Learn · A game

From idea to law

Steer a bill through the Iowa Legislature, one choice at a time. The rules are the real ones¹.

What happened: No one is there to make the case, and the subcommittee lets it go.

The end: it didn’t become law

Stuck in subcommittee

A bill that stalls in subcommittee usually goes no further. Subcommittees are where the public is most likely to be heard, and showing up matters.

Learn more: Speak up

Your bill so far (7 choices)

You have an idea: A rule: new school buses must have stop-arm cameras. A policy bill. It will face both funnel deadlines.
Getting it written: Write it yourself and file it. Not how it works: the Legislative Services Agency drafts every bill and amendment. Try again.
Getting it written: Write it yourself and file it. Not how it works: the Legislative Services Agency drafts every bill and amendment. Try again.
Getting it written: Ask the Legislative Services Agency to draft it. Nonpartisan staff at the Legislative Services Agency draft it and give it an LSB drafting number.
Who sponsors it?: Ask the Majority Leader to sponsor it. The Majority Leader agrees. Bills sponsored by a majority or minority leader are exempt from the funnel.
Which committee?: Ways and Means. The Speaker sends it to Education instead: a school rule goes to the committee for its subject. Ways and Means is each chamber’s tax committee.
The subcommittee: Skip it: the full committee is what counts. No one is there to make the case, and the subcommittee lets it go.