2026/01/01

Eye Opener: New Iowa laws for the new year; 1 dead in downtown Des Moines shooting

It's Thursday, Jan. 1. Happy New Year!

Today's emoji forecast: ☁️ Colder weather has settled in for New Year's Day, with warmer conditions returning for the weekend. David Koeller has your forecast.

What people are talking about:

One person has died and another is in the hospital after two unrelated shootings early on New Year's Day in Des Moines. Here's what we know
Today is the start of a new era at Omaha-based Berkshire Hathaway, where Iowan Greg Abel takes over as CEO for the legendary Warren Buffett.
We told you yesterday that late Iowa car dealer Carl Moyer's classic auto collection is going to auction. Now you can check out the list of cars being sold.

TOP STORY: New Iowa laws for the new year

THE 101: The new year brings new rules across Iowa. Starting Jan. 1, 2026, a slate of new state laws passed during the 2025 legislative session will officially take effect, touching everything from voting procedures and insurance coverage to taxes on sports betting winnings and small business reporting requirements.

WHY IT MATTERS: While some of the changes affect specific industries or government operations, others could directly impact everyday Iowans, including voters, homeowners, and families navigating health care.

NEW LAWS INCLUDE ...

SNAP food restrictions: A new state law bars the use of EBT cards to buy sugary foods such as soda and candy and will restrict purchases of some prepared foods.
Autism insurance coverage: House File 330 updates state insurance rules to remove annual and lifetime dollar caps on autism coverage in group plans covered under Iowa law. That means insurers can no longer cut off autism benefits once a family reaches a specific spending limit.
Hands-Free driving: While it has been illegal since July to hold a phone or other mobile device while driving, law enforcement has only handed out warnings. That changes today, when drivers caught holding their phone behind the wheel can face a $100 fine.
Changes to Iowa election laws: House File 954 updates dozens of sections of Iowa election law, affecting everything from how ballots are counted to how candidates file paperwork. One of the most significant changes is that Iowa law now explicitly bans ranked-choice voting and instant runoff voting in all elections.
LIST: Here are the new laws going into effect across Iowa in 2026

4 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

🏈 Transfer tracker: Abu Sama, the last remaining starter on Iowa State's roster, announced that he would enter the transfer portal. Read more

🪿 Bird rehab overwhelmed by avian flu calls: Growing reports of sick and dead waterfowl across Iowa are driving a wave of worried calls and texts to the state's wildlife rehabilitators — especially around the Des Moines metro. Read more

🚘 Why more Americans are falling behind on car payments: Auto delinquencies have reached their highest level on record. Here is what's driving the spike and what it could mean for the economy.

❤️ News we love: From heroic rescues to viral acts of kindness, revisit some of the most uplifting stories that warmed our hearts, made us smile, or left us in amazement in 2025.

Hawkeyes cap 2025 season with bowl victory

Iowa outlasted Vanderbilt 34-27 in the ReliaQuest Bowl yesterday in Tampa, Florida.

The Hawkeyes got big performances from QB Mark Gronowski (212 passing yards and 2 passing touchdowns; 54 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown) and TE DJ Vonnahme (career-high 146 receiving yards and a touchdown) to keep pace with Vanderbilt's dangerous offense. Iowa's defense sacked Heisman runner-up Diego Pavia four times and got key stops to build its lead.

Iowa ends the year 9-4. The win also snapped Iowa's four-year streak of losses to ranked teams. Kirk Ferentz now owns 11 bowl game victories, which breaks a tie with Joe Paterno for the most bowl wins as a Big Ten coach.

GAME RECAP: