Two-Thirds Legislative Vote Requirement for Income Tax Increase Bills Amendment
Iowa Ballot Measure - Senate Joint Resolution 11
Election: Nov. 3, 2026 (General)
Outcome: Pending
Categories:
TaxesSummary
Amendment 1 would require a two-thirds (66.67%) vote of both chambers of the state legislature to pass a bill that would increase the individual or corporate income tax rate or create a new income tax. Amendment 1 would not require local option taxes to be approved by a two-thirds majority.
Amendment 1 would also require a two-thirds vote of both chambers of the state legislature to pass a bill that would create a new tax on legal and special reserves. Legal and special reserves are funds that Iowa credit unions are required to maintain as a financial safeguard against risks and losses.
Under Amendment 1, if a lawsuit is filed challenging the enactment of any bill, claiming that it should have required a two-thirds majority but did not receive it, the lawsuit must be filed within one year of the bill's enactment. The amendment would require bills that need a two-thirds majority to include a provision that describes the requirement.
Measure Text
Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is proposed:
The Constitution of the State of Iowa is amended by adding the following new section to new Article XIII:
ARTICLE XIII.
TAXATION LIMITATIONS.
Section 1. Two-thirds majority vote for state tax law changes. Passage of a bill that increases the individual income tax rate or the corporate income tax rate, or the rate of any other type of tax based upon income or legal and special reserves, shall require the affirmative votes of at least two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the general assembly. This requirement does not apply to taxes imposed at the option of a local government. Passage of a bill that establishes a new tax on any type of income or legal and special reserves imposed by the state shall require the affirmative votes of at least two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the general assembly. A lawsuit challenging the proper enactment of a bill under this section must be filed no later than one year following the enactment. If such a lawsuit is not filed within the one-year limit, the bill shall be considered properly enacted under this section. Each bill to which this section applies must include a separate provision describing the requirements for enactment prescribed by this section. The general assembly shall enact laws to implement this section.
Resources
Official Summary
Full Text
Source