All Roll Calls
Yes: 182 • No: 85
IowaSF 242291st General Assembly (2025–2026)SenateWALLET
A bill for an act relating to public assistance programs under the purview of the department of health and human services, including the supplemental nutrition assistance program, Medicaid, and the Iowa health and wellness plan, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly SSB 3140.) Contingent effective date, effective 06/02/2026, 01/01/2027.
Sponsored By: COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Signed by Governor
health and human services
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
SNAP limits access by immigration status
Beginning June 2, 2026, SNAP participants must live in the United States and meet a listed citizenship or immigration category. These include U.S. citizens or nationals, qualifying lawful permanent residents, and Cuban or Haitian entrants. People lawfully living here under a qualifying Compact of Free Association also meet the status requirement. Temporary visitors, tourists, diplomats, and students do not qualify under the listed permanent-resident category.
Backdated Medicaid faces limits for adults
Beginning June 2, 2026, Iowa must request federal approval to end up to three months of backdated Medicaid for certain adults. Pregnant women, children, and residents of licensed nursing facilities are excluded from this change. Iowa must apply the restriction if the federal government approves the waiver. Affected adults then lose coverage for medical care received in the months before submitting a completed application.
New SNAP income limits for households
Beginning June 2, 2026, Iowa must set SNAP’s gross monthly income limit at or below 160% of the federal poverty level. The exact limit depends on the state’s choice and household size. Iowa must count all household members’ income and resources when deciding eligibility and benefit amounts, including members ineligible for SNAP. An ineligible member’s income, deductible expenses, and resources count in full rather than being divided proportionally.
Automated checks for SNAP household finances
Beginning June 2, 2026, Iowa must seek a federal SNAP verification waiver by January 1, 2027. The request covers specified state-law information sources, automated asset checks, and The Work Number or an equivalent income service. The waiver allows information from these sources to count as verified for SNAP. Iowa must implement it if the U.S. Department of Agriculture approves it.
Earlier Iowa Health Plan coverage starts
Beginning June 2, 2026, Iowa Health and Wellness Plan coverage starts on the first day of the completed application month. Previously, coverage started on the first day of the following month. The department cannot use rules or federal requests to cover a month before the completed application month.
Iowa protects Medicaid health plan deposits
Beginning January 1, 2027, Iowa’s health department cannot reduce or divert covered health plan deposits in the Medicaid fund. It also cannot use that money for purposes the fund does not allow. Exceptions apply when lawmakers expressly approve the action through legislation or federal law or regulations require it. This does not create a direct payment or benefit increase for households.
Lawmakers control Medicaid expansions and spending
Beginning June 2, 2026, Iowa’s health department needs prior approval through legislation for Medicaid waiver or state-plan coverage expansions. It also needs that approval for waiver or state-plan changes that are not spending-neutral. A department-retained actuary must certify no net spending increase above the enacted appropriation for the fiscal year. Exceptions cover requests submitted before January 1, 2026, federal compliance, qualifying legal settlements, and actuarially sound managed-care payment rates. For qualifying settlement changes, the department must report the change and known estimated fiscal impact to lawmakers within 30 days. These limits do not themselves change current individual eligibility.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/30/2026
Passed Senate
Yes: 27 • No: 16
House vote • 4/30/2026
Passed House
Yes: 60 • No: 24
House vote • 4/21/2026
Passed House
Yes: 65 • No: 28
Senate vote • 2/25/2026
Passed Senate
Yes: 30 • No: 17
Actions Timeline
Signed by Governor.
6/2/2026SenateFiscal note.
5/28/2026legislatureReported correctly enrolled, signed by President and Speaker, and sent to Governor.
5/11/2026SenateExplanation of vote.
5/1/2026HouseExplanation of vote.
5/1/2026HouseMessage from House.
4/30/2026SenateImmediate message.
4/30/2026HousePassed House, yeas 60, nays 24.
4/30/2026HouseHouse concurred in Senate amendment H-8448.
4/30/2026HouseSenate amendment H-8448 filed.
4/30/2026HouseMessage from Senate.
4/30/2026HouseImmediate message.
4/30/2026SenatePassed Senate, yeas 27, nays 16.
4/30/2026SenateSenate concurred with S-5206, as amended.
4/30/2026SenateAmendment S-5236 to S-5206 filed, adopted.
4/30/2026SenateFiscal note.
4/23/2026legislatureMessage from House, with amendment S-5206.
4/22/2026SenateImmediate message.
4/21/2026HousePassed House, yeas 65, nays 28.
4/21/2026HouseAmendment H-8384 adopted, as amended.
4/21/2026HouseAmendment H-8391 to amendment H-8384 filed, adopted.
4/21/2026HouseAmendment H-8247 withdrawn.
4/21/2026HouseAmendment H-8384 filed.
4/20/2026HousePlaced on calendar under unfinished business.
3/26/2026HousePlaced on calendar.
3/19/2026House
Bill Text
As Introduced
Enrolled
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