Gov. Kim Reynolds signs natural disaster assistance bill into law

Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 619 into law Tuesday, the bill providing funds for the state’s recovery efforts for 2024 floods and tornadoes as well as making changes to Iowa’s response system for future disasters.

The bill provides $13.6 million from the Iowa Economic Emergency Fund retroactively for fiscal year 2025 for response efforts to severe flooding and tornadoes. Reynolds said in a statement the bill will help Iowans and communities recovering from the major disasters in the past year that impacted more than 5,000 homes across the state.

“The tenacity of Iowans has been tested over the past year,” Reynolds said in a statement. “Our state faced devastating natural disasters in the spring of 2024—strong tornadoes and widespread flooding affected tens of thousands of Iowa families. To put it in perspective, our state was granted three Presidential disaster declarations in just two months. During this time of recovery, our relief programs have proven vital for Iowa families and communities to regain their footing and restart their lives.”

The legislation, introduced by the governor, was highlighted as one of her top priorities for the 2025 legislative session during her Condition of the State address in January.

A majority of funding from the bill, $11.6 million, goes to the Disaster Recovery Housing Assistance Program launched by the state in July. The other $2 million goes to the Nuisance Property and Abandoned Building Fund, which helps tear down buildings that damaged beyond repair by natural disasters. The law also will extend tax exclusions for developers building new housing in areas impacted by recent natural disasters.

The measure includes other components that Reynolds and lawmakers have said will help Iowa better respond to future natural disasters, including allowing the Iowa Department of Management to access 10% of the state’s Economic Emergency Fund each fiscal year for disaster recovery efforts when the governor issues a disaster proclamation.

The legislation also establishes the Natural Hazard Mitigation Financing program, a new loan program through the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Iowa Finance Authority, to provide funding for “ongoing risk mitigation” projects that can help Iowa communities reduce damage in future severe weather events.

There was some pushback in subcommittee meetings on a component of the bill requiring appraisers, independent adjusters and umpires to be licensed to assess property damages. Advocates representing parties involved in the industry said most states do not have licensure in this field and could lead to fewer independent adjusters and umpires — the professionals who serve as a neutral party assessing damages and property value during insurance claim processes — practicing in Iowa. The measure was not changed by lawmakers.

The law is effective immediately.