Representative Tom Moore Votes to Protect Landowners from Eminent Domain Abuse

Representative Tom Moore admits this is a tough vote.

Moore stated he is a huge supporter of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, and he has a voting record to prove it. Representative Moore says the Iowa Corn Growers Association has stated they are not viewing this vote as a positive or negative; they are going to wait and see how this all plays out.

Additionally, Representative Moore says leading the session with House File 2104 shows how much Iowa lawmakers value the rights of Iowa landowners. He says they have listened to folks across the state, and their message is simple: owning land is a fundamental right. He says this bill isn’t about stopping these projects; it’s about making sure they happen the right way—through fair, voluntary easements, rather than through government force.

Representative Steve Holt (R-Denison) led the bill through the Iowa House, stating that economic development is of profound importance, but we must not allow it to supersede fundamental Constitutional rights. Holt said on the floor of the Iowa House. “If you believe as I do that the CO2 pipeline project does not meet the public use requirement in our Constitution, then any use of eminent domain for this project is an abuse of the Constitutional rights of the impacted landowners.” Unquote.

House File 2104 passed the Iowa House 64-28. It now heads to the Senate for consideration.