Rep. Michael Bergan

Maddy summaryHF 130 creates a state scenic byways enhancement fund to support Iowa's scenic byways through voluntary $1 or more donations during vehicle registration renewal. County treasurers must request these contributions at registration, retaining up to 5% for local county funds while sending the rest to the state fund. The fund finances byway maintenance, development, litter prevention, and enhancement, with unspent funds rolling over annually. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHF 2193 prohibits Iowa insurance companies from discriminating against living organ donors in life, disability, or long-term care insurance. The bill specifically bans insurers from denying coverage, limiting benefits, charging higher prices, or restricting coverage solely because a person is a living organ donor. It also prevents insurers from requiring donors to give up their ability to donate organs as a condition of coverage. The law defines a "living organ donor" as someone who has donated part or all of an organ while alive, and requires the Iowa Insurance Commissioner to create rules for enforcement. This directly affects individuals who have donated organs and seek or maintain insurance coverage.

Maddy summaryHF 708 establishes clear guidelines for making healthcare decisions when patients cannot communicate, specifically for those with terminal conditions or serious illnesses. It defines key terms like "attorney in fact" (a health care agent), "close adult friend" (a designated trusted person meeting specific criteria), and clarifies hospice/palliative care eligibility. The bill creates a priority order for decision-makers: first a designated health care agent, then family members (spouse, children, parents), and finally a close adult friend, all guided by the patient’s known wishes. This focuses on ensuring patient autonomy and providing a structured process for care decisions without adding new services or altering hospice program requirements.

Maddy summaryHF 2406 imposes a 22.5% tax on the wholesale sales price for alternative nicotine products and vapor products, in addition to existing taxes on tobacco products like cigars and snuff. It defines "nicotine" broadly to include nicotine analogs and substances mimicking nicotine, and limits packages of alternative nicotine products to 20 individually consumable units. Starting January 1, 2029, tax rates will adjust annually based on inflation, determined by statewide surveys of cigarette retail prices (excluding tax-driven increases). The bill affects distributors and retailers of these products in Iowa, with tax revenue collected by the Iowa Department of Revenue.

Maddy summaryHF 129 increases Iowa's minimum required auto insurance coverage for bodily injury or death to $50,000 per person and $100,000 for multiple people in an accident, and raises property damage coverage to $50,000. These changes apply to all Iowa drivers who must prove financial responsibility for vehicle accidents, including those leasing vehicles or driving for transportation network companies (like Uber or Lyft) when not actively transporting passengers. The bill updates insurance policy requirements, judgment limits, and proof of coverage standards to match these new amounts. It also increases penalties for driving without required insurance, with fines rising to $645 if caught in an accident.

Maddy summaryHF 2225 creates a tax credit for Iowa residents who paid nonresident tuition at state universities and later work in the state as health care professionals, teachers, licensed veterinarians, or professional engineers. The credit equals 100% of the difference between the nonresident and resident tuition rates they paid during their studies, available within three years of graduation while employed in Iowa. Unused credit can be carried forward for up to five years to offset future income tax, but it is not refundable and does not apply to nonresidents. The bill requires the Board of Regents to publish historical tuition rates online and applies retroactively to tax years starting January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors Staff Sergeants William Nathaniel Howard and Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Iowa National Guard members killed in action during a December 13, 2025, enemy attack in Palmyra, Syria. It recognizes their service, sacrifice, and posthumous promotions to staff sergeant, while also acknowledging three wounded Iowa National Guard soldiers from the same incident. The resolution formally expresses the House of Representatives' respect for their lives and sacrifice, and directs copies to be sent to their families as a gesture of recognition. This is a commemorative resolution with no policy or funding changes, solely intended to honor the fallen service members and their families.

Maddy summaryHF 965 increases the state adoption tax credit available against the individual income tax. It raises the maximum credit for qualified adoption expenses from $5,000 to $20,000 per adoption, directly affecting taxpayers who adopt a child. The credit is refundable, meaning any amount exceeding a taxpayer's liability can be returned. This bill takes effect upon enactment and applies retroactively to adoptions finalized on or after January 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryHF 962 modifies the Iowa child and dependent care tax credit, affecting taxpayers who claim this credit against their individual income tax. It reduces the number of graduated income thresholds used to calculate the credit from seven to four. The bill also removes the current maximum income threshold for eligibility, allowing taxpayers with higher incomes to potentially claim the credit. Specifically, taxpayers with Iowa net income of $25,000 or more would be eligible for 50% of the federal child and dependent care credit. These changes would apply retroactively to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill aims to standardize licensure fees for various professional licenses, permits, and certifications across Iowa. It requires the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) to consult with state boards and commissions to propose uniform licensure fees for licenses grouped into specific tiers. Within 18 months of the bill's effective date, DIAL must submit a regulatory analysis of proposed rules to implement these uniform fees, if they have the authority to set the fees by rule.