Sen. Doug Campbell

Maddy summarySJR 2008 is a non-binding resolution passed by the Iowa General Assembly supporting the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education and the transfer of education authority to state and local governments. It argues that federal education regulations have caused inefficiency and stagnant student reading scores despite high spending, and that states are better positioned to address local educational needs. The resolution urges the U.S. Congress to cooperate with efforts to dissolve the Department of Education, citing the Tenth Amendment as the constitutional basis for state control. This resolution does not change federal policy but formally expresses Iowa's position on education governance.

Maddy summarySF 2357 defines the term "person" in Iowa law to explicitly include "an individual organism of the species homo sapiens at any stage of development from fertilization until natural death." This change applies whenever "person" is used in statutes or implied by context, affecting all laws that reference the term. The bill mandates that this definition cannot be challenged in court ("not subject to judicial review"). It directly impacts how Iowa statutes interpret legal terms related to rights, responsibilities, and protections under state law. The bill does not create new policies but alters the foundational meaning of "person" for statutory interpretation.

Maddy summarySF 2180 requires food manufacturers and sellers to place a clear, conspicuous label on any packaged or wrapped food product containing FDA-approved vaccine or vaccine material as an ingredient. This applies specifically to processed human food where the vaccine material is part of the ingredients, not to the vaccine itself. Violating the labeling requirement is a simple misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a fine of $105-$855. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship enforces this rule and can seek court orders to stop violations. The bill aims to ensure consumers are informed about food products containing vaccine-derived ingredients.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes psilocybin and psilocybin (the active compounds in magic mushrooms) from Iowa’s Schedule I controlled substances list under state law. Schedule I substances are defined as having high abuse potential and no accepted medical use. The change would reclassify these substances under less restrictive drug laws, potentially enabling medical research or regulated personal use. The bill is currently under review by the Health and Human Services committee.

Maddy summarySF 2155 reclassifies misoprostol, mifepristone, and methotrexate as Schedule III controlled substances in Iowa. This would make distributing or dispensing these medications a class C felony, punishable by fines between $1,000 and $50,000. The bill directly affects healthcare providers, pharmacies, and anyone involved in supplying these medications. It changes the legal status of these drugs from non-controlled to controlled substances with specific criminal penalties. The bill is currently under review by the Judiciary Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires manufacturers of mRNA and DNA-based vaccines to conduct safety studies on transmissibility, DNA contamination, and shedding before distributing them in Iowa. Distributors who provide vaccines posing unreasonable public health risks (as defined by the FDA) face $1,000 fines per violation and potential licensing penalties. It also removes liability immunity for manufacturers if a vaccine’s design defect causes injury or death. The Department of Inspections must create enforcement rules under this law. The bill directly affects vaccine manufacturers, distributors, and healthcare providers handling these vaccines within Iowa.

Maddy summarySF 2163 increases penalties for falsely reporting criminal acts to police or fire departments. It makes knowingly reporting false information about serious crimes - like forcible felonies, terrorism, or violent offenses - a class "D" felony, and upgrades malicious prosecution charges (continuing false claims after being proven wrong) to an aggravated misdemeanor. The bill also adds that false reports causing serious injury or death become a class "C" felony. Penalties include up to two years in jail and fines between $855 and $8,540 for the upgraded offenses. This directly affects individuals who make false reports to public safety agencies.

Maddy summarySF 2149 allows residents of a school district to report to the county attorney if they believe a school board or superintendent adopted a policy violating state law. The county attorney can then sue the board members who voted for the policy and the superintendent to force compliance with state law, but not members who opposed the policy. If the county attorney wins, the court must grant the requested relief and award either $1,000 per defendant or the actual legal costs incurred, with the funds deposited into the county’s general fund for the county attorney’s use. This bill directly affects school board members, superintendents, and county attorneys in enforcing state law compliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how school district boards appoint their top leader. It requires school boards to annually elect a separate "chief executive officer" who cannot be the superintendent, replacing the current rule that automatically made the superintendent this role. The change directly affects school boards and superintendents by creating a new annual election process for the chief executive position. Key provisions include removing the superintendent's automatic status as executive officer and mandating boards establish this new role through their rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires school district boards to follow Iowa's public records laws (Chapter 22) when handling requests for documents. If a school district denies access, individuals denied records can enforce their rights through Chapter 22's legal tools, including seeking court orders, monetary damages, or attorney fees. Repeat violations could lead to removal of school board members from office. The law directly affects school districts and anyone seeking public records from them, ensuring clearer enforcement of existing transparency rules.