DES MOINES — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds called to ban phones in classrooms, continue her work making government more efficient, and continue her reform of Iowa’s education system during her annual Condition of the State Address to lawmakers on Tuesday. 

In front of a jam-packed House chamber, Reynolds called on lawmakers to enact an ambitious agenda focused on economic growth and addressing Iowa’s workforce issues. 

Her growth focused agenda aims to promote Iowa as a haven for businesses looking to leave Democrat controlled states including Illinois. 

“I’m excited to tell this story in Chicago, Minneapolis, New York, or any city, big or small, around the country and around the world,” Reynolds said. “Because it truly is a great story. And it’s one only Iowans could write.”  

Reynolds proposes education policies

Among Reynolds top priorities for the session is mandating school districts ban cellphone use during “instructional time” at a minimum — with encouragement  to implement further restrictions.  

Reynolds said that phones are increasing anxiety, sleep loss, and distractions for teens and her policy is a start to addressing these issues. 

Iowa isn’t the first state to consider such a proposal, according to a recent report from Ed Week, 19 other states have signed similar proposals into law. 

A June 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that 7 in 10 high school teachers say cell phone use is a major problem. 

Reynolds said that common sense exceptions including emergencies will be included in the law that is not yet available to the public. 

Reynolds is also proposing new policies to require training on the effects of social media for sixth through eighth grade students.

“Let’s make sure the classroom is a place for learning, growth, and connection,” Reynolds said, according to prepared remarks, on Tuesday night. “Let’s pass this bill and give students their best possible chance at success.” 

Statehouse Democrats and Republicans signaled they would support a cell phone ban. 

Reynolds also proposed to continue on her work to better the foundations of education by addressing lagging math proficiency scores in the state. Reynolds’ proposal mimics her previous proposal addressing the state’s literacy rates. 

Reynolds’ proposals promote early identification and interventions for students struggling with math proficiency, support educators through additional training, and give families resources to advance math development at home. 

Reynolds announced a plan to require high school students to pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Naturalization Test to graduate high school. 

“Prioritizing students means setting the kind of high and rigorous expectations that bring out their very best,” Reynolds said, according to prepared remarks, on Tuesday night. 

Reynolds to codify childcare pilot programs

Reynolds plans to continue improving the state’s childcare industry and voluntary preschool program. 

The governor is launching a pilot program for childcare worker wage enhancements statewide, in which local businesses and residents donate to a fund to raise wages for childcare workers without raising fees. Reynolds also proposed changing a regional fund system into a streamlined statewide fund. 

Reynolds is also looking to change the property tax rates for childcare centers from commercial to residential, saving the childcare centers money to help fund higher wages. 

Another key priority for Reynolds is providing a “continuum of care” for preschool students by giving three-year grants, with a maximum of $100,000 a year, for school districts and child care providers to work on getting students from half-day preschool to the childcare center to address barriers to access. 

The grant can be used to fund transportation between the facilities, the salary for a preschool teacher to teach at a childcare center, or putting childcare staff at local schools, according to Reynolds’s proposal. 

“It’s about more than convenience,” Reynolds said. “It’s about offering our children the educational foundation they need while giving parents peace of mind that their children are cared for throughout the work day.”

Reynolds looks to bolster disaster aid 

Reynolds spoke of the devastation Iowan communities faced following a summer of tornadoes and record flooding, resulting in $130 million in damages. 

She emphasized the strength of communities impacted by these natural disasters and commended Iowans for coming together during times of hardship.

“I’ll never forget the devastation and heartbreak,” Reynolds said, “But I also witnessed Iowans lifting each other up. Volunteers clearing debris, residents comforting neighbors, and local officials working around the clock.”

While she emphasized the role of community support, Reynolds also underscored the disaster relief programs that she and her cabinet launched to assist Iowans. 

These programs included a temporary housing program for displaced Iowans, a disaster recovery housing assistance program to provide forgivable loans to cover the costs of repairing damaged homes, a new housing grant program, and a state program offering interest-free disaster loans for farmers. 

The goal of these programs was to assist Iowan’s recovery from damages caused by extreme weather, and Reynolds aims to have these programs extended. 

Reynolds began by proposing extended tax exclusions to disaster aid for developers who have received awards under the State Disaster New Housing Grant Program, which incentivizes developers to build new homes in communities impacted by disasters. 

The governor’s bill will also include adjusting insurance regulations in order to protect Iowans from unfair insurance practices. 

Beyond insurance, she proposed adjustments to the emergency funds transfer authority so that in times of disaster the state government is able to react as quickly as possible. Allowing the governor to transfer between designated funds with the approval of the state’s Executive Council. 

Reynolds also proposed adding $2 million to the Nuisance Property and Abandoned Building Fund to help Iowan communities demolish buildings that cannot be repaired.

Reynolds to establish Department of Government Efficiency, mimicking Trump

To continue her mission of efficiency, Reynolds has proposed to establish an Iowa Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, through an executive order.

This decision comes in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to implement a DOGE in the federal government, of which South African businessman Elon Musk will be the head.

Though the decision does come on the heels of the Trump administration, Reynolds said in her speech that Iowa’s state government already has a culture of this kind of government efficiency. 

Reynolds has spent the past several years overhauling the state government. She has cut 1,200 regulations, streamlined 37 cabinet agencies into 16, and consolidated 256 state boards and commissions into 145. 

“I like to say that we were doing DOGE before DOGE was a thing,” Reynolds said. 

Iowa’s DOGE will monitor local governments to ensure efficiency, particularly in regard to spending and limiting the costs of government. 

Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, said that Senate Democrats support a more efficient government but don’t want to see necessary programs slashed. 

“Senate Democrats want efficient government, but we have to make sure that it’s transparent, that it still works for Iowans, that we’re not cutting programs that Iowans depend on, and that they’re not mandating more unfunded mandates for local governments who already are strapped,” Weiner said, speaking to reporters after the governor’s address. 

Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, said DOGE should stay away from telling local governments what to spend their money on. 

“I think it’s absolutely fascinating to hear the state government looking forward to telling local governments what to do,” Konfrst said. “I’m fascinated to hear what local voters have to say about that.” 

Reynolds appointed Emily Schmitt, general counsel of Sukup Manufacturing and the former chair of the Governors Child Care Task Force, to head the department. 

“To build on our success, I’m launching our own State DOGE, to find even greater savings and efficiencies in both state and local government,” Reynolds said. “Because to pass meaningful property tax reform, we also need to be lean at the local level.”

Reynolds proposes slashing unemployment insurance rate 

Reynolds also emphasized reforming the unemployment insurance system to make Iowa as economically competitive as possible. 

Currently, Iowa unemployment insurance claims are at an all-time low while Iowa’s Unemployment Trust Fund is at an all-time high. Reynolds said the current balance of the Trust Fund, $1.8 billion, is greater than what is needed to support unemployed Iowans, and the current unemployment tax rate is over-collecting from Iowa businesses. 

“We need to stop punishing our employers by requiring them to pay more tax than necessary,” Reynolds said. “Instead, employers should keep and reinvest this money into their business, their workers, and their communities.”

To address these concerns, Reynolds proposed Iowa decrease the current taxable wage base by half, lower maximum tax rates to 5.4 percent across all tax tables, reduce the number of tax tables in the unemployment tax system, and encourage businesses to reinvest savings into their employees. 

Konfrst pointed to recent layoffs from large employers like John Deere which are putting thousands of Iowans out of work. 

“I don’t think that we need to be talking about giving corporations another tax cut right now,” Konfrst said. “What we need to do is look at how we can help the thousands of Iowans laid off in the past year from plants across the state.” 

Reynolds proposed unemployment tax reforms last year, but lawmakers failed to take up the reforms.

Reynolds to request Medicaid work requirements

Reynolds also spoke of what she described as a culture of work in Iowa. Continuing her discussion of unemployment reforms, Reynolds said that she aims to turn the unemployment system in Iowa into a “reemployment system.” 

To achieve her ideal “reemployment system” Reynolds proposes that Iowa applies for a federal waiver to implement work requirements for all able-bodied adults on Medicaid. 

“In other words, if you can work, you should. It’s common sense and good policy. For the men and women who are receiving these government payments, getting back to work can be a lifeline to stability and self-sufficiency,” Reynolds said.

Thirteen states, not including Iowa, implemented Medicaid work requirements during Trump’s first administration. The Biden Administration revoked the work requirements in all of these states, arguing that work requirements do not promote the objectives of Medicaid and thus do not qualify for the waivers.