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Read. Follow. Verify.Iowa Senate Bill 2314 requires legislative ratification for major administrative rules and shortens executive board terms to four years
Last action · April 29, 2026: Withdrawn. H.J. 1043 .Sponsor: Scott Webster
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What This Bill Proposed
Senate File 2314 requires state administrative rules categorized as s to be ratified by the General Assembly before taking effect, and shortens the terms of appointed members on several executive branch boards from six years to four years for appointments made on or after July 1, 2026. The bill also requires legislative regulatory analyses for major rules, establishes judicial review parameters, and mandates legislative ratification for proposed amendments under the federal Clean Air Act.
The measure alters the balance of regulatory authority between state executive agencies and the legislature by requiring approval for costly or impactful rules, while also changing tenure lengths for board members across major state authorities.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
State executive branch agencies
Appointed members of certain state boards
Members appointed on or after July 1, 2026, to specified state boards and authorities serve four-year terms instead of six-year terms.
Regulated entities and businesses
Entities subject to state regulations benefit from or incur compliance costs under enhanced regulatory analyses and legislative oversight mechanisms for major rules.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifies an administrative rule as a 'major rule' under this bill?
How does a major rule become effective?
How do term limits change for state boards under the bill?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Withdrawn.
Procedural history
26 actions- Apr 29, 2026HouseWithdrawn. H.J. 1043 .
- Apr 21, 2026SenateIntroducedRead first time, attached to SF 2395 . S.J. 843 .
- Apr 21, 2026HouseMessage from House. S.J. 843 .
- Apr 21, 2026SenateAttached to HF 2717 . S.J. 843 .
- Apr 20, 2026HouseImmediate message. H.J. 947 .
- Apr 20, 2026HouseFloorPassed House , yeas 60, nays 32. H.J. 939 .
Show 20 earlier actions
- Apr 20, 2026HouseFloorAmendment H-8326 adopted, as amended. H.J. 939 .
- Apr 20, 2026HouseFloorAmendment H-8381 to amendment H-8326 filed, adopted. H.J. 939 .
- Apr 7, 2026HouseAmendment H-8326 filed. H.J. 838 .
- Mar 19, 2026HousePlaced on calendar under unfinished business. H.J. 691 .
- Mar 19, 2026SenatePlaced on calendar under unfinished business. S.J. 599 .
- Feb 24, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced, placed on calendar. H.J. 401 .
- Feb 24, 2026Iowa LegislatureCommittee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 2717 .
- Feb 19, 2026SenateCommittee report, approving bill. S.J. 339 .
- Feb 19, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced, placed on calendar. S.J. 327 .
- Feb 19, 2026HouseCommittee vote: Yeas, 14. Nays, 6. Excused, 1. H.J. 368 .
- Feb 19, 2026HouseCommittee report, recommending amendment and passage. H.J. 368 .
- Feb 19, 2026SenateCommittee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 2395 . S.J. 339 .
- Feb 18, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends amendment and passage.
- Feb 17, 2026SenateSubcommittee Meeting: 02/18/2026 10:00AM Senate Lounge.
- Feb 16, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends passage.
- Feb 12, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee Meeting: 02/16/2026 12:30PM RM 103.
- Feb 12, 2026HouseSubcommittee: Lawler, Bagniewski and Wills, J. H.J. 279 .
- Feb 12, 2026SenateSubcommittee: Webster, Bousselot, and Winckler. S.J. 279 .
- Feb 12, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced, referred to State Government. S.J. 272 .
- Feb 11, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced, referred to Judiciary. H.J. 259 .
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Shift in Administrative Rulemaking Control
The bill shifts significant authority over executive branch regulations by making major administrative rules contingent upon affirmative legislative ratification.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legis.iowa.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 80)
- Controversy75Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz45Current news / social attention level
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