From the Desk of Senator Donahue
The 2026 legislative session came to a close in a whirlwind finish, with lawmakers spending nearly a day and a half in continuous debate as we worked through the final bills and budget agreements before adjournment. In the weeks since, Governor Kim Reynolds has acted on the legislation passed this session, signing the bills she intends to make law. While the legislative session may be over, the work of serving our communities never stops. Constituent concerns, casework, meetings, and advocacy continue year-round, and I remain committed to helping the people of Senate District 37 navigate challenges and connect with state resources. As summer begins, I look forward to seeing many of you at community events, parades, neighborhood gatherings, and on doorsteps across the district as we continue the important conversations about the future of our communities and our state.
Upcoming event events around the district
Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market
From Field to Fork: The Ag Impact
Birthdays this month: These people are all having a really BIG birthday this year so make sure if you know them to wish them a very happy birthday!
| Chad | Beals |
| Susan | Holstrom |
| Kristina | Merritt |
| Brian | Roggendorf |
| Sally | Cross |
| John | Costello |
| Mark | Ekse |
| Jussara | Fernandes Hagen |
| Abrielle | Hollinrake |
| Sudhir | Surendran |
| Gail | Payne |
| Cheri | Werger |
| Michael | Fuchs |
| Elizabeth | Dake |
| Jerry | Dithmart |
| Constance | Gray |
| Roger | Mach |
| Joanna | Day-Nuah |
| Sean | Herder |
| Mary | Brand |
| Jessica | Kozloski |
| Drew | Determan |
| Heather | Johnson |
| Martin | Hepker |
| Jeremy | Potts |
| Nikia | Scott |
| Wendy | Barger |
| Haley | Pins |
| Rosa | Ross |
| Ryan | Baranowski |
| Eric | Harms |
| Clark | Bradley |
| Donna | Staves |
| Jason | Taylor |
| Jesse | Hart |
| Shamique | Holliday |
| Darla | Klinkenborg |
| Peter | Gehl |
| James | Jemtrud |
| Alvina | Murphy |
| Mary | Blick |
| Mary | Troxel |
| Roberta | Buck |
| Jessica | Cantonwine |
| Holly | Manley Wirtz |
| Jeremy | Stranko |
| Katherine | 1 |
| Andrew | Schueler |
| Mollie | Rauch |
| Jonas | Rosius |
| Julia | Herzog |
| Annette | Denton |
| Diane | Kosek |
| Philip | Wiley |
| Lisa | Chase |
| Michael | Fuchs |
| Troy | Gerleman |
| Alexis | Gordon |
| Steven | Zeets |
| Bruce | Brooks |
| Jerome | Claussen |
| Abram | Doval |
| Autum | Colvin |
| Marcy | Oates |
| Anthony | Rock |
| Travis | Senters |
| Monty | Tibben |
| Mary | McDaniel |
| Andrew | Christian |
| Monique | Clark |
| Cortney | Krebs |
| Karen | Stadtmueller |
| Jill | Katuin |
| Esther | Odonnell |
| Steven | Watters |
| Martha | Harris |
| Mourad | El Haoud |
| Kimberly | Diamond |
| Donald | Schooley |
| Edythe | Forestell |
| Daniel | Krueger |
| Melissa | Ellis |
| Laurie | Mortensen |
| Scott | Cleppe |
| Sandra | Gasper |
| Charles | Margrave |
| Annetta | Schirm |
| Jeff | McCarty |
| Charles | Burns |
| Etta | Stewart |
| Travis | Jackson |
| Taysha | Smith |
| Natasha | Medina |
| Marilyn | Koenighain |
| Gary | McClannahan |
| Aleatha | Hughes |
| Andrew | Martin |
| Brandon | Anderman |
| Samantha | Getz |
| Jody | Clendenen |
| Jodi | Hupe |
| Marilyn | Calcara |
| Reggie | Wilson |
| Laura | Draeger |
| Allyson | Schroeder |
| Hayley | Hegland |
| Joseph | Ringwald |
| Brittney | Ishmael |
| Benjamin | Wilcox |
| Timothy | Dahlstrom |
| Diane | Lehner |
| Timothy | Manson |
| Melissa | Buchholz |
| Jean | Bausch |
| Rene | Sanchez |
| Jordan | Hein |
| Lori | Dohrmann |
| William | Murray |
| Tracie | Chute |
| Sherry | Kindig |
| Arvind | Dandekar |
| Renee | Litfin |
| Sarah | Lowe |
| Kelly | Keegan |
| Gary | McAfee |
| Kim | Hedeman |
| Shana | Turner |
| Maria | Hendricks |
| Phyllis | Behn |
| Jennifer | Eubanks |
| Kathy | Kolthoff |
| Joshua | Lueken |
| Benjamin | Skogerboe |
| Charles | Braun |
| Peggy | Patters |
| Kara | Bowman |
| Richard | Schiek |
| Mailis | Warland |
| Linda | Jones |
| Maureen | Walsh |
| Jennifer | Fitzgerald |
| Stephen | Meyer |
| Kimberly | Zerr |
| James | Tetrick |
| Todd | Rizzio |
| Jenny | Moore |
| Timothy | Walker |
| Evelyn | Evans |
| Mary | Hanna |
| Sonia | Brietzke |
| Merlin | Martens |
| Robert | Allan |
| Amy | Shinneman |
| Nadine | Chacon |
| Matthew | Tatum |
| James | Richardson |
| Jennifer | Weaver |
| Nicole | Derimanoczy |
| David | Kresnicka |
| Matthew | Gorman |
| James | Wittkamp |
| Ali | Joseph |
| Habil | Nyamogo |
| Andrew | Schroeder |
| Janet | Jackson |
| Bryan | Sloan |
| Larry | Shiley |
| Kevin | Troyer |
| Matthew | Vrba |
| Darrin | Felter |
| Stephanie | Jones |
| Linda | Taylor |
| Danielle | Zito |
| Aaron | Reid |
| Margaret | McCulloh |
| Brandon | Jacobs |
| Kevin | Kelly |
| Brenda | Brown |
| Paul | Vieira |
| Exie | Tobin |
| Manjula | Patel |
| Husseini | Mada |
| Maurice | Robinson |
| Boen | Go |
| Kimberly | McIntosh |
| Alexandra | Pittman |
| Chad | Lagrange |
| Kalyani | Gopalam |
| William | Kling |
| William | Hopkins |
| Ann | Holub |
| Timothy | Brown |
| Anthony | May |
| Zachary | Hayes |
| Palmer | Shelley |
| Michael | Dunham |
| Travis | Nelson |
| Nicholas | Rakers |
| Sarah | Darie |
| Gregory | Wildebour |
| Raquel | Guerrero |
| Leiften | Bender |
| Lisa | Brown |
| Karen | Busness |
| Amy | Slingluff |
| Jenice | Butz |
| Dustin | Brooks |
| Michael | Petersen |
| Janice | Kelly |
| Colleen | Grote |
| Jennifer | Fredin |
| Daniel | Feller |
| Barbara | Snively |
| William | Wallace |
| Diane | Springer |
| Cynthia | Loney |
| Susan | Lafontant |
| Renee | Borkgren |
| April | Cowdin |
| Kenneth | Harris |
| Karin | Nieves |
| Daniel | Hilby |
| Debra | Lord |
| Barbara | Tschantz |
| Hong | Dai |
| Sandra | Bricker |
| Jason | Olberding |
| Michael | Hertle |
| Jared | Martin |
| Lawrence | Kemp |
| Kimberly | Entringer |
| Brian | Heppe |
| Michael | Barron |
| Harmony | Young |
| Judy | Larkpor |
| Patricia | Wessels |
| Amber | Kellum |
| Janice | Pierce |
| Lakshmipriya | Chinnakonda |
| Eric | Sievers |
| Jenny | Bennett |
| Lin | Higgins |
| Ann | Olson |
| Mary | Himes |
| William | Lammers |
| Thomas | Bausch |
| Sarah | Sherbon |
| Dennis | Carson |
| Brian | Anderson |
| Jean | Ochoro-Ayoki |
| Chad | Turner |
| Sherry | Alexander |
| Lester | Starry |
| Kyle | Abbott |
| Paul | Gavin |
| Alice | Ehlinger |
| Kaleigh | Gallagher |
| Robert | Wennekamp |
| Robert | Coiner |
| John | Ballard |
| Kurt | Schaetzle |
| Christina | Wolfe |
| Kenneth | Balk |
| Katherine | Freymark |
| Laura | Martin |
| Ann | Scherf |
| Rita | Komers |
| Aaron | Harken |
| Jeffrey | Hansen |
| Ryan | Puhrmann |
| Kathleen | Newhouse |
The Final Action
At the end of the legislative session, after all our work is said and done, bills that passed the legislature still have one final hurdle to clear before they become law: the governor. This year, 142 bills passed the Senate and the House and were delivered to the governor for her final action.
When a bill passes during the legislative session, like the public school underfunding bill (SF 2201) that was passed by Republican lawmakers on February 23, the governor has three days to either sign or veto it. When bills pass the legislature in the final days of the session – like the budget bills, for example – the governor has 30 days to act. Tuesday, June 2, was the final day for Gov. Reynolds to act on bills sent to her during the session’s final days.
You can find full lists of bills signed or vetoed on the legislative website, but here are a few of the headlines from the governor’s final action.
Signed
Another Deficit Budget
- The governor line-item vetoed a handful of provisions in a few budget bills, but she approved a $1.15 billion deficit spending budget for the upcoming fiscal year. This marks the second straight billion-dollar-plus deficit budget that Gov. Reynolds and Republican lawmakers have authorized.
Finally, Some Movement on Water Quality
- The governor signed HF 2771, which is the budget bill for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources. The bill includes a number of provisions designed to finally begin to address Iowa’s water quality issues.
Expanded IPERS Benefits
- The governor signed HF 1023, which makes adjustments to IPERS contributions ratios and benefit disbursements for Iowans employed in “protection occupations,” like fire fighters, correctional officers, or EMS providers. This is a good bill for Iowa workers that Senate Democrats supported unanimously.
Steep Cuts for AEAs
- Tucked into the standings bill, HF 2800, is a $32.5 million cut to Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs). Iowans, especially those in smaller, rural school districts, will see reduced access to services and resources thanks to this cut.
Stripping Future Governors’ Powers
- Gov. Reynolds signed HF 2694, which strips future governors of the power to limit access to certain public spaces during public disasters, like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Repealing Affirmative Action
- The governor signed HF 2711, which bans affirmative action in the state of Iowa.
Raising the Speed Limit
- The governor signed SF 378, raising the state’s default speed limit from 55 to 60 miles per hour.
Vetoed
The governor vetoed five bills, including SF 2453, which would have added certain investment requirements for university innovation funds, and SF 2299, dealing with payment for a failed or withdrawn concurrent enrollment course taken by a high school student at a community college.
Line-Item Veto
One particular, noteworthy line-item action the governor took was on a provision in the Standings bill (the largest individual budget bill we vote on each year). The governor line-item vetoed Division X of the bill, which would have given a tax credit to health insurers. You’ll remember that earlier in the legislative session, Republican lawmakers voted to raise taxes on certain health insurance providers to try to raise revenue to fill their budget deficit, despite being told explicitly by the health insurance providers that it would lead to higher monthly costs for Iowans. This tax credit would have given the health insurance companies a break while doing nothing to solve the problem Republican lawmakers created for Iowans.
I’m Here to Help!
The legislative session may be over, but the work of a state senator is never finished!
During the interim period, just like during session, the part of my job that I enjoy most is helping my constituents. I take the responsibility of constituent service seriously, which is why I try to make myself as available as possible to help solve any problems you may encounter or access the services and resources you need through our state government.
Here are just a few of the things I can help with:
- Accessing Medicaid, Hawk-I, and other state-sponsored healthcare services
- Connecting with veterans’ services
- Navigating Iowa Workforce Development and other state offices
- Obtaining a flag flown over the Iowa State Capitol
- Joining you for a Capitol visit or tour of the Golden Dome
- Class/camp visits, Q&A sessions, and presentations on your state government
You deserve prompt, meaningful responses from your representatives in state government, and helping ensure you get it is part of why I ran for office in the first place. Please don’t hesitate to reach out any time you need help with these items or anything else.
I’m at your service!
Quick Updates
Free trees for communities: Iowa community governmental entities, volunteer organizations, and service organizations involved with local urban and community forest services can apply for a reimbursable 2026 Iowa Tree Planting Grant to buy trees, mulch, tree staking/protection and supplemental watering by contractor or city staff. Grant applications are due by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, June 22.
Move-Over Law Enforcement: Law enforcement across Iowa will be engaged in early June in the second annual statewide Move Over enforcement project. Expect to see extra law enforcement on the roads watching for violations and educating drivers about the importance of yielding to all vehicles on the shoulder displaying flashing lights. Iowa’s Move Over Law requires motorists to change lanes or slow down if changing lanes is not possible when approaching a vehicle on the shoulder displaying flashing lights. This includes emergency vehicles and tow trucks, as well as commercial trucks and passenger vehicles with flashing lights or hazard lights illuminated.
The last month of events and social media posts
