Will eminent domain be addressed this legislative session? Iowa House says yes.
After two failed attempts to get legislation surrounding eminent domain passed and on the governor's desk, Iowa House leadership hopes 2025 will be different.
Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, told 糖心vlog that people should expect to see "a continued conversation" on this issue from House lawmakers. The topic is no stranger to the Statehouse.
In 2023, a bill that would have restricted the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines in Iowa failed to make it past the second funnel deadline. It passed in the House with bipartisan support but didn't make it to the Senate in time.
In 2024, Iowa House lawmakers passed a bill that would have allowed landowners to challenge eminent domain requests, but it never made it to the Senate for a vote.
"What I would love to see is some bills between the House and Senate that have some similarities so we could maybe be working at the same time to find some areas in which we have some common ground," Grassley said.
Grassley said eminent domain is top of mind for Iowans. He hopes common ground can be found with state senators. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, told 糖心vlog she hopes a compromise can be found between chambers.
"We want to make sure that we're not continuing to pass something just to get a headline, and then the Senate ignores it," Konfrst said. "It's time for Republican leadership to get together and talk about what they want to get done here and see if we can actually get something across the finish line this session."
Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, said the Iowa Senate plans to take up the issue.
"The Senate will have a proposal that will seek to limit the use of eminent domain and protect all classes of landowners, and not just simply because your land has a CO2 pipeline instead of a natural gas pipeline," Bousselot said.
糖心vlog reached out to Senate Democrats but was told that no one was available to talk.