Executive orders

Orders Iowa’s governors have signed, from Governor Hughes in the 1960s to Governor Reynolds. An order directs state agencies, or sets up a task force or council, under powers in the Constitution or state law. It isn’t a law: the next governor can change it.¹ Bills on the Governor’s desk · Proclamations

Governor Thomas J. Vilsack · 51

Executive Order 51 · Vilsack · December 8, 2006
Creates the Targeted Small Business Advisory Council, which will offer oversight and recommendations regarding policies affecting the Targeted Small Business (TSB) program.
Rescinded
Executive Order 50 · Vilsack · December 1, 2006
Establishes the New Iowans Policy Task Force, which will make recommendations on how to address the public safety issues surrounding the lack of a comprehensive identification system.
Executive Order 49 · Vilsack · August 4, 2006
Creates a task force that will study how to improve the efficacy and efficiency of Iowa’s Targeted Small Business (TSB) Assistance Program.
Rescinded
Executive Order 48 · Vilsack · June 1, 2006
Directs the Institute for Tomorrow’s Workforce to design a pay-for-performance compensation plan for schoolteachers, as set forth in Section 27 of House File 2792 (2006 Iowa Acts, chapter 1182), and study the program’s c…
Executive Order 47 · Vilsack · February 7, 2006
Creates the Keep Iowa Clean and Beautiful Task Force, which will launch a wide-ranging campaign focusing on litter abatement and greater public awareness about recycling, responsible waste disposal, and the environmental…
Rescinded
Executive Order 46 · Vilsack · January 16, 2006
Requires the Director of Human Services to meet with an authorized representative of nonregistered child care home providers who receive payment from the State of Iowa Child Care Assistance Program in order to discuss me…
Rescinded
Executive Order 45 · Vilsack · January 16, 2006
Requires the Director of Human Services to meet with an authorized representative of nonregistered child care home providers who receive payment from the State of Iowa Child Care Assistance Program in order to discuss me…
Rescinded
Executive Order 44 · Vilsack · September 2, 2005
Directs the Department of Human Services to act in accordance with federal directives regarding how disasters and public health emergencies impact public assistance programs.
Executive Order 43 · Vilsack · July 4, 2005
Instructs the Director of Human Services to confer with an authorized representative of Iowa’s home-care providers about implementing policies that will facilitate the recruitment and retention of caregivers who can prov…
Rescinded
Executive Order 42 · Vilsack · July 4, 2005
Restores the rights of citizenship, including the right to vote and qualification to hold public office, to offenders who have been completely discharged from their sentences as of July 4, 2005, but have not yet applied …
Rescinded
Executive Order 41 · Vilsack · April 22, 2005
Directs state agencies to adopt energy-efficiency measures, including: (1) reducing energy consumption, (2) deriving at least 10 percent of total electricity from renewable sources, (3) acquiring equipment with the lowes…
Rescinded
Executive Order 40 · Vilsack · March 3, 2005
Directs all state agencies in the Executive Branch to adopt Continuity of Operations and Continuity of Government emergency management plans so that they may keep delivering essential services during disasters and other …
Executive Order 39 · Vilsack · January 11, 2005
Establishes the Iowa Great Places Program, in which the Department of Cultural Affairs will work with other state agencies to develop the distinctive and authentic features of neighborhoods, communities, and regions with…
Rescinded
Executive Order 38 · Vilsack · October 22, 2004
Continues the work of the Iowa Food Policy Council as set forth in Executive Orders 16 (March 31, 2000), 19 (May 21, 2001), and 29 (August 15, 2003).
Executive Order 37 · Vilsack · October 1, 2004
Creates the Aging Services Cabinet, which will address issues affecting older Iowans, including healthy aging habits, long-term care, the recruitment of qualified caregivers, and ways to better integrate the delivery of …
Executive Order 36 · Vilsack · June 25, 2004
Restores 10 percent of the across-the-board cut in allotment requests called for in Executive Order 31 (October 14, 2003), thereby creating an effective across-the-board budget reduction of 2.25 percent rather than 2.5 p…
Executive Order 35 · Vilsack · January 30, 2004
Establishes the Governor’s Non-profit Taskforce, which will evaluate both the current and possible future roles that Iowa’s nonprofit organizations can play in advancing the vitality of communities throughout the state, …
Executive Order 34 · Vilsack · December 5, 2003
Disbands Governor Ray’s Executive Orders 20 (December 16, 1975) and 49 (January 7, 1983), which established the Governor’s Economic Advisory Council and the Iowa Economic Forecasting Council respectively, and replaces th…
Rescinded
Executive Order 33 · Vilsack · November 17, 2003
Establishes the Iowa Council on Homelessness under the administration of the Iowa Finance Authority and instructs the directors of over one dozen state agencies to participate in the council and coordinate efforts toward…
Rescinded
Executive Order 32 · Vilsack · November 11, 2003
Authorizes the Iowa Veteran’s Commission to create a Commemorative Iowa Medallion, which will be available for purchase by the public and will feature an image of the Iowa State Capitol on one side and a profile of the f…
Executive Order 31 · Vilsack · October 14, 2003
Calls for a uniform reduction of allotment requests so that the state may achieve a budget reduction of 2.5 percent for FY 2004.
Executive Order 30 · Vilsack · September 25, 2003
Creates the Iowa Learns Council, which will direct its efforts toward achieving two goals: (1) a quality preschool experience for 90 percent of Iowa’s children and (2) the completion of two years of college by 90 percent…
Executive Order 29 · Vilsack · August 15, 2003
Continues the work of the Iowa Food Policy Council as set forth in Executive Orders 16 (March 31, 2000) and 19 (May 21, 2001).
Executive Order 28 · Vilsack · July 1, 2003
Designates seven state agencies as Charter Agencies which grants them the maximum degree of administrative flexibility in terms of procurement and personnel management.
Executive Order 27 · Vilsack · February 4, 2003
Directs the heads of state agencies to undertake steps to identify and address barriers to community living and quality of life for individuals who are disabled or afflicted with long-term illnesses.
Executive Order 26 · Vilsack · June 21, 2002
Establishes a Commemorative Quarter Committee and a process through which all Iowans may participate in selecting the design of the Iowa Commemorative Quarter.
Executive Order 25 · Vilsack · June 4, 2002
Rescinds Governor Branstad’s Executive Order 60 (May 19, 1997) and directs state agencies to act in accordance with Iowa Code sections 8.47 and 18.3 when procuring professional services with the goal of reducing waste, d…
Rescinded
Executive Order 24 · Vilsack · November 1, 2001
Calls for a uniform reduction of allotment requests so that the state may achieve a budget reduction of 4.3 percent for FY 2002.
Executive Order 23 · Vilsack · October 12, 2001
Directs the Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard to deploy National Guard personnel to Iowa laboratories that keep stocks of biological agents that could potentially be used in a terrorist attack.
Rescinded
Executive Order 22 · Vilsack · October 3, 2001
Directs the Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard to deploy members of the National Guard to monitor checkpoints at airports and assist existing security personnel in enhancing security operations.
Rescinded
Executive Order 21 · Vilsack · July 3, 2001
Establishes the Veterans Affairs Policy Task Force, which will make recommendations on improving the operations of the Iowa Commission of Veteran Affairs.
Executive Order 20 · Vilsack · June 27, 2001
Creates the Iowa Education Roundtable, which will focus on creating a more seamless system of providing educational programs at all levels of learning, ranging from early childhood through higher education.
Executive Order 19 · Vilsack · May 21, 2001
Continues the work of the Iowa Food Policy Council created by Executive Order 16 (March 31, 2000) and directs the council to create two interagency task forces that will make recommendations on food security and Iowa foo…
Executive Order 18 · Vilsack · March 28, 2001
Rescinds Executive Order 7 (September 14, 1999) and replaces it with a reaffirmation of the State of Iowa’s commitment to equal opportunity in employment to the fullest extent allowable under law.
Executive Order 17 · Vilsack · February 13, 2001
Creates the Taskforce for Responsible Fatherhood, which will focus on identifying obstacles that encourage absent fathers, raising public awareness about the consequences of a father’s absence on his child’s development,…
Executive Order 16 · Vilsack · March 31, 2000
Creates the Iowa Food Policy Council, which will address a host of food-related issues.
Rescinded
Executive Order 15 · Vilsack · March 14, 2000
Creates the Interagency Work Group on Responsible Parenthood.
Executive Order 14 · Vilsack · February 25, 2000
Establishes the Health Consumer Advisory Council, which will advise the Governor and Lieutenant Governor on health-care issues.
Executive Order 13 · Vilsack · December 9, 1999
Accepts the offer of the U.S. Department of the Army to retrocede exclusive federal legislative jurisdiction over the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant to the State of Iowa, which will acquire concurrent jurisdiction over the f…
Executive Order 12 · Vilsack · December 9, 1999
Rescinds and nullifies Governor Ray’s Executive Order 23 (April 22, 1977), which established the Governor’s Science Advisory Council.
Executive Order 11 · Vilsack · September 14, 1999
Directs each state agency that promulgates rules to adopt the Uniform Waiver Rule by no later than February 1, 2000.
Executive Order 10 · Vilsack · September 14, 1999
Establishes a Quality in Rule-Making Committee, which will create and administer a program to train state agency personnel in all legal aspects of rule-making with the goal of making all agency rules as precise, clear, a…
Executive Order 9 · Vilsack · September 14, 1999
Directs each state agency that promulgates rules to issue only those rules that help with interpreting state laws or serving an important public need not already addressed under existing rules and regulations.
Executive Order 8 · Vilsack · September 14, 1999
Directs each state agency that promulgates rules to complete a comprehensive review of those rules, and establishes an Agency Plan for Regulatory Review that shall be used to determine whether a rule is outdated, redunda…
Rescinded
Executive Order 7 · Vilsack · September 14, 1999
Rescinds Governor Branstad’s Executive Order 44 (April 30, 1992) regarding affirmative action and reaffirms the State of Iowa’s commitment to equal opportunity in employment by prohibiting discrimination because of an ap…
Executive Order 6 · Vilsack · April 23, 1999
Grants an indefinite extension to the term of the resident-agent-in-charge of the Des Moines office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and authorizes this person as an ex-officio nonvoting member of the Iowa Law…
Executive Order 5 · Vilsack · March 25, 1999
Authorizes the continuation of the Regional Advisory Boards as the regional arms of the Iowa Workforce Development Board established by Executive Order 1 (January 25, 1999) and resets the boundaries of Region 8 in centra…
Executive Order 4 · Vilsack · February 22, 1999
Establishes the 21st-Century Workforce Council that will provide recommendations addressing specific vocations, professions, and fields of employment where there are currently shortages of skilled workers.
Rescinded
Executive Order 3 · Vilsack · February 5, 1999
Establishes the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Advisory Council, composed of the Iowa Vertical Infrastructure Advisory Committee and the Iowa Information Technology lnfrastructure Advisory Committee.
Rescinded
Executive Order 2 · Vilsack · February 1, 1999
Creates the Governor’s Strategic Planning Council to outline a plan for future development throughout the state.
Executive Order 1 · Vilsack · January 25, 1999
Rescinds Governor Branstad’s Executive Order 59 (September 30, 1996) and establishes the Iowa Workforce Development Board to serve the functions assigned under the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
Rescinded

Recent proclamations

Gov. Reynolds issues disaster proclamation for Shelby County to activate Federal Highway Administration funding
November 9, 2026 · disaster
Gov. Reynolds extends harvest proclamation
November 6, 2026
Gov. Reynolds issues proclamation for ease of access to transportation fuels
October 29, 2026
Gov. Reynolds announces disaster proclamation for highly pathogenic avian influenza in Sac County
October 28, 2026 · disaster
Gov. Reynolds issues disaster proclamation for Harrison County to activate Federal Highway Administration funding
October 26, 2026 · disaster
Gov. Reynolds extends harvest proclamation
October 10, 2026
Gov. Reynolds issues disaster proclamation for Pottawattamie County in response to severe storms
October 8, 2026 · disaster
Gov. Reynolds expands proclamation suspending penalties for on-road dyed diesel use
October 7, 2026

All proclamations · Disaster proclamations