With the 2025 Iowa Legislative Session over, one Representative looks back on the session.

District 23 House Representative Ray Sorensen says that there are several big bills that are currently sitting on Governor Kim Reynolds’s desk that he is happy made it that far, including one on eminent domain, along with one on Pharmacy Benefit Manager reform. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio that there was one major point that did not make it through the session though.

“The big disappointment was property tax reform. It’s one of the toughest issues in Iowa politics, because you’re trying to give relief to taxpayers without gutting the services people rely on. While taxpayers want lower property taxes, they also expect well-funded schools, paved roads, and public safety. We face pressure from both the tax-sensitive homeowners and the service-dependent constituents. Striking that balance is much harder than it looks.”

Sorensen mentions that the big reason the bill did not make it was because there are 150 legislators, and each one comes with their own view on how the property tax reform should take place. He adds that another frustration of his, along with other members of the House, was how many bills made it through their chamber, only to slow to a halt when they made it to the Senate.