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House introduces dozens of bills, adopts employees report and appoints committee to notify Senate
Summary
On the opening day of the 2026 House session, members introduced a large slate of bills and joint resolutions for committee referral, adopted an Administration and Rules Committee report on House employees by voice vote, appointed a committee to notify the Senate of a joint convention and recessed until 5:30 p.m.
DES MOINES — The House convened for its opening session, began with an invocation and pledge, then moved quickly into introductions and routine business, where members filed and referred more than two dozen bills to standing committees and approved administrative recommendations.
Representative Dunwell of Jasper led the opening prayer, asking members to be guided in deliberations: "Grant each of us clarity of thought, humility and spirit, and courage to seek what is just and right," he said. Charlie Cherry Page of Belmont led the pledge of allegiance.
The clerk read a long list of introductions. House joint resolutions and House files were placed into the record and sent to relevant committees, including measures described on the floor such as a Gearhart-sponsored joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment on bill sponsorship and a Gearhart bill aimed at improving water-efficiency at data centers. Other bills introduced would create pilot attendance centers for special education (Wills), expand Holocaust instruction in schools (Bradley), and make changes ranging from auto window tint rules to speed-limit penalties and a proposal for a sales tax holiday.
Later in the session an unidentified member moved that "the House Administration and Rules Committee's recommendation regarding employees of the House be adopted." The Speaker put the question by voice and the ayes were recorded as prevailing; the report was adopted.
Representative Jones Maclay moved that a committee be appointed "to notify the Senate that the House is ready to receive it in joint convention." The House approved the motion and appointed Representatives Jones of Clay, Wills of Wappelow and Amos Jr. to carry out that duty.
Representative Kaufman announced that House Republicans would caucus at 1:00 p.m. in Room 103 for human-resources training; Representative Meyer said House Democrats would caucus at 2:30 p.m. in Room 19 for HR training. Kaufman then moved that the House recess until 5:30 p.m.; the motion carried on a voice vote and the House recessed.
The day's activity was largely procedural: introductions and referrals of bills, two formal motions that were approved by voice vote, and scheduling announcements. The House did not debate or vote on the substantive content of most bills during this session; those measures were referred to committees for further consideration.
