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Legislature Bills Calendar Legislators Committees This session New laws Revenue and spending State budget Tax credits Economic development Federal money Executive orders What bills cost Lobbying Districts & maps

Local Find your county, city or school Property & sales taxes Tax calculator City levy limits Local debt New audits Schools statewide State money to local governments State aid by county Federal money by county How local government works Property tax and local money

Elections Results Your next ballot Sample ballot Turnout Local ballot measures Offices Campaign money Constitutional amendments

Learn Start here Take the tour Speak up Local governments Local money The Legislature Elections Glossary Bill-to-law game Quiz State agencies

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Start here Local governments Property tax & local money The Legislature Bills & amendments On the floor The funnel The budget Elections Money & lobbying Taking part Code & costs Glossary How Iowa Funnel works Bill-to-law game Quiz State agencies

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Quiz

Ten questions from The funnel. Each answer says why. Your answers stay in your browser.

Mixed Your local governments Property tax and local money The Legislature Bills & amendments On the floor The funnel The budget Elections Money & lobbying Taking part Code & costs

1. Bills sponsored by which legislators are exempt from the funnel?Any committee chairA majority or minority leaderAny member in their second term

Bills sponsored by a majority or minority leader are exempt. An idea that missed the deadline can come back as a leadership bill.

2. What must a bill do by the second funnel?Pass the chamber it started in and clear a committee in the otherPass both chambersGet a fiscal note

By the second funnel a bill must pass its first chamber, then be approved by a committee in the other chamber.

3. What must a bill do by the first funnel?Pass both chambersGet through a committee in the chamber it started inBe signed by the Governor

By the first funnel a House bill must clear a House committee (a Senate bill a Senate committee). The second funnel requires passing that chamber and a committee in the other.

4. Which of these bills doesn’t face the funnel deadlines?A bill about school start datesA spending bill from AppropriationsA bill from the Judiciary committee

Spending, tax and Government Oversight bills, and bills sponsored by legislative leaders, are exempt.

5. About when does the first funnel hit?Early MarchThe first week of sessionJune

February and March are committee season, and the first funnel hits in early March. The second comes in late March or early April.

6. Where are the funnel deadlines written down?The Iowa ConstitutionThe Legislature’s Joint Rules (Joint Rule 20)A law the Governor signs

The rules are in the Joint Rules, adopted at the start of each General Assembly. New dates are set each January.

7. A bill was debated but not finished before the deadline. Where can it still be taken up?The unfinished business calendarNowhereOnly in a special session

Bills taken up on the floor but not finished wait on the unfinished business calendar, where they can still be debated after the deadlines.

8. On Iowa Funnel, what does “At risk” mean?The bill is likely to be vetoedA deadline is less than a week away and the bill hasn’t met itThe bill has a big price tag

At risk means the deadline is under a week away and not met yet. Followers get a reminder 2 days before.

9. A bill missed the funnel. Is its idea dead for good?YesNot always: it can return as an amendment to a live bill, among other routes

“Missed deadline” means unlikely, not impossible. Following a topic or keyword catches the idea if it turns up somewhere else.

10. In year two of a General Assembly, a bill that cleared committee in year one…Has to start overHas met those deadlines and can pick up where it left off

A bill that already cleared committee or passed a chamber in year one has met those deadlines and can keep going in year two.

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