Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — Both of this area’s state senators and ten other Republicans in the Iowa Senate say they will not vote for any state spending bill until they get a chance to vote on a bill limiting carbon pipeline developers ability to seize land from unwilling property owners. It means the Senate’s GOP leaders do not have enough Republican votes to pass their state spending plans.
Both Senator Jeff Taylor of Sioux Center and Senator Lynn Evans of Aurelia are part of the group. Republican Senator Kevin Alons of Salix says curbing the use of eminent domain authority is the group’s top priority in the 2025 legislative session.
Alons and other GOP senators engaged in the issue have given speeches on the Senate floor over the past week. Senator David Sires of Cedar Falls says it’s time to pass meaningful protections for landowners.
Senate GOP Leader Jack Whitver says a number of Republican Senators are working on policy surrounding eminent domain and pipeline issues and he’s optimistic the group will find a legislative solution. The House has repeatedly passes pipeline restrictions over the past three years, but the Senate has never voted on any of them.
The 12 senators who’ve joined to block budget action in hopes of getting a pipeline bill vote are Kevin Alons, Rocky DeWitt, Lynn Evans, Dennis Guth, Mark Lofgren, Mike Pike, Dave Rowley, Sandy Salmon, Dave Sires, Jeff Taylor, Cherilynn Westrich.
KIWA Staff Photo
