Skip to main content

My government My calendar

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

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

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

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

Search Iowa Funnel

Display High contrast Larger text

Language

About accessibility

Language

My government My government My calendar

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

Display High contrast Larger text

Learn

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

Learn

Quiz

Ten questions from Code & costs. 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. A bill says “NEW SECTION”. What does it do?Adds a section that didn’t existRepeals a sectionRenumbers a section

NEW SECTION adds a section. Iowa Funnel shows these as “Creates”.

2. A bill has no fiscal note. Does that mean it costs nothing?YesNot necessarily

It may not have been analyzed yet, or staff may have found no impact.

3. Which state was the first to require minority impact statements?Iowa, in 2008CaliforniaNo state requires them

Iowa was the first state to require them, in 2008, for bills that create or change crimes.

4. What is the Code of Iowa?Every state law currently in force, arranged by subjectThe Legislature’s rulesA list of bills this year

The Code is every state law in force. Most bills are instructions for editing it.

5. What does a correctional impact statement estimate?How a bill would change prison, probation and parole numbers and costsHow many people support a billA bill’s effect on schools

For bills that create or change crimes, it estimates how many more or fewer people would be in prison, on probation or parole, and the cost.

6. What does §321.285 mean?Section 285 of chapter 321Bill number 321Page 285 of the Iowa Acts

Sections are numbered within a chapter: §321.285 is section 285 of chapter 321.

7. What does “is repealed” mean in a bill?The section or chapter is removed from the lawIt’s rewrittenIt’s moved

“Is repealed” removes a section or chapter. Iowa Funnel shows “Repeals”.

8. What does a Code editor directive do?Renumbers, moves or renames something without changing what the law saysOverrides a vetoChanges a tax rate

It’s a housekeeping instruction to the Code editor; the law itself stays the same.

9. Who writes fiscal notes?The bill’s sponsorThe Legislative Services Agency’s nonpartisan Fiscal Services DivisionThe Governor’s office

Fiscal Services is nonpartisan: it works for every legislator, not either party.

10. Why do some chapter numbers carry letters, like 15E?They were added later, between existing chaptersThey’re temporary lawsThey were vetoed

Chapters with letters, like 15E or 476A, were added later between existing ones.

Share your score

Want the full story? Start at the beginning of Learn, or try the bill-to-law game.

A free, independent, nonpartisan guide to Iowa government: the Legislature, your city, county and school district, property taxes and elections, all from public records.

Not affiliated with the State of Iowa or any party or campaign. About Iowa Funnel

Legislature

Bills Calendar Legislators Topics State budget Lobbying

Local

My government Find your county, city or school Property taxes Tax calculator

Elections

Results Offices Campaign money Constitutional amendments

Learn

Start here Local governments Local money Glossary How Iowa Funnel works

Iowa Funnel

Take the tour About What’s new Corrections Accessibility Privacy Terms Get the app

© 2026 Iowa Funnel · Information from public records; official sources control.