After five weeks of activity at the Iowa Capitol, the legislative session is approaching its first “funnel” deadline.
Next Friday, February 20th, is the date by which policy bills in the Senate must have passed through a Senate committee to remain eligible for consideration for the remainder of the session. The same rule applies to House bills in their respective committees.
Iowa’s legislative process includes two funnel deadlines each year to narrow the number of bills under consideration, helping lawmakers focus on priority legislation. Some exceptions exist, including bills related to taxes or appropriations.
Bills that do not pass out of committee by the deadline are generally considered inactive for the year. Residents can track the progress of individual bills on the Iowa Legislature’s website to see which proposals are moving forward.
