Quiz

A chair decides which bills the committee takes up. A chair who won’t schedule a bill can stop it without a vote.

Sessions start the second Monday in January.

Each party’s caucus meets privately, usually daily during session. Iowa’s open meetings law doesn’t apply to them.

During session the Governor has three days, Sundays excepted. For bills received in the last three days of session or after it, the Governor has 30 days, and doing nothing counts as a veto.

100 Representatives and 50 Senators: 150 legislators in all. Each Senate district is two House districts.

Bills carry over from year one to year two of the same Assembly, but every unfinished bill dies when the Assembly ends.

Most new laws take effect July 1. Some take effect immediately (“effective upon enactment”).

The Legislative Services Agency’s nonpartisan staff draft every bill and amendment, write fiscal notes and track the budget.

The Speaker presides over debate, decides which committee gets each bill, and appoints committee members and chairs. In the Senate, the Majority Leader refers bills.

Senators serve 4-year terms; half are up every 2 years. House members are elected every 2 years.