Legislation

For Iowa’s electric cooperatives, energy policy remained a central focus throughout the 2026 Legislative Session. Electric cooperatives are always focused on protecting affordable and reliable electric service, and we do so at the Statehouse by supporting various legislative proposals and preventing harmful policies from advancing.

In May, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and other electric cooperative leaders joined officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Rural Electrification Act (REA), the law that helped bring power to rural America.

During the current legislative session, an ongoing commitment to safety is reflected in new legislation proposed by Iowa’s electric cooperatives that would increase penalties for individuals who threaten, harass or assault utility workers while they are performing their duties.

During the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives’ (IAEC) annual meeting, Mike Partin, president of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, sat down with Leslie Kaufman, IAEC executive vice president and general manager, to discuss important energy topics.

As the Iowa Legislature prepares to convene on Jan. 12, electric cooperatives across the state are focused on defending the policies and protections that keep power reliable and affordable for our communities.

Throughout the session, Iowa’s electric cooperatives maintained a strong presence at the State Capitol, advocating for the interests of their member-consumers. With more than 1,800 bills introduced this year, many of which related to energy, a unified cooperative voice was more important than ever.

In late April, a group of nearly 30 co-op advocates joined other co-op leaders from across the country for the spring legislative fly-in to Washington, D.C., for face-to-face meetings with elected officials to discuss issues important to co-op member-consumers.

Iowa's 2025 Legislative Session will begin on Jan. 13, 
and IAEC electric cooperatives will prioritize efforts to ensure Iowa’s law regarding defined service areas is not undermined. Learn why this law has been so crucial to our mission to serve co-op member-consumers.

As a new year begins, so will the 2024 legislative session of the Iowa General Assembly. This year, Iowa’s electric co-ops are not proactively seeking significant changes to Iowa laws but are instead taking a “do no harm” message to Iowa policymakers.

Electric cooperatives are increasing their investment in renewable energy, but baseload resources like coal and natural gas must continue to be part of the mix to ensure reliable, affordable power for rural America, the leader of Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) told a House panel April 5.