically targets waiver programs that allow Medicaid recipients to receive care at home or in community settings instead of institutions. The amount spent and number of people served will be reported in the first fiscal year 2025-2026 forecasting report.
HSB 113 establishes the "enrich Iowa" program within the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) to provide direct state funding to eligible public libraries. The program supports open access and interlibrary loan services, ties funding to compliance with DAS performance measures, and aims to reduce service inequities between communities. Key changes include replacing outdated references to "access plus programs" with "interlibrary loan programs" and eliminating obsolete reporting requirements for the state librarian and DAS library planning. The bill removes provisions mandating biennial reports and unified service plans, streamlining DAS's administrative duties related to library services. This affects public libraries meeting DAS performance standards to qualify for state assistance.
SF 186 modifies how school boards in Iowa operate by requiring them to annually elect a separate executive officer (not the superintendent) to lead the board. It also creates a new process allowing any resident or employee to request a county auditor to review a school district’s finances if they suspect improper spending. The bill changes current law, which previously made the superintendent the default executive officer, and establishes clear steps for initiating financial audits. These changes directly affect school board governance and provide new oversight tools for community members and staff.
HF 499 establishes a state-funded disaster assistance grant program administered by the Iowa Finance Authority. It provides grants to Iowa homeowners whose primary residences suffered natural disaster damage not fully covered by their insurance or other available state/federal aid. The bill creates a dedicated fund in the state treasury to support these grants, with unspent funds carrying over annually. Homeowners must demonstrate damage exceeding their insurance coverage and other assistance to qualify, and the Authority will develop application procedures and guidelines.
HF 407 requires Iowa school districts to transfer a portion of funding from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) fund to receiving districts for students participating in open enrollment. Starting July 1, 2026, for each student enrolled in a district other than their home district, the home district must pay the receiving district an amount equal to the per-pupil SAVE funding the home district received the previous year. This redirected money must be used solely for statewide school infrastructure projects under Chapter 423F. The bill affects home and receiving school districts by changing how existing SAVE fund allocations are distributed for open enrollment students.
SSB 1106 amends Iowa's economic development programs, primarily streamlining tax credit administration and application processes. It modifies the brownfield/redevelopment tax credit program to require projects to complete within 30 months (down from 36), establish competitive scoring criteria for applications (including financial need and feasibility), and mandate audits by certified accountants for credit claims. The bill also updates the Vision Iowa and community tourism programs by adding review committees for applications, repealing outdated sections, and applying changes retroactively to existing projects. These changes affect developers, local governments, and tourism entities seeking state financial assistance under these specific programs.
HF 626 creates an Iowa veterans home members fund in the state treasury to provide monthly stipends to eligible veterans. The bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to use fund money to give a $45 monthly stipend to each resident of an Iowa veterans home who receives Medicaid benefits. Funds in the new account come from state appropriations, federal sources, or private donations, and any unused balance at year-end cannot revert to the general state fund. This policy directly affects veterans living in state veterans homes who qualify for Medicaid, providing them with a fixed monthly financial support.
This bill creates a state-funded grant program to help Iowa municipalities establish tax-deferred length-of-service awards for volunteer emergency service workers. It allocates $2 million annually from lottery revenues (starting July 2025) to a state grant fund, which provides matching grants to municipalities that create these programs for volunteer firefighters, emergency medical providers, and reserve peace officers. Municipalities must contribute up to $500 per participant (matching the state grant dollar-for-dollar), and the fund can grow to $5 million if depleted for two years. The program takes effect January 1, 2026, with grants used to support voluntary service recognition.
This bill changes the name of the Iowa Sheep and Wool Promotion Board to the Iowa Sheep Promotion Board. It eliminates the assessment (tax) on wool entirely and modifies the assessment rate applied to sheep. The bill updates how these assessments are collected and spent, focusing funds on promoting sheep and sheep products like mutton and wool. It directly affects sheep producers in Iowa who pay these assessments. The changes streamline the board's structure and funding mechanisms while maintaining its core purpose of supporting sheep industry promotion.
This bill establishes a Technology Reinvestment Fund to support state information technology projects. It allocates $17.5 million annually starting July 2025 (plus prior-year funds from the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund) for projects that enhance technology infrastructure, improve government services, and promote economic development. The Department of Management must prioritize projects based on criteria like alignment with state strategic goals, feasibility, return on investment, scalability, and rural service access. Agencies receiving funding must report annually on project status, costs, and outcomes to the legislature and department.
