IA · Officeholder
RState Representative · District 99
On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: Iowa House District 99
Matt Rinker, listed by Ballotpedia as Matthew Rinker, is a Republican state representative from Iowa House District 99 who has served since January 2023 and is seeking re-election on November 3, 2026.[1][2] Ballotpedia lists his career experience as business owner and insurance agent, and he served in the U.S. Navy from 2004 to 2008.[1]
Matt Rinker was born in Burlington, Iowa, and graduated from Burlington Community High School in 2003.[1] He served in the U.S. Navy from 2004 to 2008, earned an associate degree in general studies from Southeastern Community College in 2010, and earned a bachelor's degree in political science and government from Western Illinois University.[1] His career experience includes owning a business and working as an insurance agent.[1]
Rinker lost the June 2, 2020 Republican primary for Iowa State Senate District 44 to Tim Goodwin.[1] He defeated incumbent Democrat Dennis Cohoon in the November 8, 2022 general election for Iowa House District 99, and won re-election over Jim Beres on November 5, 2024.[1] For 2025-2026 Ballotpedia shows him assigned to the Labor, Public Safety and House Veterans Affairs committees.[1] He advanced from the June 2, 2026 Republican primary and faces Democrat Jennifer Kirkman in the general election.[1]
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.
Matt Rinker is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Iowa House District 99 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
Allows school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to employ chaplains, or engage unpaid chaplains, to support students without a state license; bars requiring students to use them or using a chaplain instead of a school counselor.
Mar 26, 2025 · Passed 57–39 · against most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Establishing a center for intellectual freedom at the university of Iowa
Establishes a center for intellectual freedom at the University of Iowa to teach and research ideas shaping the American constitutional order, offer free speech and civil discourse programming, and offer an American history and civil government course.
Mar 18, 2025 · Passed 60–37 · against most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Requires regents universities to set general education requirements totaling at most 37 credit hours, including western and American heritage, and bars those courses from distorting historical events or teaching identity politics or that systemic racism or privilege is inherent in U.S. or Iowa institutions.
Mar 18, 2025 · Passed 61–36 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Directs the state to seek federal approval to limit food stamp (SNAP) purchases to healthy foods, and, once approved, provides $1 million in grants for the Double Up Food Bucks program, which helps SNAP recipients buy fruits and vegetables.
Mar 26, 2025 · Passed 56–40 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Mar 24, 2026: 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 19, 2026 · Passed 53–40 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Directs the Department of Health and Human Services to seek federal approval to require Iowa Health and Wellness Plan members to work at least 80 hours a month, with listed exemptions, and to align work rules across public assistance programs.
Mar 26, 2025 · Passed 61–35 · against most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Designating kratom as a schedule I controlled substance, and making penalties applicable
Adds kratom, including its plant parts, synthetic equivalents and compounds such as mitragynine, to the state's list of schedule I controlled substances, making possession a serious misdemeanor for a first offense, with harsher penalties for repeat offenses.
Mar 17, 2026 · Failed 44–51 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Changes how criminal fines are divided, from 91% for the state court administrator and 9% for counties to 85% and 8%, sending the remaining 7% to a new victim restitution fund run by the Department of Justice.
Apr 23, 2025 · Failed 35–58 · against most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Bars regents universities from requiring students to take, or faculty to include or be trained in, diversity, equity, inclusion and critical race theory content as defined. Lets the regents exempt racial, ethnic and gender studies programs and the attorney general seek a court order.
Mar 18, 2025 · Passed 63–34 · against most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Designating kratom as a schedule I controlled substance, and making penalties applicable
Adds kratom, including its plant parts, synthetic equivalents and compounds such as mitragynine, to the state's list of schedule I controlled substances, making possession a serious misdemeanor for a first offense, with harsher penalties for repeat offenses.
Mar 17, 2026 · Failed 44–51 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Directs the state to seek federal approval to limit food stamp (SNAP) purchases to healthy foods, and, once approved, provides $1 million in grants for the Double Up Food Bucks program, which helps SNAP recipients buy fruits and vegetables.
Mar 26, 2025 · Passed 56–40 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Mar 24, 2026: 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 19, 2026 · Passed 53–40 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Sets state rules for on-farm anaerobic digesters tied to livestock feeding operations, requiring Department of Natural Resources construction permits with fees up to $250, design standards, separation distances, and plans for spreading digestate on cropland, with violations subject to existing penalties.
Apr 17, 2025 · Failed 32–60 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
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 13, 2025 · Failed 29–62 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted May 2, 2026: Sets fiscal 2027 budgets for the state agriculture and natural resources departments and related programs, adds $18 million from the infrastructure fund for water treatment aid and a new rural infrastructure bank loan fund, and raises the maximum water treatment grant to $1 million.
May 1, 2026 · Failed 27–59 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Creates Gadsden flag "Don't Tread on Me" license plates with a $50 issuance fee and $50 annual fee, sending proceeds to state grants for firearm safety and right-to-bear-arms education, and drops the requirement that plate frames leave the county name visible.
May 12, 2025 · Failed 31–58 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Mar 31, 2026: 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 4, 2026 · Passed 61–36 · against most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Requires school bus drivers to hold a commercial license with passenger and school bus endorsements, makes a state-approved driver course required only if the school district requires it, and counts federal entry-level driver training as an approved course.
May 8, 2025 · Passed 64–20 · 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 57–32 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
As introduced, repeals the Iowa smart planning principles and the requirement that cities and counties consider them when developing or amending comprehensive plans and land development regulations.
Mar 4, 2026 · Passed 72–25 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Relating to the ability of property owners to protest proposed changes in zoning districts
On the version voted Apr 29, 2026: Repeals the right of property owners to file a written protest against a proposed zoning district change, which currently requires a three-fourths council vote to override when filed by owners of 20 percent of nearby land.
Apr 8, 2026 · Passed 75–18 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Requires community college boards and the Board of Regents to adopt policies barring, and bars other Iowa degree-granting colleges from, new employment contracts starting July 1, 2026, with H-1B visa holders who are citizens of federally designated foreign adversary nations or state sponsors of terrorism.
Mar 3, 2026 · Failed 29–65 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Modifying provisions related to the national guard service scholarship program
On the version voted Apr 9, 2025: Caps National Guard service scholarships at the member's tuition minus federal military tuition aid received, and removes the rule that awards cannot depend on a member's unit, drill location or Army versus Air Guard branch.
Jan 30, 2025 · Failed 31–68 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Relating to the applicability of actions of certain international organizations
Declares that actions of the United Nations, its agencies and the World Economic Forum are not binding in Iowa, bars state and local governments from enforcing them, and requires the attorney general to seek court orders against violations.
May 12, 2025 · Passed 89–1 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
On the version voted Apr 28, 2025: 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 8, 2025 · Passed 89–7 · 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 21, 2025 · Passed 87–4 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Requires websites and apps where a third or more of content is pornographic for minors to verify users' ages, bars keeping or sharing verification data, and lets the attorney general seek fines of up to $1,000 per violation, capped at $10,000 a day.
Apr 30, 2026 · Passed 82–2 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Voted against most of their party on 39 of 253 party-divided votes on file.
Most often on: Jobs & cost of living (16), Education & families (15), Rights & public safety (9)
Relating to state and local government taxes, fees, financial authority, and budgets, by modifying property assessment provisions, divisions of revenue, and funding from the secure an advanced vision for education fund, establishing a program for first-time homebuyers, modifying and making appropriations, and including effective date, applicability, and retroactive applicability provisions
What it does: On the version voted May 3, 2026: 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…
Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 4–20, Republicans 58–2
May 2, 2026Official record ↗
Relating to state and local government and finances, including by making, modifying, limiting, or reducing appropriations, distributions, or transfers, authorizing expenditure of unappropriated moneys in special funds, making corrections, and providing for properly related matters including the national electrical code, local civil rights laws, political party state central committees, noxious weeds, nonresident deer hunting licenses, proprietary treatment systems, poultry associations, tax c...
What it does: On the version voted May 3, 2026: 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 litig…
Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 1–23, Republicans 57–3
May 2, 2026Official record ↗
Relating to state government and finances, including by making corrections, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions
Amends the bill to remove its division that changes the 2023 National Electrical Code for Iowa homes (such as dropping arc-fault interrupter requirements) and bars local electrical codes stricter than the national code. (AI-written)
What it does: On the version voted May 3, 2026: 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 litig…
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 24–0, Republicans 4–56
May 2, 2026Official record ↗
Relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, department of education, state board of regents, and department of workforce development, and modifying provisions related to the Iowa special education council, the school budget review committee, and the calculation of basic enrollment, and including applicability provisions
What it does: Appropriates FY 2026-27 money to the Department for the Blind, Department of Education, and regents universities. Caps the at-risk children appropriation at $10,524,389, sets the work-study appropriation to zero, and…
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 24–0, Republicans 6–55
Apr 30, 2026Official record ↗
Relating to retention and recertification elections for public employee collective bargaining units and including effective date and applicability provisions
What it does: Requires public employers to give the Employment Appeal Board a list of employees in a union bargaining unit within 10 days of notice of a retention and recertification election, and lets any Iowa resident ask a court…
Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 0–27, Republicans 56–7
Apr 28, 2026Official record ↗
The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank
Designating kratom as a schedule I controlled substance, and making penalties applicable
With most of their party · Failed 44–51 · Yes 44–No 51 · Democrats 30–0, Republicans 14–51
Mar 17, 2026Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 56–40 · Yes 56–No 40 · Democrats 0–32, Republicans 56–8
Mar 26, 2025Official record ↗
Against most of their party · Failed 35–58 · Yes 35–No 58 · Democrats 32–0, Republicans 3–58
Apr 23, 2025Official record ↗
Against most of their party · Passed 57–39 · Yes 57–No 39 · Democrats 0–32, Republicans 57–7
Mar 26, 2025Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 53–40 · Yes 53–No 40 · Democrats 0–30, Republicans 53–10
Mar 19, 2026Official record ↗
Establishing a center for intellectual freedom at the university of Iowa
Against most of their party · Passed 60–37 · Yes 60–No 37 · Democrats 0–33, Republicans 60–4
Mar 18, 2025Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 61–36 · Yes 61–No 36 · Democrats 0–33, Republicans 61–3
Mar 18, 2025Official record ↗
Against most of their party · Passed 61–37 · Yes 61–No 37 · Democrats 0–33, Republicans 61–4
Mar 18, 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 the bill pass?
On the version voted May 3, 2026: 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?
On the version voted May 3, 2026: 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 amendment H–8494, to amendment H–8491, be adopted?
Amends the bill to remove its division that changes the 2023 National Electrical Code for Iowa homes (such as dropping arc-fault interrupter requirements) and bars local electrical codes stricter than the national code. (AI-written)
On the version voted May 3, 2026: 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 amendment H–8490 be adopted?
On the version voted Apr 15, 2025: Proposes a state constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds vote of each legislative chamber to raise income tax rates or create a new state income-based tax; it goes to voters in November 2026.
Motion: Shall the rules be suspended to consider amendment H–8488?
On the version voted Apr 15, 2025: Proposes a state constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds vote of each legislative chamber to raise income tax rates or create a new state income-based tax; it goes to voters in November 2026.
Motion: Shall amendment H–8487 be adopted?
On the version voted Apr 15, 2025: Proposes a state constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds vote of each legislative chamber to raise income tax rates or create a new state income-based tax; it goes to voters in November 2026.
Motion: Shall the rules be suspended to consider amendment H–8486?
On the version voted Apr 15, 2025: Proposes a state constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds vote of each legislative chamber to raise income tax rates or create a new state income-based tax; it goes to voters in November 2026.
Motion: Shall the rules be suspended to consider amendment H–8485?
On the version voted Apr 15, 2025: Proposes a state constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds vote of each legislative chamber to raise income tax rates or create a new state income-based tax; it goes to voters in November 2026.
Motion: Shall the rules be suspended to consider amendment H–8484?
On the version voted Apr 15, 2025: Proposes a state constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds vote of each legislative chamber to raise income tax rates or create a new state income-based tax; it goes to voters in November 2026.
Showing 10 of 531 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.