Sen. Mark Costello

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution formally recognizes the 150th anniversary of the University of Northern Iowa, which was established in 1876. The bill directs the Senate to commend the university for its historical contributions to education and community service across Iowa. It also calls for a copy of the resolution to be presented to university leadership as a gesture of appreciation.

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 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 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 500 establishes a state grant program to help Iowa school districts pay for security personnel at high schools. The program, administered by the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, provides matching grants (up to $30,000 per district annually) to offset costs for hiring private security officers or school resource officers guarding high school attendance centers. It appropriates $9,750,000 from the state general fund for the program during fiscal year 2025-2026, with unspent funds carried forward to future years. The bill directly affects school districts employing security staff at grades 9-12 locations, reducing their financial burden for this requirement.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 375) changes the maximum allowable power for electric motors on low-speed e-bikes and pedestrian conveyances (like scooters, wheelchairs, and strollers) from "less than 750 watts" to "not more than 750 watts." It directly affects manufacturers, sellers, and users of these devices by allowing motors up to exactly 750 watts, rather than capping them below that threshold. Devices exceeding 750 watts would then be classified as motor vehicles under standard traffic laws. The bill clarifies definitions and technical standards without altering broader vehicle regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 320) creates a new capital murder offense in Iowa for intentionally killing a peace officer while the officer is on duty. It establishes the death penalty as the mandatory punishment for this specific crime, directly affecting individuals charged with such murders and requiring specialized legal representation for indigent defendants in these cases. Key provisions include mandating qualified attorneys for capital murder cases, creating a new process to assess an inmate's sanity before execution, and requiring automatic Supreme Court review of all death sentences to ensure they are legally imposed and not excessive. The bill also amends existing laws to clarify the circumstances that qualify as capital murder, including killings of officers "under any circumstances" with knowledge of their status.

Maddy summarySF 331 requires Iowa's Department of Natural Resources to sell youth deer hunting licenses during the same periods as general licenses, including all established hunting seasons. It allows youth license holders to use their license and tag in the season it was issued or any future season, provided they follow the season's authorized hunting methods. However, if a youth hunter uses their tag (fills it) during a season, the license becomes invalid for subsequent seasons. This bill directly affects young hunters purchasing licenses for deer hunting in Iowa.

Maddy summarySF 367 designates kratom (all parts of the Mitragyna speciosa plant and its compounds like mitragynine) as a Schedule I controlled substance in Iowa. It directly affects anyone possessing kratom, imposing criminal penalties based on prior offenses: a first offense is a serious misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail or $2,560 fine), a second offense is an aggravated misdemeanor (up to 2 years or $8,540), and three or more prior convictions make it a class D felony (up to 5 years or $10,245). The bill creates a tiered penalty system for possession, with increasingly severe consequences for repeat violations. It does not address medical use or enforcement beyond these specific criminal penalties for possession.

Maddy summarySJR 6 is a constitutional amendment proposing to repeal Iowa’s natural resources and outdoor recreation trust fund (which funded parks, trails, and conservation) and replace it with a new property tax relief trust fund. The amendment would dedicate a portion of increased sales and use tax revenue (capped at 0.375% of taxable sales) to lower school district property tax levies uniformly across the state. This fund would replace revenue previously generated from the foundation property tax levy, directly reducing property taxes for homeowners and businesses that fund public schools. As a constitutional amendment, it requires voter approval after legislative passage.