Sen. Sandy Salmon

Maddy summarySF 2065 amends Iowa law to increase penalties for purchasing sex services. It classifies buying sex from an adult as a class D felony (previously an aggravated misdemeanor), and buying sex from someone under 18 or someone believed to be under 18 (including undercover officers posing as minors) as a class C felony. The bill directly affects individuals who purchase sexual services, with harsher penalties for transactions involving minors or minors posing as minors. This is a policy change to strengthen criminal penalties for clients of commercial sex, not a new prohibition on the act itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Iowa county election commissioners to label every ballot cast in primary and general elections with the method used to submit it. The label must specify whether the ballot was cast in person on election day, in person before election day, by mail (non-military/overseas), by mail under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (military), or by mail under that act (overseas citizens). The state election commissioner must create rules to implement these labeling requirements through existing administrative procedures. This directly affects county election offices and provides voters with clear information about how ballots were submitted.

Maddy summarySF 2077 amends Iowa's absentee voting rules to clarify how voters must return ballots. It requires absentee ballots to be mailed in specific envelopes (affidavit, delivery, and return envelopes) with matching serial numbers, and sets a 5:00 p.m. deadline the day before elections for returns - either by mail with postmark/barcode proof or in person. This directly affects registered voters requesting absentee ballots, ensuring their votes are counted if returned by the deadline. The bill standardizes the envelope system and return process without changing voter eligibility or ballot content.

Maddy summarySF 2081 changes Iowa election rules by requiring voters who register to vote on election day or cast an in-person absentee ballot to cast a provisional ballot instead of a regular ballot. The absentee and special voters precinct board must then verify eligibility (including felony conviction status and voting rights restoration) before counting the ballot. Currently, voters at polling places with electronic poll books can receive a regular ballot if verified immediately, but this bill makes provisional ballots mandatory for all such voters. The bill applies directly to voters registering or casting ballots on election day or at in-person absentee locations. It does not alter voting eligibility standards, only the ballot type used during registration.

Maddy summarySF 2075 requires Iowa's state commissioner of elections to create a detailed record of all voter registration data for every voter who cast a ballot in each election within 60 days after the election. The record must be organized by county and kept for eight years. Voters or others can request a free electronic copy of this record, though they must provide storage if the file is too large to transmit. This bill directly affects Iowa voters whose data is included in the records and the state commissioner of elections, who must implement the new record-keeping process.

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally recognizes the YMCA's 175th anniversary and expresses the Iowa Senate's appreciation for its community service. It highlights the YMCA's historical contributions, including founding programs like basketball and Father's Day, and its ongoing work serving over 250,000 Iowans annually through youth development, health initiatives, and social services. The resolution does not create new programs or change laws - it is a ceremonial expression of support for the YMCA's mission.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) operated on Iowa highways to display a slow-moving vehicle reflective device, aligning ATVs with existing motor vehicle safety rules. It directly affects ATV operators who use highways, mandating they equip their vehicles with the reflective device when traveling at 35 MPH or slower. The key provision applies Section 321.383 (requiring reflective devices for off-highway vehicles operating below 35 MPH) specifically to ATVs on highways. Violating this rule results in a simple misdemeanor punishable by a $45 fine.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard and Staff Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Iowa National Guard members killed in action during a December 2025 attack in Syria. It recognizes their military service, posthumous promotions, and sacrifices, while also acknowledging three wounded Iowa Guard soldiers from the same incident. The resolution directs that a copy be sent to the families of the two fallen soldiers as a formal tribute. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no policy or legal effect but serves to memorialize their service.

Maddy summarySF 128 requires medical examiners investigating infant deaths (ages 0-3) to include specific immunization details on their investigation reports. The bill mandates that reports request the date and type of the decedent’s last immunization, including all types if multiple vaccines were administered at once. This change applies only to medical examiner forms used in these specific death investigations. The bill does not alter vaccination requirements or affect families directly, but adds a standard data point for medical examiners to collect during their investigations.

Maddy summarySCR 3 is a concurrent resolution by the Iowa General Assembly that formally rejects the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 decision in *Obergefell v. Hodges*. This resolution asserts that the ruling, which established the right to same-sex marriage, is unconstitutional and an overreach of judicial power. It calls upon the Supreme Court to reverse *Obergefell* and restore the authority to define marriage as a union of one man and one woman to individual states. Copies of this resolution will be distributed to the Supreme Court of the United States.