IA · Officeholder
RState Senator · District 33
On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: Iowa Senate District 33
Carrie Koelker, a Republican, represents District 33 in the Iowa Senate; the Iowa Legislature's biography lists Koelker as serving a second term.[1]
The biography lists Koelker as Vice President of Community Engagement at Travel Dubuque and as Executive Director of Eastern Iowa Tourism from 2000 to 2023.[1] It says Koelker is a graduate of Iowa Lakes Community College, was born in 1970 in Stanton and lives in Dyersville.[1]
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-19.
Carrie Koelker is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Iowa Senate District 33 as R. Not researched in depth — candidate list only.
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Republicans voted. How topics are assigned
Most contested
Replaces the premium tax on health maintenance organizations with a new health care-related tax, transfers about $347 million from the taxpayer relief fund to the general fund, and adds $89 million to Medicaid for the fiscal year ending June 2026.
Mar 24, 2026 · Passed 26–19 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Appropriates FY 2026-27 general fund money to administrative, financial, and regulatory agencies, including administrative services, the auditor, revenue, the secretary of state, and the utilities commission, and redirects certain fireworks, amusement device, and boxing fees to the licensing and regulation fund.
Apr 28, 2026 · Passed 31–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Relating to unemployment insurance taxes on employers
Cuts the wage base on which employers pay unemployment insurance taxes from two-thirds to one-third of the statewide average wage, replaces the tax rate tables with four tables of nine ranks topping out at 5.4 percent, and changes the ranks assigned to new employers.
May 14, 2025 · Failed 16–31 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
On the version voted Feb 23, 2026: Sets the school funding growth percent at 2 percent for the budget year starting July 1, 2026, caps transportation equity aid at $1 million per district, appropriates $7 million for education support personnel pay, and adds a January adjusted-enrollment count.
Feb 10, 2026 · Passed 28–20 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Bars the state from requiring foster-parent or adoption applicants to accept sexual-orientation or gender-identity policies that conflict with their religious or moral beliefs, or rejecting them over those beliefs; religious agencies under state contract need not provide services contrary to their beliefs.
Apr 21, 2026 · Passed 28–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Bars schools from penalizing students for religious, political or ideological speech, allowing lawsuits with penalties of at least $5,000; requires schools to follow federal religious-expression guidance; removes religious exclusions from several education programs and tax credits; and requires districts to partner with requesting community-based preschools.
Apr 20, 2026 · Passed 28–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Adds the federal SAVE system to the sources used to verify public assistance eligibility, limits retroactive Medicaid eligibility to two months for pregnant women, children, and nursing facility residents, and requires legislative approval for Medicaid waivers that raise costs or expand coverage.
Apr 30, 2026 · Passed 27–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Bars the state from requiring foster-parent or adoption applicants to accept sexual-orientation or gender-identity policies that conflict with their religious or moral beliefs, or rejecting them over those beliefs; religious agencies under state contract need not provide services contrary to their beliefs.
Apr 21, 2026 · Passed 28–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Relating to the commission on uniform state laws
Restructures the commission on uniform state laws into three members appointed by the governor, House speaker, and Senate president, sets two-year terms, and requires the commission to report its expenses and recommended legislation.
Mar 9, 2026 · Passed 28–17 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Adds the federal SAVE system to the sources used to verify public assistance eligibility, limits retroactive Medicaid eligibility to two months for pregnant women, children, and nursing facility residents, and requires legislative approval for Medicaid waivers that raise costs or expand coverage.
Apr 30, 2026 · Passed 27–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Apr 13, 2026: Removes the 10-day limit on subacute mental health care stays, requires treatment plans within 24 hours of admission, sets deadlines for Medicaid prior-authorization decisions, creates a bed-tracking system for children's psychiatric institutions, and directs a review of adding services at the Independence mental health institute.
Apr 1, 2026 · Passed 29–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Replaces the premium tax on health maintenance organizations with a new health care-related tax, transfers about $347 million from the taxpayer relief fund to the general fund, and adds $89 million to Medicaid for the fiscal year ending June 2026.
Mar 24, 2026 · Passed 26–19 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Relating to pesticides, by providing for tort liability
Provides that an EPA-approved pesticide label, or one consistent with EPA health or cancer assessments, satisfies state-law warning and labeling duties, including common-law failure-to-warn claims, without barring other state-law claims.
Mar 26, 2025 · Passed 26–21 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Creates an annual per-acre fee, starting in 2026, on property tax-exempt forest and fruit-tree reservations: $2 in the owner's home county, $3 in an adjacent county, and a rate based on local farmland taxes elsewhere, paid to the county.
May 13, 2025 · Passed 31–14 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted May 13, 2025: Sets fiscal 2026 budgets for the state agriculture and natural resources departments and related programs from the general fund and other state funds, including animal disease preparedness, water quality and state park upkeep, and keeps money from selling state park land for that park.
May 12, 2025 · Passed 34–14 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Relating to the use of personal flotation devices on personal watercraft
Requires everyone aboard a personal watercraft to wear a life jacket while under way, except passengers 18 or older when the craft is going 10 miles per hour or slower or is in a no-wake zone; violations carry a $30 fine.
Mar 9, 2026 · Passed 29–17 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Creates a statewide urban design and specifications board, coordinated by the Department of Transportation and Iowa State University, to publish design and specifications manuals. Requires a report on added costs before a city council approves a street project that departs from state standards.
Mar 31, 2026 · Passed 28–18 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Apr 30, 2026: Requires a local ordinance before automatic license plate readers are used, limits use to state-approved readers, bans facial recognition with them, requires logged searches tied to a case number, limits data sharing, and requires deleting images within 30 days unless relevant to a criminal case.
Mar 10, 2026 · Passed 30–15 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Appropriates FY 2026-27 money to the Economic Development Authority, Finance Authority, Workforce Development, and regents universities, and codifies the housing renewal program, with repayments retained by the nonprofit Iowa affiliate for new awards.
Apr 28, 2026 · Passed 30–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Relating to county zoning ordinances governing residential buildings
Bars county boards of supervisors from restricting construction or development of residential buildings through zoning, allowing only regulations necessary for the safety of life or property.
Mar 3, 2026 · Passed 28–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Changes rental and eviction law: allows notices by door posting plus email with the recipient's written consent, extends the peaceable-possession bar on eviction suits from 30 to 60 days, and requires sealing eviction court records in set cases.
May 12, 2025 · Passed 34–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Relating to the Iowa communications network, and including effective date provisions
Directs the Department of Management to sell the Iowa Communications Network as soon as feasible, keeping service to current contracted users for at least 10 years, and ends limits on which entities the network may serve starting July 1, 2027.
Mar 3, 2026 · Passed 30–14 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Apr 30, 2026: Requires a local ordinance before automatic license plate readers are used, limits use to state-approved readers, bans facial recognition with them, requires logged searches tied to a case number, limits data sharing, and requires deleting images within 30 days unless relevant to a criminal case.
Mar 10, 2026 · Passed 30–15 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Apr 22, 2026: Extends the sales tax exemption on central office and transmission equipment bought by phone, cable, wireless and similar providers to equipment used to provide internet access, and drops the requirement that the equipment be used primarily for telecommunications.
Apr 20, 2026 · Passed 33–11 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Relating to veterans services and making appropriations
As introduced, lets recognized veterans service organizations represent veterans in VA claims, ties county veterans-office grants to performance after the first year, requires a statewide electronic claims system, and raises the veterans trust fund threshold for sharing lottery money with counties from $50 million to $75 million.
Mar 10, 2026 · Passed 34–12 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Mar 23, 2026: Bars state licensing of hospitals and other health care facilities owned by the governments or citizens of China, Russia or North Korea, or by companies majority-owned by those governments or their citizens.
Mar 25, 2025 · Passed 47–1 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Voted against most of their party on 1 of 181 party-divided votes on file.
Relating to speed limits, including the speed limit range for which certain excessive speed violations cannot be considered for certain purposes and the default speed limit for all vehicular traffic, and making penalties applicable
What it does: Raises the default speed limit from 55 to 60 mph and extends to zones up to 60 mph the rule that a driver's first two speeding violations of 10 mph or less in 12 months are not counted against them.
Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 3–13, Republicans 25–3
Apr 22, 2026Official record ↗
The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank
With most of their party · Passed 27–16 · Yes 27–No 16 · Democrats 0–16, Republicans 27–0
Apr 30, 2026Official record ↗
Relating to the approval and publication of meeting minutes of county boards of supervisors
With most of their party · Passed 29–17 · Yes 29–No 17 · Democrats 0–17, Republicans 29–0
Mar 10, 2026Official record ↗
Relating to the use of personal flotation devices on personal watercraft
With most of their party · Passed 29–17 · Yes 29–No 17 · Democrats 0–17, Republicans 29–0
Mar 9, 2026Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 28–20 · Yes 28–No 20 · Democrats 0–17, Republicans 28–3
Feb 10, 2026Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 28–16 · Yes 28–No 16 · Democrats 0–16, Republicans 28–0
Apr 21, 2026Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 28–16 · Yes 28–No 16 · Democrats 0–16, Republicans 28–0
Apr 20, 2026Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 30–17 · Yes 30–No 17 · Democrats 0–17, Republicans 30–0
Apr 14, 2026Official record ↗
Repealing certain programs and other matters relating to higher education
With most of their party · Passed 30–17 · Yes 30–No 17 · Democrats 0–17, Republicans 30–0
Apr 14, 2026Official record ↗
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
Motion: Shall the bill pass?
Lets the state award one business a tax credit of up to 10% of its investment, paid over ten years, for a major project in a county of 50,000 people or fewer, instead of up to 5% credits for two businesses; credits are refundable and transferable.
Motion: Shall amendment S–5262 be adopted?
Amends the bill to require businesses receiving major economic growth attraction program incentives to stay neutral in any labor union organizing effort for the agreement term and maintenance period. (AI-written)
Lets the state give one business investing over $1 billion in a county of 50,000 people or fewer a tax credit of up to 10% of the investment, paid over ten years, instead of 5% credits for two businesses.
Motion: Shall amendment S–5261 be adopted?
Lets the state give one business investing over $1 billion in a county of 50,000 people or fewer a tax credit of up to 10% of the investment, paid over ten years, instead of 5% credits for two businesses.
Motion: Shall the bill pass?
Makes wide-ranging changes to state law and budgets, including corrections to 2026 acts, limits on standing appropriations, an insurer tax credit for health care access, a civil litigation abuse lawsuit, required American history and government courses at state universities, and judicial salary changes.
Motion: Shall the bill pass?
Requires an in-person exam screening for coercion or abuse before an abortion, requires doctors to obtain signed forms and disclose specific risks before prescribing abortion pills, requires in-person dispensing in a health care setting, and lets women sue unlawful dispensers not licensed in medicine or pharmacy.
Motion: Shall the bill pass?
Replaces most homeowners' homestead property tax credit with an exemption of 10% of taxable value, from $5,500 to $20,000, starting in 2026, limits county and city general levies and other rate-limited levies to 2% yearly growth, and creates FirstHome Iowa savings accounts.
Motion: Shall the bill pass?
Prohibits warrant resolution clinics, events letting people with outstanding warrants resolve them without immediate arrest. Makes knowing violations simple misdemeanors, adds removal from office for officials and civil penalties up to $10,000 for private organizers, and overrides local policies.
Motion: Shall the bill pass?
On the version voted Mar 31, 2026: Requires foundations affiliated with the University of Iowa, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa to invest at least 1 percent of endowment assets in state-certified innovation funds by July 1, 2027, with one-year waivers from the foundation board and annual reporting.
Motion: Shall the bill pass?
Bars the governor from closing or regulating places of worship for any reason, and bars disaster proclamations from changing election rules without legislative approval, regulating conduct in private homes, or requiring vaccinations; health-disaster orders may only recommend business closures.
Motion: Shall the bill pass?
Requires thoroughbred and quarter horse racing seasons to be separate, non-overlapping meets, with no races for both breeds on the same day, unless the breed owners' associations and the Polk County track licensee agree in writing to a mixed meet.
Showing 10 of 261 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.