Significant Bills Signed into Law in 2023 Legislative Session

Posted 5/9/23

Thursday, May 4 marked the end of Iowa’s 2023 legislative session.   Though many sighed in relief that some bills did not end up on the governor’s desk, other bills survived scrutiny …

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Significant Bills Signed into Law in 2023 Legislative Session

Posted

Thursday, May 4 marked the end of Iowa’s 2023 legislative session.  Though many sighed in relief that some bills did not end up on the governor’s desk, other bills survived scrutiny and have been signed into law.  Below are a few of the more significant bills signed by Governor Kim Reynolds to date; she has until June 3 to sign others passed by the Iowa Legislature.

Private school scholarships: Allows families to use up to $7600 for tuition and related costs at private K-12 schools; applications accepted starting May 31 for the 2023-2024 school year.  Families with incomes under 300% of the federal poverty level are eligible this year; income thresholds will increase next year, and all will be eligible by fall 2025. 

Government reorganization:  Consolidates the state’s 37 executive-level cabinet agencies into 16, hopefully by the law’s enactment date of July 1.

Medical malpractice:  Caps noneconomic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits at $1 million for clinics and doctors and $2 million for hospitals where incidents led to loss or impairment of a bodily function, disfigurement, or death.

Property taxes:  Sets maximum property tax levy rates for cities and counties, requires new transparency measures, and provides seniors and veterans with new property tax exemptions.

Gender-affirming care ban: Prohibits patients under age 18 from accessing puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy, and surgical intervention as treatments for gender dysphoria.

Student bathroom use:  Prevents students from using school bathrooms that do not align with their gender designated at birth; students can request other accommodations with parental permission.

Rural emergency hospital:  Allows some smaller hospitals with limited services to seek federal funding through the “Rural Emergency Hospital” program.

To-go alcohol:  Requires to-go alcoholic containers to be kept in trunks, out of reach of the driver, while traveling.

Chinese investments: Prohibits investment of public funds in some companies owned or controlled by the Chinese government.