Iowa Senator Doug Campbell attends fundraiser with anti-trans activist Riley Gaines

The following is a legislative update from Republican State Senator Doug Campbell of Mason City, representing portions of Worth, Mitchell, Cerro Gordo and Floyd counties in Iowa Senate District 30:

We’ve now completed Week 14 of the 2025 legislative session, and the Iowa Senate had another full week of debate—passing over 30 bills on issues ranging from education and disaster preparedness to election integrity and tax protection. Here’s a look at the key highlights from this week’s work at the Capitol:

Strengthening Iowa’s Election Recount Process

Maintaining the integrity of our elections continues to be a priority. This week, we passed House File 928, which strengthens Iowa’s election recount laws by establishing clear thresholds for vote margins, setting requirements for requesting a recount, and clarifying who oversees the process.

Republicans have taken significant steps in recent years to safeguard the ballot box. This bill adds to that progress by ensuring recounts are accurate, transparent, and consistent across all 99 counties, giving Iowans full confidence that every legal vote is counted and counted correctly.

Supporting Iowa’s Rural Health Care Pipeline

Access to health care in rural Iowa remains a challenge, and we’re committed to addressing it. This week, we passed House File 516, which ensures that at least 80 percent of accepted students into the medical and dental programs at the University of Iowa—and their residency and fellowship programs—are Iowa residents.

The bill also allows primary care residency programs to include rural rotations, giving future doctors and dentists exposure to the communities most in need of providers. It’s a smart, strategic way to keep our best talent here in Iowa, serving Iowans.

Preparing for Natural Disasters

After severe weather events last year—including flooding, storms, and tornadoes—Iowa communities are still recovering. In response, we passed Senate File 619, which expands disaster recovery assistance and puts safeguards in place to ensure homeowners and businesses are protected from fraud and working with trustworthy providers during their recovery.

Preparedness matters. This legislation ensures our state is better equipped to respond quickly, effectively, and responsibly when the next disaster strikes.

Protecting Taxpayers on Tax Day

On April 15 — Tax Day — the Senate passed Senate Joint Resolution 11, a constitutional amendment to make it harder to raise income taxes in Iowa. The resolution would require a two-thirds super-majority vote in both chambers of the Legislature to either increase income tax rates or create a new income tax.

Since 2017, Republicans have passed some of the most impactful tax reforms in Iowa history, including:
A 3.8% flat tax, now in effect
Elimination of the inheritance tax
Removal of taxes on retirement income
This resolution helps ensure that these gains are protected for years to come. If it passes the House, it will appear on the November 2026 ballot for Iowa voters to decide.

HF 393: Fair Treatment for Schools with Dropouts

This week, I had the honor of serving as floor manager for House File 393, a bipartisan bill that ensures schools are not unfairly penalized when the same student drops out more than once.

While dropout rates are not part of the official school performance profile metrics, they do impact graduation rates. This bill makes sure schools are scored fairly and only once per student dropout, even if the student leaves school multiple times. The bill passed with strong support and aligns with the realities schools face in serving at-risk students.

HF 471: Expanding Concussion Evaluation Provider Access

I also served as floor manager for House File 471, which expands the types of licensed health care providers who may assess students for concussions under Iowa’s school concussion protocols.

The bill includes doctoral-level psychologists with training in neuropsychology and concussion management. These professionals are already educating and consulting other providers, but were previously excluded from evaluating students directly. This bill brings common sense to our policies and enhances access to care for student-athletes and families across the state.

With just a few weeks left in session, we’re continuing to debate major legislation and work on the state budget. Thank you to everyone who continues to reach out with questions, input, and encouragement—it’s an honor to serve you.