Iowa’s 2026 legislative session got underway on Monday.
State senators and representatives will spend the next few months at the Iowa Capitol debating and passing new laws and deciding how to spend Iowans’ tax dollars.
They’re starting the year with some new leaders — new majority leaders in the House and Senate, and a new House minority leader. It’s also the final legislative session for Governor Kim Reynolds, who is not seeking re-election.
Unlike last year, the Senate Republicans no longer hold a supermajority in their chamber.
Republicans say they’ll prioritize property tax reforms and making the state more friendly to businesses. Senate Republicans also aim to propose an eminent domain plan that includes taxing carbon dioxide carried by pipelines.
Senate President Amy Sinclair called on members to tone down divisive rhetoric and come together to help Iowans.
“ They want good jobs and affordable living. They want lower taxes and less regulatory interference, and they want the freedom to flourish in the state that they love,” Sinclair said.
Senate Democrats, such as Catelin Drey of Sioux City, say they want to focus on supporting public education, making childcare more affordable and lowering healthcare costs.
The chamber also swore in new member Renee Hardman, a Democrat and the first Black woman to serve in the Iowa Senate. Drey also was participating in her first legislative session after winning a special election in August.
In Iowa House District 7, Republican Mike Sexton resigned last year. Another Republican, Wendy Larson, of Odebolt, won to keep the seat in that party’s control, and she began her work in Des Moines on Monday.
The South Dakota Legislature gavels in Tuesday, and Nebraska legislators began their work last week.
