Sen. Kerry Gruenhagen

Maddy summarySF 2044 requires Iowa school districts and charter schools to adopt specific discipline policies for students causing violent or nonviolent disruptions. These policies must include behavior correction strategies, require parent consent before counseling, and establish placement review committees to determine when students can return to classrooms after removal. Schools must also provide alternatives like therapeutic classrooms, document individualized education plans for students with disabilities, and comply with federal disability and privacy laws. The bill standardizes discipline approaches while ensuring schools address disruptions through structured, documented processes.

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 2252 modifies Iowa's Major Economic Growth Attraction (MEGA) program to allow tax incentives for building a National Football League (NFL) stadium. The bill expands the existing program - which currently targets businesses in advanced manufacturing, biosciences, or R&D - to include NFL franchises constructing a professional sports stadium. Key provisions define "sports stadium" as a facility for NFL games and specify that incentives (like sales tax refunds and investment tax credits) would apply to the stadium project, subject to the program’s $1 billion investment threshold. This bill would directly affect NFL teams seeking to build a stadium in Iowa, but it does not change other MEGA program requirements or eligibility rules.

Maddy summarySF 2033, the "Increasing Civic Proficiency in Higher Education Act," requires Iowa's regents universities (University of Iowa, Iowa State, and UNI) to mandate that all undergraduate students complete introductory survey courses in American history and American government. Each course must be worth at least three semester credits and fulfill social sciences or humanities requirements, while avoiding exclusive focus on specific subgroups. The requirement applies to students beginning enrollment in academic years starting July 1, 2028, and institutions must grant credit for equivalent prior coursework. Excluded are students in designated three-year degree programs, and the bill also directs university centers to designate qualifying courses and submit annual reports.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all Iowa public and nonpublic high schools to include one semester of computer science and artificial intelligence (AI) education in their graduation requirements, beginning with the 2030-2031 graduating class. Starting in the 2023-2024 school year, schools must offer AI and computer science courses meeting state standards that cover AI concepts, ethics, societal impact, and foundational skills. The bill also mandates a statewide plan for teacher training by 2027, especially for smaller schools, and establishes online course options for districts. Additionally, it modifies science and math graduation units to allow limited AI instruction to count toward requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires newspapers designated to publish official government notices (like legal or public records) to follow federal rules for canceling subscriptions (16 C.F.R. pt. 425). It ensures subscribers can easily end newspaper subscriptions without excessive hurdles. The law applies directly to newspapers seeking or maintaining official publication status in Iowa. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment and does not change existing requirements for government notices themselves.

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 48 requires hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and pregnancy resource centers in Iowa to report specific serious medical incidents to the state Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing within 15 working days. Facilities must report events like wrong-site surgery, medication errors, patient disappearances, falls, device failures, or serious injuries from contaminated products. The law specifies 15 distinct incident types that qualify as "serious reportable events," excluding certain situations like emergencies requiring immediate action. Reports must not include identifying details about patients, staff, or healthcare professionals. Failure to report could result in penalties established under the bill.

Maddy summarySF 127 establishes a School of Intellectual Freedom as an independent academic unit within the University of Iowa's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The school must teach courses on historical ideas shaping U.S. constitutional order, free speech, civil discourse, and responsible citizenship to all university students. It requires at least five tenure-eligible faculty, mandates that all funding directly supports the school (not university overhead), and sets rules for its governance and curriculum through required bylaws. The bill aims to expand intellectual diversity and civic engagement across the university community through its academic programming.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires anglers with a standard fishing license to pay an additional fee to fish for or keep muskellunge (a type of large predatory fish). The fee revenue must be used exclusively by Iowa's Natural Resource Commission to fund muskellunge conservation and management programs. An exception allows people to fish for muskellunge without paying the fee during community events where the commission grants a permit for stocking muskellunge in non-designated waters. The bill does not affect regular fishing license holders or other fish species.