Iowa House introduces multiple bills on utilities, water quality and licensure before recessing for caucuses

The House of Representatives convened for a routine session that included ceremonial remarks, the introduction and referral of several bills to committee, and a motion to recess for party caucuses.

The clerk read a series of bills and committee referrals. Among them was House File 2729, described as “a bill for an act establishing a temporary prohibition on an increase in rate or charge by gas and electric public utilities,” which the clerk announced as referred to the committee on commerce. The clerk also read House File 2730 (a retail-pricing unlawful-practice bill), House File 2731 (to establish a percentage-of-income payment plan to be administered by the Department of Health and Human Services), House File 2732 (a bill addressing water-quality practices and a tax credit for cover-crop or edge-of-field practices), and House File 2733 (relating to water quality measurements, a clean water farm program, and related appropriations). Additional Senate files were read and referred to their respective committees, including workforce and judiciary-related bills.

Representative Golding delivered the Liberty’s Legacy reading, focusing on education funding and history. Golding said, “Education is obviously one of the highest priorities for our state as it consumes approximately 56% of every tax dollar,” and urged members to recall founding principles when deliberating on policy.

Several members introduced visitors to the chamber. Representative Weissel Crochet introduced Suri Hansen, a freshman at Iowa State in the honors program. Representative Andrews introduced former pages Irina Ahisu and Mariana Flores, and Representative Hayes welcomed visitors from the Oskaloosa Homeschool Assistance Program. Earlier, the chair said students from the Iowa School for the Deaf would lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

On procedural business, the Chair called for the journal; the journal “stands approved.” Later, Representative Kaufman moved that the House recess until the conclusion of both party caucuses. After a voice vote in which the Chair said the ayes had it, the House recessed.

No formal roll-call votes on the introduced bills were recorded in the transcript; the bills were announced and referred to committee. The session’s next steps reported in the record were the scheduled caucuses and the recess.