From the Desk of Senator Hardman
Greetings, friends and neighbors –
I hope this finds each of you doing well. The second week of the legislative session has come to a close, and was busy! The best part of my week was having great and impactful conversations with constituents. I have met and have spoken with our treasured Veterans, the Iowa Network against Human Trafficking and Slavery, students from the University of Iowa, iJAG, and so many other nonprofits. I was also proud to give my first “Point of Personal Privilege” on the Senate floor – where I lifted up the legacy of Dr. Matin Luther King, Jr.
I’d like to offer my congratulations to the City of Windsor Heights for winning one of the 2026 Best Development Awards from 1000 Friends of Iowa!
Please feel free to stop at the Capitol for a personal visit – as this is YOUR house. Look forward to seeing you.
Warmest regards,
Renee
Meet my clerk!
Fun fact: during the legislative session, a Senator’s days in Des Moines are BUSY. To help manage everything and make sure we’re keeping up with our responsibilities to our constituents, each Iowa State Senator works with a legislative clerk. Clerks are trusted aides working with a senator on a whole bunch of issues. Clerks help senators manage their legislative portfolios – things like committee and subcommittee assignments, bill filings, and amendments. They serve as administrative assistants, communicators, schedulers, sounding boards, and confidants. In short, clerks play an indispensable role in the Iowa Senate.
My clerk’s name is Morgan Ryan. Morgan is a senior studying American Politics and Sociolegal Studies at Drake University. Morgan – a Nebraska native – is new to clerking in the Iowa Senate as well, so we are learning together! She is particularly passionate about disability rights and is president of Drake’s organization for students with disabilities.
Big issues to keep an eye on
Every year, the Legislature deals with proposals on a really wide array of issues. We’re talking about everything from cancer prevention to jet ski regulations – truly, every issue you could imagine.
In those hundreds or thousands of policy ideas each year, there are always a couple of issues that stick out and occupy a lot of our time under the Golden Dome. K-12 school funding, for example, is a big point of conversation and debate every year. This year, the two big issues that legislators will be dealing with are property taxes and eminent domain.
We caught a glimpse of the property tax issue at the tail end of the 2025 legislative session. The massive, unwieldy proposal was introduced late in the session and didn’t move very fast or very far. But now the issue of property tax reform is back in a big way. Here’s the headline: we still have no idea what will be in the final proposal. The majority party currently has three separate and unique plans for property tax reform: one in the Senate, one in the House, and one from the governor.
Senate Democrats are ready to work on property tax reform that creates permanent, sustainable relief for Iowans who need it. This should be a conversation and a process that happens out in the open, rather than behind closed doors, and brings everyone to the table. If we can create a simpler, more predictable system that encourages investment in the state and ensures local governments can continue to provide public safety and other essential services that residents want, you’ll see broad bipartisan support for property tax reform.
The second major issue before the Legislature this year is even more contentious and fraught than property tax reform. Last year was the first time the issue of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines had reached the Senate floor, after years of stonewalling from Senate Republican leadership. There were different proposals in the House and Senate, and, after weeks of fits and starts and several blow-ups on the Senate floor, one made it through both chambers and to the governor’s desk, where it was promptly vetoed.
This year, the issue is back in full force. The House introduced a bill in the first week, ran it through committee, and brought it to the floor for debate on Wednesday. (It passed 64-28.) Senate Republican Leader Mike Klimesh introduced a bill in the Senate (SF 2067), which is different than the House bill. It’s not at all clear at this point that Republicans in the House and Senate are any more aligned this year than they were last year, or whether any of these proposals has any real hope of advancing through both chambers.
If you feel passionately about these issues – or any issue – please don’t hesitate to reach out with your thoughts, comments, or concerns, both to me and to Senate Republicans, whose email addresses you can find here.
I’ll do my best to keep you updated as these ideas, and the hundreds of other policy proposals, move through the Iowa Senate this year.
Quick Updates
Iowa driver’s license renewal: Iowans wanting to schedule a time to renew their driver’s license or utilize other motor vehicle services can now find all locations in one place. A new system from the Iowa Department of Transportation combines all 18 walk-in locations and 79 county treasurers’ offices. The site allows users to navigate and find the best time and most convenient location to complete the transaction.
Have old batteries? Local drop-off containers accept electronics like laptops and tablets as well as loose household batteries, including alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, etc.), button batteries, and batteries from power tools. All residents are welcome to use the free community drop-offs in the Metro area:
- Clive: Public Safety Center, 8800 Hickman Road
- West Des Moines: Public Library, 4000 Mills Civic Pkwy – or — Valley Junction Community Center, 217 5th Street – or — Public Services West, 8850 Grand Avenue
- Windsor Heights: City Hall, 1145 66th Street
- For more info: https://www.mwatoday.com/locations/recycling-drop-off/
This Week in the Capitol
