Iowa lawmakers narrowed hundreds of proposals during two funnel deadlines in 2026. By the May 3 adjournment, some had become law while others stalled before final passage.
Originally published in 2024. Updated Oct. 2, 2026, with a substantially revised guide to the 2026 Iowa legislative session and the final status of selected bills.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa lawmakers considered hundreds of bills during the 2026 legislative session, but many had to clear two major procedural deadlines known as the legislative “funnel” to remain eligible for consideration.
The first funnel deadline came Feb. 20. In most cases, policy bills had to receive approval from a committee in either the Iowa House or Senate by that point. The second funnel arrived March 20 and generally required bills to have passed one chamber and advanced through a committee in the other.
Those deadlines do not apply to every proposal. Bills involving taxes, spending and government oversight are among the measures that can remain active outside the normal funnel process. Legislative leaders also have procedural options that can keep some proposals alive.
By the time the Iowa Legislature adjourned May 3, several bills that had cleared the early deadlines had become law, while others never received final approval.
Child care assistance for child care workers became law
One proposal that moved through the funnel process and ultimately became law expanded Iowa’s Child Care Assistance program to children of eligible child care workers.
House File 2514 passed the Iowa House on Feb. 23 and the Senate on March 30. Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the bill April 9, and the law took effect July 1, 2026.
The measure makes children of child care workers in Iowa eligible for the state child care assistance program under the requirements established in the law.
Iowa approved a property tax package after the funnel deadlines
Property taxes were one of the major issues still under negotiation after the funnel deadlines, but tax legislation is generally exempt from the funnel rules.
Senate File 2472 ultimately passed both chambers during the final weeks of the session and was signed by the governor May 18.
The law makes multiple changes involving property assessments, local government finances and tax policy, with provisions taking effect on different dates in 2026, 2027 and later years.
A data center reporting bill advanced but did not become law
House File 2447 proposed new reporting requirements related to water and energy use by data centers and would have required certain utility tariff changes.
The House Commerce Committee approved the proposal in February, allowing it to survive the first funnel. It was later renumbered as House File 2690, and several amendments were filed in March.
The bill did not receive final legislative approval before lawmakers adjourned May 3.
A proposal to eliminate school immunization requirements did not pass
House File 2171 proposed eliminating Iowa’s immunization requirements for students attending elementary and secondary schools.
The House Education Committee approved the bill Feb. 4, allowing it to clear the first funnel deadline. The official bill history shows no subsequent passage by the House or Senate before the 2026 session ended.
The proposal therefore did not become Iowa law in 2026.
Public library proposals moved forward but did not reach final passage
Iowa lawmakers also considered several proposals involving public libraries during the 2026 session.
House File 2622, for example, addressed state assistance requirements and oversight of public libraries by city councils. The proposal advanced through the House Local Government Committee in February and survived the first funnel but did not receive final passage before adjournment.
Other library proposals considered during the session addressed access to materials by minors, library oversight and relationships between public libraries and schools. Their paths through the Legislature varied, and not every proposal survived the early deadlines.
The carbon pipeline eminent domain bill stalled before final approval
House File 2104 dealt with the use of eminent domain for carbon dioxide pipelines.
The Iowa House approved the bill Jan. 21 by a 64-28 vote. A Senate committee later recommended passage with an amendment, and the measure remained eligible for consideration as unfinished business.
An additional Senate amendment was filed in April, but lawmakers adjourned without giving the bill final approval.
A state employment and E-Verify proposal also stopped short of passage
House File 2608 included provisions involving state employment, professional licensing, voter registration and bail. Among its provisions were requirements connected with federal systems used to verify work eligibility and immigration status.
The House Judiciary Committee approved the underlying proposal in February, and the bill was placed on the unfinished business calendar in March. It did not receive final passage before the Legislature adjourned.
Iowa did not make daylight saving time permanent
Proposals to stop Iowa’s twice-yearly clock changes have appeared in multiple legislative sessions, including the 2024 proposal covered in the original version of this article.
During the current General Assembly, House File 66 and Senate File 90 proposed making daylight saving time Iowa’s official time throughout the year. House File 66 received a favorable subcommittee recommendation in January 2025, while Senate File 90 was referred to the Senate State Government Committee.
Neither proposal received final legislative approval before the 2026 session adjourned. Iowa therefore continues to observe the seasonal time changes that apply across most of the United States.
Related: Daylight saving time 2026: When do clocks go back?
Surviving the funnel does not mean a bill will become law
The funnel deadlines reduce the number of proposals that remain active during an Iowa legislative session, but clearing a funnel is only one step in the process.
A bill that survives can still be amended, fail to receive a floor vote, stall in the opposite chamber or reach the end of the session without final agreement. Bills that miss a funnel deadline can also remain viable when they fall under an exemption or when legislative procedures allow lawmakers to revive or preserve them.
The 2026 Iowa legislative session adjourned May 3. The Iowa Legislature maintains an official list of bills passed during the 2026 session, including signature and effective dates.
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