The Start of the 2026 Legislative Session

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affecting Iowa. This week, Gov. Kim Reynolds gives her penultimate — not her last — Condition of the State address, the Iowa Legislature’s annual work has begun, and so much more. This episode was hosted by the Gazette Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy. It features Gazette Deputy Bureau Chief Tom Barton, Lee Des Moines Bureau Chief Maya Marchel Hoff, Sarah Watson of the Quad City Times, Jared McNett of the Sioux City Journal and Gazette columnists Althea Cole and Todd Dorman. Read the articles mentioned in this episode: McGowan touts endorsement from former Gov. Branstad, more than $500k in fundraising since June Quad-Cities community response session organized after ICE shooting in Minnesota: Iowa Gov. Reynolds, in final policy push, proposes property tax overhaul: Iowa Gov. Reynolds proposes $9.7B budget, again drawing from state reserve funds: Iowa eminent domain, landowner rights bill passes House committee: This episode was produced by Gazette Social Video Producer Bailey Cichon.

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The Start of the 2026 Legislative Session is an episode from On Iowa Politics Podcast by On Iowa Politics Podcast.

This episode is 43:02 long.

This episode was published on Jan 16, 2026.

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