From Pages to AI Pioneers
Iowa’s legislative process just got a high-tech makeover. Behind the scenes at the state capitol, artificial intelligence has quietly slipped into the workflow of policy makers. Not with a bang, but with a few keystrokes. The 2025 legislative session marks the first time Iowa has employed AI tools for bill tracking and analysis, putting the Hawkeye State on a growing list of tech-forward governments.
The future arrived silently in Iowa’s capitol, with AI transforming lawmaking through simple keystrokes rather than revolutionary fanfare.
The brains behind this innovation? A homegrown AI program called Legible. Its creators, Zack Krawiec and Kasey Clary, aren’t just random tech bros with a startup dream. They actually worked as pages and clerks in the Iowa legislature. They saw the problems firsthand—the endless paperwork, the missed opportunities, the headaches. So they built something better.
House caucus staff and even the governor’s office have jumped on board. They’re using the system to monitor and evaluate legislation more efficiently. About time. The old ways were slow. Tedious. Mind-numbing. With AI market growth expected to reach $1.81 trillion by 2030, government adoption was inevitable.
Iowa isn’t alone in this AI experiment. California and Utah are already using similar systems. The race to modernize state government is on, and Iowa doesn’t want to be left in the digital dust.
Meanwhile, the policy side is catching up to the tech. Representative Ray Sorensen introduced House Study Bill 294, Iowa’s first formal attempt to address artificial intelligence. As chair of the Economic Growth & Technology Committee, he’s pushing to educate fellow lawmakers about AI’s potential while balancing governance and innovation. Good luck with that tightrope walk.
Outside the capitol, the Technology Association of Iowa has formed an AI Policy Subcommittee. It’s packed with tech executives and government affairs types—the folks who actually understand how this stuff works. Novel concept. The subcommittee aims to position Iowa as a champion of responsible AI use while maintaining the state’s competitiveness.
By March 31, 2025, Iowa’s Enterprise PY-AI policy takes effect. It covers everything from generative AI to contracts and usage guidelines. Sounds boring, but it’s critical for transparency and responsible deployment.
The state’s Department of Government Efficiency has even launched an AI task force led by Emily Schmitt from Sukup Manufacturing. Their mission: optimize state services within six months. Ambitious. We’ll see.
Dozens of states introduced AI legislation in 2024 covering ethics, business use, and consumer protections. Iowa’s not leading the pack, but it’s not trailing at the back either. They’re in the race. And in politics, sometimes that’s enough. With more than 2,000 pieces of legislation introduced during the session, these AI tools have become increasingly necessary to manage the overwhelming workload.
