Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to the acquisition of water, sanitary sewer, and storm water utilities, including required findings by the Iowa utilities commission, the timeline for issuing ratemaking principles, and the determination of applicable ratemaking principles
Topics:Business & economy
Same legislation: HSB 601
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 22, 2026
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 22, 2026
- Stopped: Senate committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: House committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The General Assembly adjourned on October 2, 2026. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill relates to the acquisition of water, sanitary sewer, and storm water utilities, including required findings by the Iowa utilities commission (commission), the timeline to issue ratemaking principles, and the determination of applicable ratemaking principles. Under current law, a public utility is not allowed to acquire a water, sanitary sewer, or storm water utility with a purchase price of $3 million or more without commission approval. The bill removes the $3 million qualifier and requires the commission to find, in addition to current requirements, that the acquisition will not detrimentally affect ratepayers of either the utility to be acquired or the acquiring utility.
Read the full explanation
Under current law, the commission provides ratemaking principles after a contested case proceeding. This could include a general rate case in a later contested case proceeding. The bill requires the commission to provide ratemaking principles before the acquisition is approved and prohibits the commission from deferring the ratemaking principles to a later contested case proceeding. _____ established fair market value of the acquired utility is used in determining the applicable ratemaking principles. The bill replaces the established fair market value option with the net book value, which is established in the contested case proceeding. If the acquisition would increase the average rate base per customer for existing customers of the acquiring utility, the bill directs the commission to prohibit the consolidation of rates for the two utilities for a period of at least years following the contested case proceeding.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text
Senate subcommittee
Named January 22, 2026. Meeting: Tuesday, February 3 · 1:30 PM · Room 217 Conference Room.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
Iowa Code it changes
Amends§476.84
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works
Lobbying
3 for · 3 against · 13 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.
91st General Assembly
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title; check the text to be sure it’s the same idea.