(Des Moines) District #23 State Representative Ray Sorensen stated a lot happened in the state legislature last week.
The Greenfield Republican summarized ten bills addressed by the Iowa House this past week.
**HF 928**: Recounts were a mess—now they’re fair and fast. Deadline is the 2nd Wednesday after Election Day. Tight races (0.15% for statewide/federal, 1% or 50 votes for local) get an automatic redo. County auditors and staff take charge—no more campaign bias. Observers welcome to keep it honest!
**HF 954**: Noncitizens voting? Not on our watch. After 35 slipped through in 2024 (thanks, Biden admin stonewalling), this bill scrubs voter rolls, verifies citizenship, and gives legit voters time to fix errors. Bonus: no ranked-choice voting, and parties need 2% for three cycles to stay legit. Trust restored!
Landowners Fight Back on Pipeline Power Grab
**HF 943**: CO2 pipelines can’t swipe ag land with eminent domain anymore. Your farm, your rules—simple as that. Let me be clear: this isn’t about opposing pipelines themselves; it’s about opposing the misuse of government power to trample landowner rights for private profit.
**HF 639**: Pipeline companies now need insurance for spills or damage, and if your rates jump, they foot the bill. Stronger public-use rules for eminent domain, full Iowa Utilities Commission attendance at key hearings, and impacted Iowans get to speak up. Property owners… We’ve got your back!
Roads Safer with SF 22: Eyes Off the Phone
We’ve all dodged a texting driver—I personally have witnessed a man killed and his wife severely injured by a young man on his phone. SF 22 swaps the weak texting ban for a full handheld device ban (hands-free is fine). $100 fine kicks in January 2026— Don’t worry, you’ll have time to adjust as it is just warnings until then. Exemptions for emergencies and first responders keep it practical. Let’s save lives out there!
Health Care: Reaching Every Corner
**HF 972**: Rural health care’s getting a major boost. $150M for 115 new residency spots yearly (four years running), doubled loan forgiveness for shortage areas, and a hub-and-spoke model to team up providers. Streamlined and funded—rural Iowa wins!
**HF 887**: Birth centers don’t need a “certificate of need” to open or grow. With rural hospitals cutting maternity wards, this cuts red tape for moms and babies.
**HF 919**: ChildServe’s new specialty hospital status unlocks federal funds, growing care for kids with special needs. More help, more hope!
SNAP Refocus: Nutrition Over Junk
**HF 970**: Iowa taxpayers won’t be funding Skittles or Monster drinks anymore. With 20% of SNAP cash going to junk like soda and candy, and Iowa ranking 11th for obesity, it’s time for change. This bill refocuses SNAP on nutrition—think real food, not sugar highs—while putting $1M into Double Up Food Bucks. You want chips? Cool, use your own cash. Healthier Iowans, smarter spending—win-win—time to eat smarter, not fund sugar highs!
Medicaid: Work for It with SF 615
Iowans believe that able-bodied folks on Medicaid who can work should. Medicaid is a vital safety net for our most vulnerable—those who truly need it—and to keep it sustainable, we need guardrails. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. The bill gives flexibility to define ‘work’ broadly—covering education, job training, or caregiving—and includes a long list of exemptions to protect those who can’t work—kids under 19, seniors over 64, disabled folks, caregivers, pregnant women, and more. It’s about self-reliance, not dependence. This bill empowers low-income Iowans to take charge of their futures, build self-worth and purpose, and unlock opportunities to climb the economic ladder, all while keeping Medicaid strong for those who need it most.
