As the Iowa Legislature moves deeper into its session, District 11 Rep. Craig Williams (R-Manning) reports that over 400 bills are already in the House queue, with many more in development. He expects key legislation to emerge ahead of the March 7 funnel, the first of two deadlines that significantly pare back the number of bills still eligible for debate. Last week, Williams attended the Shelby County Cattlemen’s Annual Banquet, where he met with Sen. Joni Ernst and discussed federal and state issues. He also honored the late Rep. Martin Graber (R-Fort Madison), who passed away unexpectedly. Graber, a retired Brigadier General in the Army National Guard, represented District 100 and was remembered for his kindness and service. A special election will be held on March 11 for voters to select his successor. Williams says most of his attention remains focused on subcommittee work, jokingly referencing House Study Bill (HSB) 115, which corrects spelling, punctuation, and clarification errors in Iowa Code. Williams addressed a protest at the Iowa Capitol, where demonstrators opposed President Donald Trump. Some protesters disrupted a Moms for Liberty event, resulting in four arrests. Williams questioned the need for new laws restricting cell phone use in classrooms, noting that most schools in Iowa already enforce policies limiting usage during class. Williams encourages constituents with questions or concerns about pending legislation or issues to contact him directly at craig.williams@legis.iowa.gov.
