We have now been here for 11 weeks, and this session has 16 weeks. Which means we have five left before per diem runs out.

This week has flown by. I spend most of my time in meetings now. I’m working on several bills that we meet on daily so we can have enough votes to get it off the House floor. Then we need to be working with the Senate so when it gets over there, they will have enough votes to get it down to the governor. Which means we also must be working with the governor’s staff at the same time so the governor will sign it when it gets to her desk.

So having said all that I will apologize to those of you that have been with groups that have traveled to the Capitol this week and we missed connecting while you were here. In all, I do my best to try to meet you when you are here. But some days are so full it just does not work out.

Protecting landowners from eminent domain abuse

For many in our caucus, there is nothing we have heard louder or clearer than the call from landowners to protect their private property rights from eminent domain abuse by CO2 pipeline projects.

This week we passed two bills containing many policies to provide those protections. This is not about opposing the pipelines, but about opposing the use of eminent domain to construct the pipelines.

Pipeline companies should not be able to use the heavy hand of government to abuse landowner rights for private gain.

House File 943 truly gets at the crux of the issue. This bill prohibits the taking of agricultural land for a pipeline transporting liquified carbon dioxide.

House File 639 contains a number of policies aimed at protecting landowners including:

Requires hazardous liquid pipelines to have insurance to cover potential damage, including injury and property value reduction.

States that if individuals face increased insurance, or are unable to get insurance due to the pipeline, the pipeline owner must provide insurance or reimburse the individual for additional costs.

Provides stronger safeguards to ensure that only legitimate public uses are recognized to request eminent domain.

Mandates that all members of the Iowa Utilities Commission must be present during hearings related to public utility regulation, electric transmission lines and pipelines.

Allows Iowans who are impacted by IUC action to intervene in actions. Many Iowans have been prohibited from speaking even though they will be impacted by IUC actions.

Distracted driving

This week we passed SF 22 to make our roads safer for all Iowans.

We all know the dangerous distraction our phones can be. We have all seen drivers driving down the road distracted by their cell phones, endangering themselves and others.

Currently, Iowa law prohibits texting and driving. But there are many other reasons drivers may be using their phone. In addition to being completely unsafe, this makes the texting and driving law almost entirely unenforceable for Iowa law enforcement.

SF 22 changes Iowa’s texting while driving ban into a ban on using electronic devices while driving. Drivers can use their devices hands-free.

There are a number of common sense and necessary exemptions to the ban. For example, drivers can use their phones for the purpose of receiving safety-related information or reporting an emergency situation and public safety or health care professionals are exempt while performing official duties requiring their device.

If a driver violates this law, they are guilty of a simple misdemeanor, must pay a $100 fine and it would be considered a moving violation.

Law enforcement are to issue warnings to anyone in violation of this law from July 1 until Jan. 1, 2026. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2026, law enforcement will be issuing tickets.

State Rep. Mike Sexton, R-Rockwell City, represents Calhoun, Pocahontas, and Sac counties plus western Webster County.