From the Desk of Senator Donahue
After a week that felt more like a closing chapter than a final push, the legislature spent three full days on the floor balancing debate with a wave of retirement speeches—honoring years of service while still working through unfinished business. We also held one Appropriations meeting, though notably lighter than what you’d expect this late in session. With the last official—and paid—day now behind us, the Capitol has entered a stretch of uncertainty. The schedule for next week remains largely up in the air, a clear sign that while deadlines have passed, the work is far from finished and the path to adjournment is anything but settled.
This week marked a clear shift in balance at the Capitol: Senate Democrats successfully blocked two of the Governor’s 161 nominations to boards and directorships, demonstrating that we are no longer operating from a superminority. For the first time in years, there is meaningful accountability in the confirmation process—nominees are being vetted, questioned, and, when necessary, rejected rather than rubber-stamped. That’s what checks and balances are supposed to look like. And it’s worth remembering that this is not unprecedented—back in 2009, Republican lawmakers, including Kim Reynolds, blocked three nominations from a Democratic governor for purely political reasons, not concerns about qualifications or competence. The difference now is that Democrats are exercising this authority responsibly, based on merit and fitness to serve. Yet instead of engaging constructively, the governor’s public response has come across as an immature rant rather than executive leadership. Iowans expect collaboration and professionalism—not outbursts—especially when their government is finally starting to reflect a broader range of voices at the table.
Events coming up around the district:
I hope to see you on Saturday morning at Uptown, Coffee company. I will be there at 8:00-9:30AM for my final coffee and conversations of the session.
Odd Mama’s Priced to Sell Market
New Bohemia Walking Tour with Mark Stoffer Hunter
Here are the BIG birthdays this next week. If you know any of these folks, be sure to with them a very Happy Birthday!
| Theodore | Daily |
| Jerry | Ryan |
| Jennifer | Winterhof |
| Ruth | Moel |
| Joseph | Kaemmer |
| Chad | Gulick |
| Cody | Scharf |
| Anita | Fager |
| Paula | Miller |
| Cole | Shannon |
| Benita | Gonzales |
| Andrew | Moen |
| Patricia | Hanzlik |
| Joseph | Moores |
| Paul | Sabelka |
| Aaron | Lehman |
| Ronald | Thatcher |
| Bethany | Taylor |
| Kimberly | Colton |
| Adam | Brennan |
| Debra | Martin |
| Tina | Cook |
| Ann | Benedict |
| Calvin | Ortgies |
| Lois | Welch |
| Andrew | Wiese |
| Larry | Rolfson |
| Helen | Murphy |
| Brandon | Gray |
| Caitlyn | Christensen |
| Kathryn | Adams |
| Anthony | Pine |
| Jessica | Konarske |
| Sarah | Herber |
| John | Armon |
| Brian | Howell |
| Dennis | Wendt |
| Krystl | Verrengia |
| George | Lenzen |
| Maree | Heng |
| Patricia | Odell |
| Denise | Grove |
| Jamie | Brown |
| Elizabeth | Nissen |
| Donald | Contreras |
| Sherry | Schwab |
| Fay | Robertson |
| Donald | Semple |
| Kaylene | Miller |
| Andrea | Bedal |
| Shannon | Story |
| Jennifer | McKiness |
| Eric | Blanshan |
| Mark | Vaverka |
Headed to Overtime
Well, that’s not all, folks. Our projected end date of Tuesday, April 21, has come and gone, so, once again, the Iowa State Legislature is heading into overtime.
Republican lawmakers in the Senate and House have not come to an agreement on the large issues left in front of us, so we’ll be here at the Capitol a while longer. Here’s where things stand.
Property Taxes
As you know, the Senate passed SF 2472 back on April 8 with bipartisan support. We knew at the time that the bill was not a finished product. It differed in some significant ways from the bill the House was running that combined elements of the House Republican proposal and the governor’s proposal.
This week, the House took up SF 2472 for debate. House Republicans attached a strike-all amendment that replaces the text of the Senate bill with their own property tax language. More of a “my way or the highway” approach than a true negotiation. That bill, as amended, will now bounce back to the Senate. It is very unlikely that Senate Republicans will just accept the amended version from the House, so I expect the bill to undergo further amendments and changes.
Eventually, the majority parties in each chamber will have to begin real negotiations and find a way forward, or this effort will stall and fail altogether.
The Budget
Senate and House Republicans have agreed on an overall budget deal that digs our budget deficit hole even deeper. The deal — the details of which will be hammered out next week — spends $1.15 billion more than the state will take in, meaning Republican lawmakers will once again need to raid the reserves to cover their spending with one-time funds.
Eminent Domain
There has been no movement. There was a flurry of activity at the beginning of this legislative session, but Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate drew their lines in the sand and have not budged an inch since.
The Senate’s Responsibility
There are a number of fundamental differences between the Iowa Senate and the Iowa House, but the biggest, arguably, is the constitutional duty that is given solely to the Senate. Our chamber is responsible for confirming, or not, the governor’s appointments to various executive departments, state boards, and commissions.
Appointees must receive 34 votes in the Senate to be confirmed (two-thirds of the chamber). While the Senate operated under a Republican supermajority, our voice was often disregarded during the appointment process. The majority party had the numbers to confirm every appointee, regardless of whether our caucus had serious issues with the candidate.
That changed this year.
In 2025, we broke the Republican supermajority. So, this session, they need Democratic votes to confirm nominees. In sending additional Democrats to the Senate, Iowans entrusted us with the responsibility of providing additional scrutiny to the governor’s appointees. This isn’t a power we use with reckless abandon – we take this responsibility seriously. We take our time to interview, investigate, and consider each nominee. We are thoughtful and deliberate. Every nominee is given the respect of proper due diligence.
We have confirmed the overwhelming majority of the governor’s appointees. But, in the course of our deliberative process, we found a few appointees with whom we had serious concerns. A few of those appointees failed to receive the necessary votes for confirmation.
Our reasoning wasn’t political, but practical.
Senate Democrats will continue to mind the People’s business in the Iowa Senate and ensure that the men and women appointed to serve in these important roles are both qualified and effective.
Quick Updates
Making AI safer: The Iowa Legislature has passed SF 2417, which takes a practical step toward making AI safer for kids and families. The bill requires conversational AI services to clearly tell minors they’re interacting with a machine, limits manipulative reward features, strengthens protections against sexually explicit content, and directs companies to respond responsibly when users show signs of self-harm. It also gives parents more tools to manage privacy and account settings, while making sure AI services don’t pose as licensed mental health professionals. The bill is now awaiting the governor’s signature.
Addressing classroom disruptions: SF 2428 is a good step toward safer, more orderly classrooms and better support for teachers. It strengthens discipline policies for serious and repeated disruptions, gives educators clearer authority to address classroom behavior, and adds due process protections for students. By pairing stronger classroom management tools with required review procedures and compliance safeguards, SF 2428 aims to strike a more workable balance for schools, staff, and students.
Funding for pediatric cancer research: The Senate passed SF 2480, which provides $3 million annually to the University of Iowa Hospitals for pediatric cancer research. The bill now moves to the House, and I’m hopeful that we can get it done this session. I want to thank the parents of the children affected by cancer who tirelessly advocated for this funding.
Unanimous support for good bills: The Senate unanimously passed two good bills last week. HF 2502 expands paid parental leave for state employees, so that any employee who works for the state will have access to four weeks of paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child. HF 2585 is an accessibility bill that will ensure access for those who are blind or visually impaired to prescription drug labels, bag tags, or medical guides that they can read at no additional cost.
Workers Memorial Day: Each year, thousands of workers are killed and millions more suffer injury and illness because of dangerous working conditions. Workers Memorial Day, celebrated on April 28, honors the men and women hurt or killed on the job and serves as a reminder that the fight for worker safety is not over. Click here to find an event near you.
National Drug Take Back Day celebrates 30 years: The Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP) is encouraging Iowans to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 25. The DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other forms of prescription drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should be securely sealed in their original container. As part of the National Prescription Drug Take Back program, the DEA also collects vaping devices and e-cigarettes with their batteries removed. For more information or to find a site near you, visit dea.gov/takebackday.
This Week around the district and in the Capitol
