Bills › 91st General Assembly

HJR 3Did not pass · January 30, 2025

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to the right of the people to a clean environment

Sponsored by Rep. Daniel Gosa (D), Rep. Rob Johnson (D), Rep. Monica Kurth (D), Rep. Elinor A. Levin (D), Rep. Larry McBurney (D), Rep. Brian Meyer (D), Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (D), Rep. Aime Wichtendahl (D), Rep. Ross Wilburn (D)

Topics:Environment & natural resources

Where it is now

  1. Done: IntroducedJanuary 30, 2025
  2. Stopped: Approved in committeeDid not pass
  3. Next: Passes the House
  4. Next: Passes the Senate
  5. Next: Passes again next General AssemblyThe same wording, after an election
  6. Next: Voters decideOn the next general election ballot

Did not pass It didn’t pass both chambers before the General Assembly ended. What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa providing that every person has a right to a clean and healthy environment, including pure water, clean air, a stable climate, ecologically healthy habitats, and the preservation of the natural and human health qualities of the environment. The state shall not infringe upon these rights. state’s public natural resources are the common property of the people, including both present and future generations, and that the state, as trustee, shall conserve, maintain, and restore these resources for the health and benefit of all the people.

Read the full explanation

The proposed amendment and the rights stated therein are self-executing and shall be in addition to any rights conferred by the public trust doctrine or common law. The proposed amendment states that any and all infringements upon these rights shall be subject to strict scrutiny. The resolution, if adopted, would be published and then referred to the next general assembly (92nd) for adoption a second time, before being submitted to the electorate for ratification.

From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text

Lobbying

5 for · 0 against · 0 undecided · Who →

Family tree

Where this legislation came from and where it went: earlier tries, the versions it moved through this Assembly, and later bills built on it.

Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title; check the text to be sure it’s the same idea.

Tried before

This idea has been filed in 2 earlier General Assemblies. None got through a chamber.

  • HJR 10 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to the right of t…
    90th General Assembly · In committee · same title
    Cleared committee
  • HJR 12 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to the right of t…
    89th General Assembly · In committee · same title
    Cleared committee

Matched by the wording of each bill’s explanation, or an identical title. Companion bills and renumbered versions of this bill aren’t listed; they’re the same bill.