New year, new session, new priorities

With strong majorities in both the House and Senate, Iowa Republicans are once again hoping to keep Gov. Kim Reynolds' desk piled high with bills to sign during the 2025 legislative session.

The 91st Iowa General Assembly kicks off Jan. 13 with a target end date of May 2. GOP lawmakers plan to focus on preschool education, access to rural healthcare and other priorities in Des Moines. Local officials include: Rep. Zach Dieken, House District 5; Sen. Lynn Evans, Senate District 3; Rep. Megan Jones, House District 6; Sen. Dave Rowley, Senate District 5; and Rep. John Wills, House District 10.

The Sentinel-News reached out to each legislator in its coverage area to gauge their views on a variety of issues heading into the 2025 session. What follows are their responses.

Iowa is currently sitting on a $2 billion surplus. Do you see any need to dip into that soon? Explain why or why not.

Zach Dieken: We will be dipping into it as we continue to cut taxes. The surplus will be used to continue to help us budget with the decrease in tax revenue to the state. I am thankful for this – we continue to lower taxes and yet have been fiscally responsible enough the past several years to still have a $2 billion surplus.

Lynn Evans: I don't anticipate the need to dip into the budget surplus or the Taxpayer Relief Fund at this time. Conservative budgeting practices over the past few years have made Iowa one of the fiscally strongest states in the nation while allowing taxpayers to keep more of their money in their pockets.

Megan Jones: That discussion is still happening. It is supposed to cover the tax cut deficits, so we might get to that point. I hope we get a lot of feedback on this during session, because frankly, the federal government and inflation are hitting the state just like everyone else. It's going to be a tight budget year.

Dave Rowley: The annual surplus includes requirements of 10 percent of the annual budget that is set aside by statute. Including cash reserve (7.5 percent) and the economic emergency fund (2.5 percent). Our budget takes this into account adjusting for new expenses and estimated future revenue. As the state absorbs new costs passed last session including increased salaries for teachers, ESA and going to a 3.8 percent flat tax, we can manage the transition.

I believe a balanced approach keeping our reserves strong as we absorb new expense is the best approach. I don't see a need for major changes at this time.

John Wills: We absolutely plan to dip into that surplus. It is there to pay for the deficit that we know will occur with the tax cuts that are fully implemented this coming year. The idea is to send the money back to the taxpayers who have already overpaid those dollars. We have much more than $2 billion in excess funds and those dollars will start to decline as revenue declines until the deficit is naturally overtaken by increased revenue. It is the plan to use those funds to pay for the deficit while the government naturally grows.

Access to maternal care in rural areas continues to dwindle. Is there anything the state can do to help curb this, and if so, do you believe it will be discussed this session?

ZD: I am submitting a bill to get rid of the certificate of need requirement. This would allow competition and other resources to be built to serve rural communities. For example, the maternal care issue could be helped out by birthing centers and the use of midwife care. Sadly, the medical industrial complex has a stranglehold on medical so hospitals can make a profit. Anyone who cares about rural health care in general will be pro getting rid of the certificate of need.

LE: Maternal health care and rural health care in general will be discussed during this session. We passed legislation in the previous session to make Iowa a more attractive place to practice and expand rural health care. We have two outstanding medical universities in our state. An effort to increase the number of in-state residencies and incentives to remain in Iowa to practice medicine will be topics of discussion.

MJ: I was told time and time again by the medical community the only thing that would help rural hospitals was tort reform. They got it, with my "no" vote – I knew that wasn't the secret to success here. Now that it hasn't worked, people are asking for the state to pay back student loans. I have heard from many constituents who are very critical of paying off student loans. I am all ears for solutions here, but ultimately, we need more people to have more babies and drive the market.

DR: Maternal care and supporting our health care systems will continue to be discussed this session. We continue to pass legislation to give relief to hospitals and clinics limiting liability for non-economic damages awards. Supporting reciprocity and reviewing state licensure are discussed as well. I am working with District 5's health care providers to advance their legislative priorities to support our rural communities.

JW: We have already done several things like provide loan repayment stipends and other things for doctors in rural areas to come, stay and work. There are multiple factors for the reduced maternal care and one of them is that we have fewer babies being born in rural areas (partially due to reduced population) because people are having fewer babies. It becomes quite an expense for hospitals to have a maternal department when only 10 or 15 babies are born there a year, and they are cutting that loss.

Do you support any changes to the current tax code? If yes, what and why?

ZD: Property taxes are the most unjust form of taxation. I'd love to get rid of property taxes altogether.

LE: We set the state's annual budget based on information from the Revenue Estimating Conference that evaluates the fiscal and policy impacts of program and budgeting proposals. This information guides us in not only setting the annual budget, but also guides the Legislature in changes to tax code. I fully support reducing income taxes and property taxes, but we need to do so in a responsible manner to ensure that we remain in a fiscally strong position for years to come.

MJ: The No. 1 issue we are hearing about is property taxes. That is a local issue. The state continues to put Band-Aids on property tax reform – a process that continues to worry me. I'm open to discussions because constituents are pretty upset.

DR: I support change that will reduce the individual tax burden on Iowans. Clearly, the state has been collecting more taxes then needed. I support looking for ways to get those dollars back to Iowans for private economic growth in their communities rather than increasing our government spending to fit it.

JW: I do see some thoughts coming forward on property tax reform, but I am not sure what we can do there. It is a local tax, and for the state to step in and dictate that local governments and schools can only take in a certain revenue goes against my thought process of local control. It is the No. 1 issue that almost every legislator and I heard about this year, though. I think there will be room for increased income tax reform and corporate tax reform in the coming year, and I support that.

Iowa has seen big changes to K-12 education in the past 2 years with ESAs and AEA reform. Are there any big-ticket items affecting education on this year's agenda, and if so, what?

ZD: I think the governor wants to expand government schooling to include preschooling. Which I would oppose – children need to be at home with their families, not shipped off to the government sooner.

LE: I expect that there will be an increased effort to expand the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for 4-year-old children. This had been one of my focuses during the past session. We raised the minimum starting salary for teachers to $50,000, making Iowa No. 5 in the nation for starting teacher salaries. This will continue to phase in during this next session and be rolled into the annual state supplemental for sustainability.

MJ: I suspect there will be cleanup work and minor changes, but we really need a cooling-off year to let the dust settle, collect data and evaluate.

DR: I believe chronic absenteeism and managing how and when cell phones are to be used in the schools will be two topics of interest.

JW: I think the biggest thing that my colleagues and I have heard about is gender and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) issues, once again. We have done a lot of work on the boys playing sports and DEI issues already, and I am not sure what more we can do. I have been assigned to the Higher Education Committee and I see some changes coming to those areas in that area.

Many states bordering Iowa have changed laws regarding the sale of marijuana. Do you support changing state law to loosen restriction on the drug? Why or why not?

ZD: I support nothing that would make marijuana legal in a recreational sense. I am open to the plant being more available for health reason only.

LE: I don't support changes to Iowa law legalizing recreational marijuana.

MJ: I will have a bill to make possession of marijuana a scheduled violation for low-level quantities. This isn't going any easier on them, but it will save the court system a ton of time because often the defendant knows they are guilty. Let's just give them an opportunity to admit it, pay the citation and spare the time in the court system. Admit your guilt and save the taxpayers.

DR: I do not support bringing recreational marijuana through legalization into the state of Iowa.

JW: I do not see big changes in our marijuana policy in the coming year. We were forced to regulate THC edibles last year because of a loophole created by the federal government, and so people have access to THC edibles and that is likely the limit of what can be achieved at this point.

Name three areas Democrats and Republicans can find common ground during the 2025 legislative session.

ZD: Some Democrats have opened up to how horrible our food and medical establishment is. I think I could see us working together to try and improve the overall health of the state, or at least incentivize being healthly. That's about it I'd say.

LE: Those who follow votes on bills at the capitol know that three-fourths (or more) of the bills pass with bipartisan support. This is an indication that there are a large number of areas that both parties agree on. Unfortunately, only what some consider as controversial bills gain media attention leading many to believe that Democrats and Republicans are constantly at odds, which isn't always the case. Increasing access to 4-year-old preschool, increasing access to affordable daycare, access to health care and mental health care across Iowa, and affordable housing are areas that both sides see as important, but may disagree on the funding mechanisms or implementation.

MJ: Limited government, adoption and natural disaster mitigation/recovery.

DR: All Iowa children should have access to quality education; addressing Iowa's workforce shortage; and childcare availability for families

JW: I think we have a strong track record of 92 percent of our legislation in Iowa being bipartisan, so there are many areas that Democrats and Republicans can find common ground. It is the "rare" 8 percent that always makes the news, so be assured that we will agree more than disagree.

Are there any issues of personal priority that you plan to address this year? Is there any legislation you intend to introduce? Explain.

ZD: Abolish human abortion, because it's the murder of an unborn child; make changes in Iowa Utilities Board to protect land rights; support the nuclear family with tax credits; get pornography out of correctional facilities; get rid of certificate of need; bring back capital punishment for pedophiles; give local counties and cities their voted on levies back; ban pharmaceutical companies from advertising in our state; and reform the governor's emergency powers.

LE: Increasing the hours of instruction and funding for the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program; reauthorization of incentives for whole-grade sharing and reorganization (they ended in 2024); changes to operational sharing funding to exempt school resource officers and mental health care workers from counting against the current FTE cap; aligning the regent universities degree programs and resource allocations with Iowa workforce needs; flood mitigation and disaster relief.

MJ: I have several bills for constituents in the works, but the biggest issue facing my district is the flood.

My district was hit hard – particularly Sioux Rapids and Spencer. I am in conversations with similarly-situated representatives to see what we can be doing here. We have had so many people displaced and it's really put a big question mark on economic development, school enrollment and workforce. I have been collecting a list of ideas of what these areas need help with from the state – both policy and fiscally.

DR: I will be introducing a bill that will provide additional incentive for first-time homebuyers in rural counties. I am working on a bill that would raise the speed limit on rural highways to 60 mph. As co-chair of ways and means, I am will be working on improving property tax relief as well as the state income tax rate. I will also be working in several areas dealing with mental health, healthcare, workforce and supporting families.

JW: I will once again promote a bill that will require fathers of unborn children to pay child support for that child. It is only fair that the father of an unborn child support the mother before the baby is born, just like he would support the baby after it is born. The result will be a mother who has better prenatal care and less stress because she isn't doing everything on her own, but instead knows that there is someone involved in the birth of the baby from the very beginning. It would function exactly as child support does right now, but instead would start from conception rather than after birth.

What are some of the biggest concerns you're hearing from constituents in your district?

ZD: Protecting our land rights and safeguarding us all from a big, intrusive government.

LE: Two concerns that I consistently hear from constituents are rapidly rising property taxes and the increasing cost of property insurance. Both will be topics addressed during the upcoming session.

MJ: Flood mitigation and flood recovery.

DR: The availability and cost of housing is a major concern. It affects an employer's ability to hire, the ability for a young family to afford settling in some communities and the number of contractors available. It affects property tax, school enrollment and availability of services. In short, it is a major stumbling block for communities of all sizes.

The peak of 9 percent inflation and now the accumulative result of the last three years have hit a lot of people of all generations hard. The "cost" of living remains a concern to everyone I have visited with. Property taxes continue to be a concern in our communities. These are the areas I am focusing on.

I am also hearing from people who are optimistic – people who are self-determined and strong. I see this a lot but the greatest example came from the flooding we experienced this summer. Spencer, Sioux Rapids, the Lakes and river towns – everyone pulled together to work through it all. While my district has concerns, it's the civility and resolve that makes northwest Iowa a great place to live.

JW: The biggest thing we have heard across the state is property taxes, but eminent domain, wind turbines and workforce issues are all things that are important locally. We will address the Iowa Utilities Board in some way that limits, in the future, what a utility is and how that utility could achieve eminent domain.