Senator Donahue’s May 20 Newsletter

From the Desk of Senator Donahue

As I left the Capitol to drive home after being up for over 26 hours straight – and faced with 2 more windshield hours back to CR to reflect on the destruction left behind in the wake of yet another year of GOP policy that paid no attention to the needs of everyday Iowans’ struggles to make ends meet – l thought about all of the bills the Democrats brought forward, both in the House and Senate.

The bills and packages that Democrats brought forth as individuals and as a caucus to help everyday Iowans with their pocketbooks for childcare costs, for affordable housing, bills to alleviate workforce issues, workers’ pay, along with so many more, including healthcare costs and mental health care. We spent the entire session fighting for policy that increases economic development and building our rural and urban centers.

There were so many opportunities for the majority party to help people rather than what they chose. Unfortunately, the bad outweighed the good. We won some key victories, bringing positive change for Iowans. But we saw far more disappointments, where Iowans’ needs were not served at all, as legislation no one asked for passed through our Republican supermajorities.

This was a very contentious legislative session that had plenty of ups and downs, but no matter the fight, I am so very grateful for the privilege of serving you in SD37!

I am also so incredibly proud to serve beside my Iowa Senate colleagues, as well as my Iowa House colleagues in the Democratic Party, because through it all we choose to fight for the people, not play politics with their lives, and that is something we will continue to do.

I look forward to catching up over the Interim with community members, my elected city officials, and our local businesses to discuss priorities and needs for next year.

Stay tuned through social media and my newsletter to know when there will be events held, as well as coffees to chat about your concerns and suggestions.

Thank you again for allowing me to serve you!

Below you will find events happening around the district over the next week, as well as birthday shout outs, and the detailed nitty-gritty end of session info.

Events around the District:

We have some BIG birthdays this month. As always, I don’t disclose that number, but if you know anyone below, please make sure you wish them a very happy birthday month!

Rachel Blackford
Anthony Carter
Robin Cimprich
Stacey College Skelton
Lisa Corner
Sharon Dorman
David Dvorsky
June Ellis
Harriet Fisher
Broc Galbreath
Marcia Grassfield
Ronald Halstead
Rickey Harris
Warren Hersom
Christine Klein
Lois Knutson
Neal Losen
Sharon Mack
Maureen Maddigan
Lori McDowell
Mary McNee Kettmann
Nancy Merryman
Pamela Olson
Sandra Parsons
Kathryn Pospisil
David Ransier
Ethel Reber
Stephanie Reddersen
Steven Schmitz
Brice Smith
Lisa Steggall
Jay Streff
Paul Thompson
Judith Towell
Bruce Western
Brad Willhite
William Wines

Sine Die: Finally, Across the Finish Line

In the early morning hours on Thursday, May 15, the 2025 legislative session adjourned sine die, wrapping up our work at the Capitol for the year.

It’s hard to feel good about this session. While there were a few bright spots where we were able to serve Iowans’ interests, the vast majority of the Iowa Senate’s 2025 work was marked by division, special interest giveaways, and partisanship.

But let’s start with the positives.

We were able to expand cancer healthcare coverage for Iowa’s firefighters, after years of effort from firefighters and their families.
After four years, we finally delivered landowners the debate on eminent domain they have been asking for, despite backroom negotiations and political maneuvering from Senate Republican leadership.
We extended paid leave for state employees and paid leave equity for adoptive parents.
We finally got Iowa’s opioid settlement dollars out the door to the Iowans who need them.
We passed hands-free driving legislation, making our roads safer for everyone.
We ensured that lead service lines are disclosed during home sales, protecting homeowners.
We provided disaster recovery funding and strengthened protections against out-of-state predators during a natural disaster.

Now for the bad. Here are a few of the big ticket items the majority party managed to pass this session.

A Deficit Spending Budget

Republican lawmakers agreed on a budget for FY26 that will spend $9.424 billion, or roughly $917 million more than the state will bring in. This starts us on a deficit spending road for at least the next five years which could have long-term consequences down the line, especially as the floodgates open on private school vouchers.

$1 Billion Corporate Tax Giveaway

Republican lawmakers used the 2025 legislative session to take another swipe at Iowa workers, giving a massive, $1 billion tax break to corporations while giving workers nothing. Iowa’s unemployment trust fund has been infused with $700 million in one-time federal dollars and by cuts that have left the state paying out fewer and fewer earned benefits to Iowans in need. We should be restoring those benefits to workers, not giving a tax break to the employers who lay workers off.

Legalized Discrimination

The first bill Gov. Reynolds signed this legislative session was SF 418, stripping gender identity from the Iowa civil rights code. The bill removes anti-discrimination protections for trans Iowans, opening the door for discrimination in school, in the workplace, in housing, and more. Despite strong public opposition, including the largest protest in the history of the Iowa State Capitol, the bill made Iowa the first state in the country to remove a protected class from its civil rights laws.

Increased Medicaid Restrictions

The Legislature passed SF 615 this year, increasing restrictions for Iowans on Medicaid. The bill is the first step on a path that could eventually result in 182,000 Iowans being stripped of their healthcare through Iowa’s Medicaid expansion plan. The bill is based on similar plans in a couple other states. It was passed despite Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services refusing to turn over any information regarding the expected fiscal impact of the restrictions.

What Didn’t Happen This Year?

There’s one big issue the Legislature discussed this year that didn’t get across the finish line: property tax reform. SF 651, the property tax reform bill proposed late in the session, went through several iterations but never advanced to the Senate floor for debate. The expansive bill would make significant changes to Iowa’s property tax law and is clearly still a work in progress. Thankfully, instead of rushing the changes through and forcing our communities to deal with any potential fallout, the process has been deliberate and allowed communities and stakeholders to weigh in throughout. There is still work to be done, but I anticipate we will see the bill again in 2026 and I am ready and willing to deliver on property tax relief for Iowans.

There were also a few bad bills I’m glad to see fail to reach the governor’s desk this year.

SCR 3: this Republican proposal would have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse its decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, overturning the national right to marriage equality. SCR 3 did not receive a subcommittee hearing, but its proposal does indicate an underlying desire within the Senate Republican caucus to overturn marriage equality, so we must stay vigilant moving forward.
SF 394: this bill would have created legal immunity for pesticide manufacturers even if their products could be linked to Iowans’ cancer diagnoses. The bill narrowly passed the Senate despite bipartisan opposition, but it failed to advance in the House.
HF 884: this bill would have given untrained, unqualified, unlicensed adults unfettered access to public school children with no oversight and no opportunity for parental consent under the title and authority of chaplain. It included no protections against proselytization. The bill passed the House and advanced through committee in the Senate but was never brought up for debate.

That wraps up our legislative work for 2025. I’d like to leave this session on a positive note, so let me say thank you for staying engaged throughout this session, thank you for reaching out to me with your concerns, questions, and recommendations. I remain hopeful that together we can and will make Iowa a more welcoming and prosperous state for ALL Iowans.

This newsletter will soon transition from a weekly release schedule to monthly, but you can always reach out to me at molly.donahue@legis.iowa.gov or find me on social media. I look forward to hearing from you!

What Could Have Been: The Senate Democratic Agenda

Throughout the session, Senate Democrats proposed legislation to help lower costs, increase access to critical services and resources, improve economic security for Iowa workers, and prioritize Iowans’ needs. Our efforts may have been refused in 2025, but we will never stop working to build a better Iowa. Here are a few things we worked on this session.

Adequately Fund Public Schools

Our public schools have been underfunded for years under Republican leadership and, as a result, Iowa’s students are forced to do more with less and our national education rankings continue to slip. Senate Democrats proposed increasing public school funding by 5%, allowing school districts to finally begin to make up for years of underfunding, hire more staff, and provide more resources to students and families.

Increase Access to Affordable Childcare

Childcare is one of the most expensive pieces of any family’s monthly budget. Senate Democrats introduced several bills to help by increasing the number of families eligible for state childcare assistance, expanding automatic qualification for state childcare assistance to siblings and to children whose parents are under 18, and increase childcare worker wages and create more childcare slots by investing in a successful pilot program that previously relied on community donations and one-time federal funding. Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services has $100 million specifically earmarked for childcare sitting unused in state accounts. We think it’s time to put it to use and improve access to affordable childcare for Iowa families.

Housing Iowans Can Afford

From our big cities and suburbs to our small towns and rural communities, we believe providing access to quality, affordable housing is critical, especially as we try to attract and retain a growing workforce. Senate Democrats introduced a housing legislation package to help reinvigorate and rehabilitate abandoned or dilapidated properties and create more livable space, empower homeowner renovations and community revitalization efforts, ease entry into first-time home ownership, and crack down on predatory, out-of-state private equity firms from gobbling up our housing supply.

Economic Security for Iowa Workers

Senate Democrats introduced a legislative package designed to protect workers from unfair labor practices and reinforce the critical safety net of unemployment insurance because we believe that re-prioritizing Iowa’s workers is crucial to the long-term health of Iowa’s economy. The package included efforts to protect Iowa’s workers from wage theft, reinstate the weekly unemployment benefits cut in recent years by Republican lawmakers, remove some of the burdensome hoops that make navigating the unemployment system a nuisance for both workers and employers, and to restore the collective bargaining rights that were gutted in 2017.

Senate Democrats also introduced legislation to better address the state’s rising cancer rates, to defend reproductive freedom, expand paid family leave to all working Iowans, and raising the minimum wage.

Quick Updates

Spot the Signs: Parenting is rewarding, but it can be tough – especially when kids face challenges that aren’t easy to see. Learn how to spot the difference between everyday stress and more serious concerns. Nurturing Healthy Minds provides resources that help families identify signs of stress and more serious mental health concerns.
Drone Compliance for Agriculture: The use of drones in agriculture continues to grow in Iowa. Drone usage can help with capturing arial imagery during planting season, weed and crop scouting, spraying crops, locating cattle, documenting storm damage, and much more, making them a reliable tool for identifying problems quickly and efficiently. A test is required to ensure drone operators stay compliant with FAA guidelines and fly legally. Iowa State University’s Integrated Crop Management team, in partnership with High Tech Solutions for Agriculture, will host a two-day, intensive training designed to cover the essential components of the Federal Aviation Administration Part 107 Aeronautical Knowledge Test. The FAA Part 107 Test Prep training is set for June 4 and 5 at the ISU – Alliant Energy Ag Innovation Lab, 3800 University Blvd., Ames. The cost to attend is $325 and participants must register online.
2025 4-H Youth Conference: This summer, 350 teens are expected to convene on the Iowa State University campus to experience three consecutive days full of speakers, educational workshops, team building, and service learning. The 2025 Iowa 4-H Youth Conference will occur June 24-26. All who have completed eighth grade are invited to register, regardless of previous 4-H participation. For more information on the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference or to register, please visit this website by June 1.
Share the Trail: With warmer weather drawing outdoor enthusiasts to Iowa state parks, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds hikers, cyclists, and equestrians to prioritize safety and courtesy through its “Share the Trail” initiative. Watch the “Share the Trail” video and explore trail information at the DNR website.

Iowa Senate Democrats