Iowa
Proposal: Give Iowa lawmakers, governor and others big raises
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DES MOINES — State lawmakers and the governor could see their salaries increase, in some cases by some 80 percent, in 2027 under a bill advancing in the Iowa Senate.
Senate File 464 would increase the salary for state lawmakers by $20,000. Currently, Iowa representatives and senators earn $25,000 per year, plus additional money for travel and housing expenses to come to Des Moines from their home districts.
It would also provide a $100,000 salary increase for the Iowa governor, which would be a roughly 77 percent raise. Gov. Kim Reynolds currently earns $130,000 per year.
The bill also would increase the salary for the speaker of the Iowa House, presiding officer of the Iowa Senate and majority and minority leaders of each chamber by $30,000. It would increase the salary for the president pro tempore of the Senate and speaker pro tempore of the House by $22,000.
Under the bill, salaries of the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer and secretary of agriculture would increase by $76,788. The salary of the attorney general would increase by $86,331.
This is the second time lawmakers have considered raising their pay since salaries were last increased in 2007. In 2024, legislation in the House proposed a $10,000 increase for lawmakers, state officials and the governor, but it failed to advance.
While statewide elected officials like the governor and treasurer hold full-time positions, lawmakers who are elected from districts often describe their jobs as part-time. Many are retired and most hold other jobs as well.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Jason Shultz from Schleswig, said the proposed salaries are modeled after legislative pay in other states.
The legislation also would provide an increase for the cost-of-living allowance that’s the lower of either 3 percent or the pay adjustment received by executive branch noncontract state employees during the preceding fiscal year.
Shultz said the increased gubernatorial salary is necessary to keep or attract experienced candidates to serve.
“The governor’s office is in charge of about a $20 billion entity,” Schultz said. “I think it’s fair to put a relatively higher than other officeholders wage on there to make sure that the people who are looking at that job maybe have great business experience, great ability, the professional ability to run the state.”
Former Republican Rep. Phil Thompson, of Boone, testified in favor of the legislation, arguing that the salary for lawmakers is the main reason why he chose not to run for re-election. When Thompson first assumed office, he was unmarried. But after he married his wife and had a child, he said the salary wasn’t enough to provide for them.
“When I made that decision, I realized how many Iowans that are young families, that are working-class Iowans, that really anybody that comes from modest to moderate means how many of them are boxed out of serving office,” Thompson said. “A lot of Iowans that deserve to be represented in this building are not simply because they can’t afford to serve here.”
Sen. Carrie Koelker, R-Dyersville, said the salary is a barrier for young and low-income Iowans to serving in the Legislature, and a pay increase is needed to bring younger voices into the chambers.
“No one is clearly doing this for the money, and we’re public servants for Iowans, and we all represent our districts,” Koelker said. “Young representatives should not have to calibrate ‘do we want to have a family be married, or do we want to wait and serve when we’re 65 years old and retired?’ And that’s not Iowa, and we need to represent Iowa and make it a fair playing field.”
According to Schultz, the ballpark cost of the salary increase would be $570,000 this year and $3 million next year, but that would change as the bill will be amended to set the effective date for the salary increases to Jan. 1, 2027.
The bill advanced out of a Senate State Government subcommittee with Sen. Cindy Winckler, D-Davenport, declining to sign on.
It will be heard Wednesday by the Senate State Government Committee, Schultz said.
Coming off a great campaign, the Iowa State Cyclones will be a different-looking team on the hardwood next year. Unfortunately, a lot of key players for the team last season will no longer be around.
After a successful trip to the Sweet 16, the Cyclones will be entering next season with a mostly new group. Due to players like Joshua Jefferson, Nate Heise, and Tamin Lipsey all graduating, the team was always going to have a different look.
While it appears likely that both Lipsey and Jefferson are going to be drafted into the NBA, it goes to show the level of talent that Iowa State is losing. These two players were arguably the two best on the team last year, and replacing that level of production will not be an easy task.
Since both of those players were seniors, the program knew that they would be playing elsewhere. However, the decision by Milan Momcilovic, who was their third star to enter the NBA Draft and transfer portal, likely wasn’t something the team expected before his breakout campaign.
However, due to his success last year, Momcilovic testing the waters of the NBA and entering the portal made a lot of sense for the talented sharpshooter. Eventually, he made the decision to join the Kentucky Wildcats, and losing him will be a big blow for the Cyclones.
Iowa State Will Miss Star Potential of Milan
Even though the Cyclones were able to bring in a lot of good players in the transfer portal, figuring out who the star of the team is going to be next year might be a bit tricky. If Milan were to have returned following one of the best shooting years in the history of college basketball, it would have undoubtedly been him as the featured player of the team.
Now, since Momcilovic is gone, Iowa State is going to need some of their returning players and their new additions to step up. While having quality depth is important, the Cyclones were a team that had arguably three of the top 50 players in college basketball last season.
With their three best players gone, it will be interesting to see who steps up and becomes the top players for Iowa State. Of the transfers, it could be JaQuan Johnson who looks to step up into that role. He is coming off a really strong year with Bradley and very well could be the top-scoring option for the team.
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Watch as Gov. Kim Reynolds reveals Iowa Office of Outdoor Recreation
Gov. Kim Reynolds signs an executive order June 8 creating an Iowa Office of Outdoor Recreation within the Iowa Economic Development Authority.
Iowa’s director of Health and Human Services has resigned after the Iowa Senate blocked his confirmation in April, but he will stay in leadership as deputy director.
Larry Johnson was appointed to succeed Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Director Kelly Garcia in September 2025. Johnson took over the department in October.
Johnson’s confirmation in April, however, was blocked by Iowa Senate Democrats. Johnson received the support of 28 senators, six votes short of the 34 needed.
“Hundreds of thousands of Iowans rely on the Department of Health & Human Services, but under Mr. Johnson’s leadership, those Iowans have been met with diminished care and services and a disrespectful lack of transparency and communication,” Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner said in a statement at the time of Johnson’s confirmation block. “Senate Democrats believe Iowans deserve more responsible leadership for such an important executive department.”
Under state law, 60 days after the Iowa Senate disapproves a person’s appointment, the nominee must step down. Johnson’s resignation came June 19, 58 days after his confirmation was blocked.
In a news release Friday, Gov. Kim Reynolds appointed Kraig Paulsen, the director of the Iowa Department of Management, to also serve as the director of Iowa Health and Human Services.
“This is not the first time I’ve called upon Director Paulsen to help lead executive branch departments during times of transition,” Reynolds said in a statement. “His experience across state government is unmatched, and I have full confidence in his ability to ensure our state’s largest agency has the leadership team required, not only to serve Iowans most in need of assistance, but also to advance strategic initiatives such as rural health transformation, cancer research, and child welfare technology improvements.”
Paulsen named Johnson as principal deputy director of the department to “ensure efficient and effective operations,” according to the release.
“Iowa HHS requires strong and experienced leadership at every level to ensure continuity of critical services such as Medicaid, SNAP, and child protection, and Larry Johnson is exactly that leader,” Paulsen said in the release. “I look forward to working closely with Principal Deputy Director Johnson to ensure Iowa’s strong commitment to our most vulnerable citizens continues as usual.”
Weiner, in a statement issued June 19, said Reynolds “has decided to blatantly disregard and circumvent the Senate in re-establishing Larry Johnson as the de facto head” of Health and Human Services.“This is partisan politics of the worst kind,” Weiner said in the statement. “Under Larry Johnson, the hundreds of thousands of Iowans who rely on HHS for critical services have received a diminished standard of care, a disrespectful lack of responsiveness, and a department more concerned with fealty to the governor than transparency to the public. And yet, this governor simply cannot handle a world in which she doesn’t get her way, so she has invented a title that allows Johnson to resume his work.”
Weiner said the decision to not confirm John was “not made lightly,” and “We did what was right for Iowans.”
“Our goal has been and remains to work within the bounds of the Senate for the benefit of all Iowans,” Weiner said. “Unfortunately, Gov. Reynolds would rather play politics than give Iowans the respect of a more diligent search for a qualified candidate.”
Kyle Werner is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@registermedia.com.
The Iowa Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big with rewards ranging from $1,000 to millions. The most an Iowan has ever won from playing the lottery was $343 million in 2018 off the Powerball.
Don’t miss out on the winnings. Here’s a look at Friday, June 19, 2026, winning numbers for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from June 19 drawing
13-16-21-26-50, Mega Ball: 12
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-3 numbers from June 19 drawing
Midday: 3-2-2
Evening: 7-1-4
Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-4 numbers from June 19 drawing
Midday: 4-2-1-0
Evening: 9-9-0-7
Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 19 drawing
02-20-28-51-54, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Iowa Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Iowa editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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