Iowa Senate approves journal, hears House message and brief announcements; retiring staff acknowledged
May 02, 2026 | 2026 Senate, Legislative, Iowa
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The Iowa Senate convened Saturday, May 1, 2026, approved its journal and heard a message from the House listing several bills the lower chamber passed on May 1, 2026, before senators made a series of brief announcements and recognitions.
Senator Shipley, the senator from Adams, offered the opening prayer, asking for safety for families and guidance as members concluded business: "Dear Lord in Heaven, we gather again today... Be with us as we go through this day." After the prayer the presiding officer asked whether there were corrections to the journal; "Hearing none, the journal is approved as printed," the presiding officer said.
The secretary read a House message stating that the House on 05/01/2026 had passed multiple bills, listing House File 2771, House File 2788, Senate File 2168 and House File 2782 among others. The message, read aloud on the Senate floor, associated those files with appropriations, workforce and health and human-services matters and included references to opioid settlement funds, graduate medical education and other program areas; the transcript wording of some descriptions was unclear and full bill titles and sponsors were not specified in the reading.
Senator Peterson (Polk) used the floor to promote Count the Kicks, a fetal-movement awareness campaign. "If any of you have a family member or someone that's expecting a baby, I hope you'll stop by my desk and get one of our brochures," she said, noting the program operates in 35 states and that University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics researchers are studying links between changes in fetal movement and maternal and fetal risk. "We're now in 35 states," Peterson said, and cited a reported baby save in Paris, France as an example of the program's reach.
Other floor remarks were brief and ceremonial. Senator Costello introduced his wife, Rachel, and said he had brought cinnamon rolls for colleagues courtesy of his wife. Senator Buslow announced a May 6 promotion at Firehouse Subs offering a free medium steak-and-cheese sub to guests who share a "Mike" family name. Senator Weiner introduced his granddaughter, Alaska, who he said is eight and a half years old. Senator Sweeney recognized Maureen Taylor, who was named secretary for the Ways and Means Committee and is due to retire July 1; colleagues applauded her years of service.
Before recessing for party caucuses, senators announced that Democrats would caucus in Room 24 and Republicans would caucus at 9:31 a.m.; the presiding officer put the Senate at ease to allow caucusing. No roll-call votes on the bills read in the House message were recorded in the portion of the proceeding captured in the transcript.
The Senate's next formal actions and any further consideration of the House-passed bills were not recorded in the provided transcript excerpt.
Senator Shipley, the senator from Adams, offered the opening prayer, asking for safety for families and guidance as members concluded business: "Dear Lord in Heaven, we gather again today... Be with us as we go through this day." After the prayer the presiding officer asked whether there were corrections to the journal; "Hearing none, the journal is approved as printed," the presiding officer said.
The secretary read a House message stating that the House on 05/01/2026 had passed multiple bills, listing House File 2771, House File 2788, Senate File 2168 and House File 2782 among others. The message, read aloud on the Senate floor, associated those files with appropriations, workforce and health and human-services matters and included references to opioid settlement funds, graduate medical education and other program areas; the transcript wording of some descriptions was unclear and full bill titles and sponsors were not specified in the reading.
Senator Peterson (Polk) used the floor to promote Count the Kicks, a fetal-movement awareness campaign. "If any of you have a family member or someone that's expecting a baby, I hope you'll stop by my desk and get one of our brochures," she said, noting the program operates in 35 states and that University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics researchers are studying links between changes in fetal movement and maternal and fetal risk. "We're now in 35 states," Peterson said, and cited a reported baby save in Paris, France as an example of the program's reach.
Other floor remarks were brief and ceremonial. Senator Costello introduced his wife, Rachel, and said he had brought cinnamon rolls for colleagues courtesy of his wife. Senator Buslow announced a May 6 promotion at Firehouse Subs offering a free medium steak-and-cheese sub to guests who share a "Mike" family name. Senator Weiner introduced his granddaughter, Alaska, who he said is eight and a half years old. Senator Sweeney recognized Maureen Taylor, who was named secretary for the Ways and Means Committee and is due to retire July 1; colleagues applauded her years of service.
Before recessing for party caucuses, senators announced that Democrats would caucus in Room 24 and Republicans would caucus at 9:31 a.m.; the presiding officer put the Senate at ease to allow caucusing. No roll-call votes on the bills read in the House message were recorded in the portion of the proceeding captured in the transcript.
The Senate's next formal actions and any further consideration of the House-passed bills were not recorded in the provided transcript excerpt.
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