Iowa Legislature approves constitutional amendment for governor's line of succession. What it means:

If Iowa's lieutenant governor assumes the role of governor, he or she would be allowed to appoint a new lieutenant under a constitutional amendment passed by the Iowa Legislature.

The proposed change comes after Gov. Kim Reynolds assumed office in 2017 amid legal confusion over how Iowa's gubernatorial line of succession works. The constitutional amendment would establish that a lieutenant governor who ascends to the governor's office has the power to appoint a new lieutenant governor behind them.

The Iowa Senate passed the constitutional amendment in a unanimous vote on Wednesday, marking its final passage through the legislative branch.

The proposed amendment will appear on Iowa ballots in November 2024. If a majority of Iowa voters approve, the new rules for succession will be enacted.

Resignation of Gov. Terry Branstad prompts lieutenant governor snafu

Gov. Terry Branstad's resignation in 2017 sparked a constitutional dispute over who should fill in behind the lieutenant governor.

When Branstad stepped down to become ambassador to China, his lieutenant governor, Kim Reynolds, assumed the office. However, the Iowa attorney general issued a legal opinion that Reynolds did not have the authority to appoint a new lieutenant governor for the remainder of the term.

She eventually appointed Adam Gregg, the state's public defender. But in deference to the legal opinion, Gregg said he would not assume the governor's office if Reynolds stepped down — instead, then-Senate President Jack Whitver would take over.

Reynolds and Gregg won reelection in 2018, allowing Gregg to fully take on the role of lieutenant governor. Since then, the Republican-led Legislature has been working to change the state constitution and give lieutenant governors the power to appoint someone new after they assume the governor's office.

Reynolds declined to comment for this story.

Proposed amendment passes three rounds of Capitol debate after bureaucratic error

Under Iowa law, two consecutive two-year general assemblies must approve a proposed constitutional amendment before it appears on the ballot. Then, a majority of Iowans must vote in favor for the amendment to be enacted.

However, Wednesday's passage marks the third time that a general assembly has approved the gubernatorial succession changes.

Lawmakers first passed a gubernatorial succession amendment in 2018. However, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate failed to publish a notice in Iowa newspapers about the proposed amendment, requiring lawmakers to begin the process anew.

The House and Senate passed the amendment in 2022 and again this year.

Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at kakin@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Proposed amendment on gubernatorial line of succession passes Iowa Legislature, goes to ballots