DES MOINES, Iowa – Governor Kim Reynolds signed more than 20 bills into law on Friday, June 6, addressing a wide range of issues, including education, healthcare, and public policy. With the June 14 deadline approaching, she continues to review several remaining measures before they become law.
In healthcare, a new law mandates that able-bodied adults receiving Medicaid benefits must work at least 80 hours per month, pending federal approval. Reynolds emphasized that government programs should encourage a culture of work, while critics argue the policy could create bureaucratic hurdles for eligible recipients.
Other signed bills include expanded disability and death benefits for firefighters diagnosed with cancer, higher penalties for violations of open meetings and records laws, and a requirement for schools to teach fetal development starting in fifth grade.
Among the newly enacted legislation is a requirement for Iowa high school students to pass a U.S. Citizenship Test to graduate, a measure Reynolds says will help prepare students to be responsible citizens. Another law bans Iowa public entities from participating in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, restricting government positions from promoting concepts such as anti-racism and social justice. Additionally, Reynolds signed the Families First Bill, granting paid parental leave for state employees, a policy she has championed for years.
Still awaiting Reynolds’ decision is a bill limiting carbon pipeline developers’ ability to use eminent domain to seize land along pipeline routes. The governor has indicated she is close to a decision on the controversial legislation.
To see a full list of the bills signed into law along with the details of each, visit the Governor’s Press Release website.
