Rinker Report Week 15 – District 99

April 25th, 2025

This past week saw a return to floor debate, and House Republicans have been hard at work passing legislation that will benefit Iowans. I expect in the next two weeks the House will debate bills on a variety of important issues, including budget appropriations, court debt, property taxes, and a few others.

This week House Republicans passed bills to:

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HF 440>>>

Passed the House, Passed the Senate, Sent to the Governor

An Act relating to tuition, degree programs, employment, and related matters pertaining to students enrolled at regents institutions.

HF 991>>>

Passed the House, Referred to Senate Ways and Means Committee

An Act placing assessment limitations for property tax purposes on commercial childcare facilities, and including effective date, applicability, and retroactive applicability provisions.

HF 978>>>

Passed the House, Referred to Senate Ways and Means Committee

An Act relating to the production and administration of psilocybin, and providing penalties.

HF 163 / SF 583>>>

Passed the Senate, Passed the House, Sent to the Governor

An Act relating to school safety by requiring the creation of threat assessment teams and authorizing information sharing between certain governmental agencies.

HF 303>>>

Passed the House, Passed the Senate, Sent to the Governor

An Act relating to prior authorizations and exemptions by health benefit plans and utilization review organizations.

HF 1001>>>

Passed the House, Referred to Senate Appropriations Committee

An Act creating a rural attorney recruitment assistance program, and making appropriations.

HF 1027>>>

Passed the House, Referred to Senate Ways and Means Committee

An Act relating to radon by establishing radon mitigation requirements, creating a radon mitigation system tax credit available against the individual and corporate income taxes, and including retroactive applicability provisions.

HF 1002>>>

Passed the House, Attached to SF 627

An Act authorizing length of service award programs for volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical care providers, and reserve peace officers, and making appropriations.

Many Iowans are feeling the pain of higher costs. House Republicans passed two bills this week that directly work to reduce that pain by removing sales tax from toilet paper, soap, and laundry detergent. In Iowa, we already exempt a number of everyday items from sales tax such as certain groceries and prescription drugs. House File 964 and House File 1022 add to that list and help lower the tax burden on Iowans.

House Republicans have been working hard to cut taxes and fight the storm of inflation, an example of which is lowering all taxpaying Iowans’ income tax rate to 3.8%. We are very much focused on reducing the tax burden on Iowans, and that includes an in-depth examination of property taxes. There is an enormous property tax overhaul bill on the table, but it requires time and patience to afford all those involved a chance to weigh in and examine all possible outcomes. Iowans have been loud and clear that they want us to address property taxes, and we are focused on this issue. However, property taxes are largely administered by local governments, and we’ve received comments that our ideas will result in less services.

House Republicans remain steadfast and committed to solving this problem. While we dig into the details, we are still looking for additional ways to lower costs for Iowans like HF 964 and 1022.