DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa House got 70 signatures to call a special session to override Gov. Kim Reynolds’s veto on a bill that would restrict eminent domain usage for carbon capture pipelines, like the one Summit Carbon Solutions is proposing in the state.
Reynolds vetoed the legislation last week, saying if she had signed it, the bill would have set a “troubling precedent” and threatened Iowa’s energy reliability, economy, and business-friendly reputation. Reynolds claimed in theory, it could have blocked a carbon capture pipeline project that had 100% used up all voluntary agreements to use land.
Iowa landowner groups said they were outraged over the veto, feeling betrayed by the governor.
“A true leader steps in when a problem arises, and you, Governor Reynolds, did nothing,” Peg Rasmussen said last week. She is a landowner in Montgomery County. “The legacy you leave behind is one of bowing down to big business at the expense of Iowans.”
Some House Republicans also felt betrayed. Republican House Rep. Bobby Kauffmann vowed to work to kill every bill Reynolds works on next year, which will be her last as Iowa Governor. Reynolds announced earlier this year she would not be running for reelection in 2026.
Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley (R-New Hartford) released Tuesday that the House had 70 lawmakers on board (See full list of lawmakers who signed the petition below).
“This veto was a major setback for Iowa landowners and the tireless efforts of the House to safeguard property rights,” Speaker Grassley said in a statement. “With 70 members of the House standing united, we’ve met the constitutional threshold to move forward. We now call on our colleagues in the Senate to join us by securing the necessary signatures so we can convene a special session, override this veto, and deliver the protections Iowa landowners deserve against eminent domain for private gain.”
But it all could be for naught. The Iowa Senate now needs a petition signed by two-thirds of its members to make the special session a reality. The bill itself only passed in the Iowa Senate by a 27-22 margin, which falls below the two-thirds threshold.
House lawmakers who signed the petition
- Pat Grassley, HD57, House Speaker
- Matt Windschitl, HD15, House Majority Leader
- J.D. Scholten, HD1
- Bob Henderson, HD2
- Thomas Jeneary, HD3
- Skyler Wheeler, HD4
- Zach Dieken, HD5
- Megan Jones, HD6
- Michael Sexton, HD7
- Ann Meyer, HD8
- Henry Stone, HD9
- John Wills, HD10
- Craig Williams, HD11
- Steven Holt, HD12
- Travis Sitzmann, HD13
- Jacob Bossman, HD14
- Devon Wood, HD17
- Tom Moore, HD18
- Josh Turek, HD20
- Brooke Boden, HD21
- Samantha Fett, HD22
- Ray Sorensen, HD23
- Sam Wengryn, HD24
- Hans Wilz, HD25
- Austin Harris, HD26
- David Young, HD28
- Megan Srinivas, HD30
- Sean Bagniewski, HD35
- Austin Baeth, HD36
- Jon Dunwell, HD38
- Ryan Weldon, HD41
- Eddie Andrews, HD43
- Larry McBurney, HD44
- Dan Gehlbach, HD46
- Carter Nordman, HD47
- Chad Behn, HD48
- Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, HD49
- Ross Wilburn, HD50
- David Blom, HD52
- Dean Fisher, HD53
- Josh Meggers, HD54
- Shannon Latham, HD55
- Mark Thompson, HD56
- Charley Thomson, HD58
- Christian Hermanson, HD59
- Jane Bloomingdale, HD60
- Timi Brown-Powers, HD61
- Jason Gearhart, HD64
- Shannon Lundgren, HD65
- Steven Bradley, HD66
- Craig Johnson, HD67
- Tom Determann, HD69
- Jennifer Smith, HD72
- Elizabeth Wilson, HD73
- Eric Gjerde, HD74
- Derek Wulf, HD76
- Aime Wichtendahl, HD80
- Bobby Kaufmann, HD82
- Cindy Golding, HD83
- Tom Gerhold, HD84
- Jeff Shipley, HD87
- Helena Hayes, HD88
- Elinor Levin, HD89
- Judd Lawler, HD91
- Heather Hora, HD92
- Gary Mohr, HD93
- Mike Vondran, HD94
- Taylor Collins, HD95
- Mark Cisneros, HD96
- Blaine Watkins, HD100
