Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signs 17 bills

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed 17 bills Monday, including measures on water quality, school rules and higher highway speeds.

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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signs 17 bills into law

The package includes water quality funding, school changes and a higher default speed limit.

Gov. Kim Reynolds signed 17 bills into law Monday before the end of the 30-day deadline from the end of the 2026 legislative session, covering water quality spending, education, and agriculture.

Improving water quality: House File 2771 boosts funding for water quality monitoring at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. It would also boost nitrate removal efforts at Central Iowa Water Works.

Online age verification: House File 864 requires websites publishing or distributing material pornographic for minors to confirm users’ ages before allowing access. Companies would face civil penalties for failing to comply with the age verification requirements.

Recognizing student excellence: House File 2231 establishes a seal of civics excellence program run by the Department of Education to recognize students’ civic engagement.

Secretary of State jurisdiction: House File 2678 sets rules for businesses and organizations registered with the Secretary of State, requiring them to submit certain filings, allowing the state to shut down non-compliant entities, and imposing penalties for violations.

Nuclear facility tax exemptions: House File 2757 creates sales and use tax exemptions for starting or restarting nuclear power plants in Iowa.

Accepting cash payments: Senate File 274 requires public school facilities to accept cash as a form of payment to get into school athletic events.

Raising default speed limit: Senate File 378 raises Iowa’s default highway speed limit from 55 to 60 miles per hour. State agencies will be using temporary stickers to communicate the speed limit changes on signs statewide until new signage can be installed.

Creating new court: Senate File 639 establishes a court specifically to adjourn business legal matters, including breach of contract, fraud, or law violations between businesses.

Junior firefighter program: Senate File 2086 authorizes schools to offer an elective junior firefighter program. It would be available for high school students in 11th and 12th grades.

Nonresident requirements: Senate File 2189 allows non-Iowa residents to use their out-of-state driver’s license or identification when applying for a vehicle registration or vehicle title certificate in Iowa.

Water utility payments: Senate File 2304 makes it easier for utility companies to fund required infrastructure upgrades. It also establishes protections to ensure customers aren’t overcharged.

Department of Education changes: Senate File 2428 establishes a pilot program for students who need extra support, gives teachers more power to handle classroom disruptions, and updates teacher professional development requirements.

Transporting milk permits: Senate File 2429 makes fluid milk products annual permits valid for vehicles and combinations of vehicles weighing up to 136,000 pounds.

Department of Agriculture changes: Senate File 2465 updates the powers and duties of the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to include the promotion and regulation of commodities and products, the regulation of the transportation of agricultural items, the use of agricultural land, sales and use taxes, and veterinary practice and income taxes, making penalties applicable, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

Iowa dyslexia board changes: Senate File 2474 modifies the Iowa Dyslexia Board and requires the Department of Education to prepare a report related to cardiac emergency response plans and automated external defibrillators.

Oil and gas production: Senate File 2490 includes filing requirements, the authority of the department of natural resources, confidential information, pooling orders, negotiation of surface damage, imposition and distribution of a tax, and jurisdiction, and providing civil penalties.

Ethanol excise tax: Senate File 2493 requires an excise tax on certain ethanol blended gasoline purchased exclusively for use in an implement of husbandry used in agricultural production.