IA · Officeholder
RState Senator · District 5
On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: Iowa Senate District 5
Dave Rowley, a Republican, represents District 5 in the Iowa Senate; the Iowa Legislature's biography, which lists Rowley as David D. Rowley, lists Rowley as serving a second term.[1]
The biography describes Rowley as a retired insurance agent and musician, singer and songwriter, a past president of Independent Insurance Agents of Iowa, and a 2024 inductee of the Iowa Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame.[1] It lists a B.A. in psychology from the University of Iowa, and says Rowley was born in 1954 in Cedar Rapids and has lived in Spirit Lake since moving there in 1996.[1]
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-19.
Dave Rowley is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Iowa Senate District 5 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
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 ↗
Modifying the major economic growth attraction program, and including effective date provisions
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.
Oct 2, 2026 · Failed 16–29 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Appropriates money for fiscal year 2025-26 to state administration and regulation agencies, including Revenue, Secretary of State, Auditor and Insurance, and sends captive insurance premium taxes to the Captive Insurance Regulatory and Supervision Fund.
May 14, 2025 · Passed 31–15 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
On the version voted Apr 8, 2025: Sets 2% growth in state per-pupil school aid and categorical funding for the 2025-26 school year, adds $5 to per-pupil cost that year, changes property tax replacement payments to districts, and raises the cap on shared-operations funding from 21 to 25 extra pupils.
Feb 11, 2025 · Passed 29–18 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Mar 18, 2025: Redefines school harassment and bullying as repeated, targeted conduct creating an objectively hostile school environment, no longer requiring it be based on a student trait or characteristic, and strikes the definition of "trait or characteristic."
Apr 29, 2025 · Passed 32–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Apr 17, 2025: Requires human growth and development instruction in grades 5 through 12 to include fetal development, an ultrasound video, and imagery of prenatal development from fertilization, and bars materials produced or provided by entities that perform or promote abortions.
Apr 28, 2025 · Passed 33–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
On the version voted Mar 18, 2025: Bars state entities, including local governments and community colleges, from spending money on diversity, equity, and inclusion offices or officers, and bars private colleges from having such offices or lose tuition grant eligibility; lets the attorney general, students, alumni, or employees seek enforcement.
May 9, 2025 · Passed 34–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Relating to open meetings and open records, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable
On the version voted Apr 23, 2025: Raises damages for officials who violate the open meetings law to $500–$2,500, or $5,000–$12,500 if knowing, requires new members of government bodies to take open-government training within 90 days, and makes legislative security camera and state keycard access records confidential.
Apr 17, 2025 · Passed 32–15 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Changes the Board of Corrections' role from approving to advising on the corrections director's budget, rules, and appointments of institution superintendents and district directors, and shifts some board duties to the director.
Apr 17, 2025 · Passed 32–15 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Relating to the provision of information relating to immunization exemptions
Requires information on immunization exemptions and their requirements in state vaccine recommendation communications, in school, child care and college communications about immunizations, and on school and child care websites and registration documents.
Apr 29, 2025 · Passed 32–16 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Sets fiscal 2026 state funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Health and Human Services, including Medicaid, Hawki, child care assistance and the veterans home, and bars Medicaid funds from paying for gender-transition surgery or hormone therapy.
May 14, 2025 · Passed 31–15 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Relating to the right to refuse certain medical services for reasons of conscience
Lets individuals refuse, for reasons of conscience, medical services declared a countermeasure under the federal PREP Act or given an FDA emergency use authorization; bars employers and officials from penalizing them; and allows lawsuits for violations.
Mar 26, 2025 · Passed 32–15 · 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
On the version voted Mar 26, 2025: Bars drivers from holding or using electronic devices unless in voice-activated or hands-free mode, raises the fine from $45 to $100, makes a violation a moving violation, and requires officers to issue only warnings until January 1, 2026.
Mar 18, 2025 · Failed 13–35 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Relating to the default speed limit for all vehicular traffic, and making penalties applicable
On the version voted Apr 22, 2026: 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.
Mar 18, 2025 · Passed 36–12 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Relating to vehicles operating with a permit for excessive size or weight, and providing fees
Lets oversize and overweight permit vehicles use primary and secondary roads unless a local authority designates a road off-limits, subject to state review; raises the permitted weight overage to 12.5%; and allows single-trip registration at $4 per ton over 40 tons.
May 14, 2025 · Passed 44–1 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Changes the ban on flying drones over others' farms to cover flights, without the owner's consent, within 400 feet of farm animals, equipment or structures on farmsteads outside city limits with at least $15,000 in farm sales the prior year, and broadens what counts as drone surveillance.
Apr 28, 2025 · Passed 42–8 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Bars state and local agencies from releasing Iowa drivers' or vehicle owners' personal information for use in collecting fines from out-of-state traffic cameras, and requires anyone requesting information by license plate number to state the reason under penalty of perjury, starting January 1, 2026.
Mar 26, 2025 · Passed 40–7 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
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 ↗
Requires state building code rule proposals to include a report on estimated effects on home construction costs, and bars cities and counties from requiring licenses or fees for general contractors and subcontractors or imposing construction-site stormwater rules stricter than plat approval.
Mar 25, 2025 · Passed 37–12 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
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 2 of 98 party-divided votes on file.
Relating to hazardous liquid pipelines, including common carrier requirements, proceedings under the Iowa utilities commission, including commission member attendance at hearings and informational meetings, including allowing certain persons to intervene in such proceedings, including sanctions on intervenors in contested cases, and permit, permit renewal, and operation limitations, and including effective date and applicability provisions
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 14–1, Republicans 13–21
May 12, 2025Official record ↗
Relating to hazardous liquid pipelines, including common carrier requirements, proceedings under the Iowa utilities commission, including commission member attendance at hearings and informational meetings, including allowing certain persons to intervene in such proceedings, including sanctions on intervenors in contested cases, and permit, permit renewal, and operation limitations, and including effective date and applicability provisions
Amends the bill to set rules for permits for electric power plants, transmission lines, and pipelines, including commissioners attending hearings, objection filing, operator liability for drainage tile and crop damage, and farmland restoration standards. (AI-written)
Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 0–16, Republicans 22–12
May 12, 2025Official record ↗
The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank
Relating to pesticides, by providing for tort liability
With most of their party · Passed 26–21 · Yes 26–No 21 · Democrats 0–15, Republicans 26–6
Mar 26, 2025Official record ↗
Relating to unemployment insurance taxes on employers
With most of their party · Failed 16–31 · Yes 16–No 31 · Democrats 16–0, Republicans 0–31
May 14, 2025Official record ↗
Modifying the major economic growth attraction program, and including effective date provisions
With most of their party · Failed 16–29 · Yes 16–No 29 · Democrats 15–0, Republicans 1–29
Oct 2, 2026Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 29–18 · Yes 29–No 18 · Democrats 0–15, Republicans 29–3
Feb 11, 2025Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 32–16 · Yes 32–No 16 · Democrats 0–16, Republicans 32–0
Apr 29, 2025Official record ↗
Relating to the provision of information relating to immunization exemptions
With most of their party · Passed 32–16 · Yes 32–No 16 · Democrats 0–16, Republicans 32–0
Apr 29, 2025Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 33–16 · Yes 33–No 16 · Democrats 0–16, Republicans 33–0
Apr 28, 2025Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 31–15 · Yes 31–No 15 · Democrats 0–15, Republicans 31–0
May 14, 2025Official 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.