Iowa House passes bill restricting governor’s powers in disaster emergencies

By: Robin Opsahl

Outlets: Iowa Capital Dispatch

Published: March 10, 2026

Words: 541

Last Updated: 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Body Text Preview

The Iowa House passed a bill Tuesday that would restrict some powers of the governor to respond to public disaster emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.

House File 2694 originally restricted the ability of an Iowa governor to order the closure of places of worship or to mandate their locations or practices, even during public health crises or other disaster emergency situations.

But House Republicans approved an amendment to the bill adding additional restrictions on …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us