New Legislator Resources

Each December following a November general election, the Iowa Legislative Council, in cooperation with the Senate and House of Representatives, sponsors a New Member Orientation Program for those who are new members, are switching membership to the opposite chamber, or are returning to legislative service after an absence. In connection with the orientation and subsequent legislative service, the following resources are intended to provide members-elect and new members with information concerning legislative structure, procedure and decorum, and other legislative topics, made accessible on the Internet on an ongoing basis.

General Legislative Resources show/hide

Legislative Session Timetable - Information on important dates and deadlines regarding the 2021 Legislative Session.
Legislative Deadlines - Important deadlines for the 2021 Legislative Session.
Legislative Agencies - Information on all staff units of the Legislative Branch, including the Legislative Services Agency, the Office of Ombudsman, the Iowa Senate, and the Iowa House.
Legislative Guide to the General Assembly - A guide describing the basic structure and protocols of the General Assembly and the services offered by agencies and staff of the General Assembly. The guide is designed to anticipate and answer the questions most frequently asked by members of the General Assembly.
Iowa Official Register - The Redbook, as it is commonly known, published biennially and containing historical and current biographical information about Iowa's governmental institutions and leaders, as well as other governmental information and statistics of general value but not of a partisan nature.
Information Technology Access, Privacy, and Confidentiality in the Legislative Environment - Legal background briefing relating to the use, access to, and disclosure of legislative information, including information electronically generated or stored on legislative computer systems by state legislators and state legislative employees.
Chamber Rules - At the convening of the first session of a General Assembly, the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committee on Administration and Rules of the House of Representatives review the rules that were adopted for the preceding General Assembly. These committees propose changes both to the rules of their own chamber and to the joint rules adopted by both chambers. Once the rules are adopted, they are the rules for the two-year period of the General Assembly.
Subscriptions - Resource that allows you to sign up to receive email updates on legislation, rules, reports, and publications that interest you most.