AARP Iowa 2026 State Legislative Preview

As the 2026 legislative session begins, there are still many uncertainties about how it will unfold. Notable shifts in leadership and committee assignments have occurred in both the House and Senate since the end of the 2025 session. During the interim, we have heard from various lawmakers that the top legislative issues include property taxes, eminent domain, and other initiatives aimed at saving taxpayer dollars. We will be monitoring to see how these topics influence the flow of the session and affect the priorities of advocacy groups.

What does this mean for AARP’s work in 2026? In short, the session may be somewhat unpredictable. As the second year of the General Assembly, the timeline is already compressed, and there may be limited appetite for new legislative initiatives beyond leadership priorities. In this context, AARP Iowa is focusing on identifying opportunities that have strong support and a clear path to success.

In alignment with AARP’s priorities, our team will engage in legislation across several key areas, including consumer protection, fraud prevention, financial security, long-term care, energy, and livable communities.

While establishing our priorities around financial security, it was eye-opening to learn that individuals are 15 times more likely to save for retirement if they can set aside money through payroll deductions. However, approximately 40% of Iowa’s workers lack access to a retirement savings account at their workplace, leaving many unprepared for the future. And that means more older Iowans could have to rely on public, taxpayer-funded programs.

Now more than ever, we need to make it easier for workers to save for retirement. That’s why AARP Iowa supports legislation that would allow Iowans to save directly from their paychecks, at no cost to their employers. This is one of the issues we’ll be working on at the Capitol next year. Help us show lawmakers the importance of considering this legislation during the upcoming session. Click here to add your name and join our fight to make saving for retirement easier for Iowa’s workers.