With only a few days left until the Iowa Legislature convenes for its 2026 session, District 6 State Sen. Jason Schultz (R-Schleswig) is anticipating a fast-paced start for lawmakers. Schultz was first elected in 2008 as a representative and later in 2014 as a state senator. He is now one of the longest-serving members in the Iowa Legislature and chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. He is also vice chair for the Workforce Committee and sits on the Commerce, State Government, Natural Resources, and Ways and Means Committees. Schultz says they will likely pick up where they left off at the end of the 2025 session by examining eminent domain use and pipelines.
Another piece of legislation that didn’t reach the finish line last year is property tax reform. Schultz says there has been a lot of work on tax policy over the last eight months, and he expects more of a “soft reset” of the state’s tax code rather than a completely new system.
Iowa Democrats introduced their proposals for property tax reform earlier this week, and they are suggesting a freeze on property taxes for Iowans over 65 years old, a four-percent cap on annual property tax increases, and tripling the Homestead Tax Credit. Schultz believes the GOP’s plan will be more aggressive, but he is glad to see there is interest on both sides of the aisle to address taxes.
Three of the major players on the legislature’s Judiciary Committees, Schultz, Rep. Craig Williams, and Rep. Steve Holt, all reside within about 30 minutes of each other, creating an interesting consolidation of decision-makers in western Iowa on one of the more influential committees. Schultz says there is interest among the three of them to tackle a perceived weak state criminal justice system.
Schultz adds that he’s not sure whether any legislation will be put forth this session, but they will be pushing hard to develop a system that prioritizes rehabilitation while keeping truly dangerous people away from the general public. The first day of the 2026 Iowa Legislative Session is Monday, Jan. 12. Gov. Kim Reynolds’s 2026 Condition of the State Address is slated for Jan. 13.
