The House of Representatives opened a floor session by approving the correction of the journal, introducing House Joint Resolution 1 and House files 1 through 31 on first reading, and referring each measure to standing committees, members said.

The introductions covered a wide range of policy areas, including education, public safety, health and human services, commerce and local government. Representative Golding moved that a committee of three be appointed to notify the Senate that the House was ready to receive it in joint convention; the motion passed and the speaker named Representative Golding (Lynn), Representative Gerhold (Benton) and Representative Kurth (Scott) to the committee. Later, Representative Windschittel moved that the House recess until 5:30 p.m. for the joint convention; that motion also was adopted.

Why it matters: the batch of first readings sets the agenda for committee consideration in coming weeks. Several measures would affect school policy, public-safety enforcement and health-provider reimbursement if they advance beyond committee. The appointment of a notifying committee and the recess signaled the chamber’s transition to a planned joint session later in the day.

Most notable introductions and committee referrals included:

- House Joint Resolution 1: “proposing an amendment to the constitution of the state providing that the people for the state have the right to hunt, fish, trap, and harvest wildlife.” Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.

- House File 1 (Stone): eligibility of students enrolled in nonpublic schools to participate in extracurricular scholastic athletics and contests. Referred to the Committee on Education.

- House File 2 (A. Meyer): qualifications of county medical examiners. Referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services.

- House File 3 (Stone): collection of fines issued for excessive speed violations detected by automatic or remote traffic enforcement systems. Referred to the Committee on Public Safety.

- House File 4 (Bowden): health benefit plans, claims for reimbursement and explanation of benefits. Referred to the Committee on Commerce.

- House File 5 (Andrew): insurance coverage for treatment of autism spectrum disorder; applicability provisions. Referred to the Committee on Commerce.

- House File 6 (Bilosi): minimum required motor vehicle financial responsibility and penalties. Referred to the Committee on Commerce.

- House File 7 (Bilosi): regulation of delivery network companies and drivers, including penalties. Referred to the Committee on Commerce.

- House File 8 (Loci): student access to broad-spectrum cannabidiol products from school nurses during the school day. Referred to the Committee on Education.

- House File 9 (Collins): establishment of a school security personnel grant program within the Department of Education and appropriations. Referred to the Committee on Education.

- House File 10 (Sorenson): attachment of territory of school districts subject to an approved dissolution proposal. Referred to the Committee on Education.

- House File 11 (Sorenson): modifying the earliest possible start date of the school calendar for school districts and accredited nonpublic schools. Referred to the Committee on Education.

- House File 12 (Amier and Collins): medical residency positions and clinics for medical students and applicants meeting certain criteria. Referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services.

- House File 13 (Collins): annual automatic increase in Medicaid provider reimbursement rates. Referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services.

- House File 14 (A. Meyer): control substance provisions (transcript phrasing unclear). Referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services.

- House File 15 (Loci): creation of a rural county recruitment assistance program and appropriation. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

- House File 16 (Loci): indigent defense and appointment of counsel by the court. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

- House File 17 (Collins): provisions relating to specified offenses (transcript redaction/unclear). Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

- House File 18 (Loci): establishing diminished salary offset for unemployment benefits. Referred to the Committee on Labor and Workforce.

- House File 19 (Collins): modifying the cost eligible for medical emergency medical services fund expenditure and effective-date provisions. Referred to the Committee on Local Government.

- House File 20 (Collins): designating acquisition of certain vehicles or vehicle equipment as a general county purpose. Referred to the Committee on Local Government.

- House File 21 (Collins): fishing privileges of disabled veterans; penalties. Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.

- House File 22 (Calling to): allocation of nonresident deer hunting licenses; effective-date provisions. Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.

- House File 23 (Calling to): discharging firearms on public roadways; penalties. Referred to the Committee on Public Safety.

- House File 24 (Sorenson): public contact with dangerous wild animals; penalties. Referred to the Committee on Public Safety.

- House File 25 (Collins): criminal offenses committed while wearing clothing or devices to conceal identity; penalties. Referred to the Committee on Public Safety.

- House File 26 (Loci): treatment of adoptive-parent employees; state government committee referral. Referred to the Committee on State Government.

- House File 27 (Fisher): deduction related to purchase amount of nonathletic school uniforms for individual income tax and retroactive revisions. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

- House File 28 (Collin to): creation of a land redevelopment trust. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

- House File 29 (Fisher): maximum dealer license fees. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

- House File 30 (Low sea): deduction from individual and corporate income tax for certain income derived from indigent representation by eligible law firms; retroactive revisions. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

- House File 31 (Loci): new resident and new graduate tax credit eligible against individual income tax and retroactive provisions. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

All of the above measures were read for the first time and referred to the committees indicated; no committee action or floor debate on the measures was recorded during this session. The corrections to the journal were approved and the two procedural motions (appointing the notifying committee; recessing until the joint convention at 5:30 p.m.) were adopted.

During the session the speaker also recognized a group of IJAG (Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates) members brought to the floor by a representative, and the chamber prepared for a panoramic photograph and a scheduled joint convention later in the day. The transcript records no further legislative action on the introduced measures during this sitting.