John Forbes
Democratic · IA
John Forbes is a pharmacist who owned Medicap Pharmacies in the Des Moines area and served six terms in the Iowa House, retiring in 2024. He says his priorities include mental health care, housing, clean water, and property taxes.
Where John Forbes stands, based on their records
Supports
Healthcare Affordability (3 records), Environment and Public Health (1 record), Public Safety and Crime Control (4 records),
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (1 support · 1 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Healthcare Affordability
Healthcare Affordability · 3 support
Introduced House File 2002 as lead sponsor, creating a state public health insurance option called Healthy Iowans for a Public Option. It died in committee.
January 11, 2018Supports Healthcare Affordability
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Introduced House File 252 as sole sponsor, to improve patient transfers from hospitals to nursing homes. It died in committee.
February 16, 2015Supports Healthcare Affordability
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted yes on Senate File 446, the state health budget that created the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan to cover low-income adults. It passed the House 80-17.
May 23, 2013Supports Healthcare Affordability
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 1 support
Introduced House File 2296 as sole sponsor, allowing vending machines that hand out harm reduction supplies to people who use drugs. It died in committee.
February 5, 2024Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 1 support · 1 oppose
Voted no on House File 68, which created education savings accounts that use state money to pay private school tuition. It passed the House 55-45.
January 23, 2023Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted yes on Senate File 446, the state health budget that created the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan to cover low-income adults. It passed the House 80-17.
May 23, 2013Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 4 support
Introduced House File 2497 as sole sponsor, raising penalties for drivers who pass a stopped school bus. It died in committee.
February 14, 2024Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Introduced House File 326 as sole sponsor, to ban the sale and use of consumer fireworks in Iowa. It died in committee.
February 15, 2023Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted yes on House File 2647, which banned most police chokeholds and tightened officer certification and misconduct rules. It passed 98-0.
June 11, 2020Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Introduced House File 2092 as sole sponsor, requiring minors to wear helmets on motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. It died in committee.
January 25, 2018Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support
Voted yes on Senate File 257, which raised the state gas tax by 10 cents a gallon to pay for roads and bridges. It passed the House 53-46.
February 24, 2015Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Track record — General
General · 19 records
Received the Iowa Unity Coalition endorsement for Polk County Supervisor District 1.
April 22, 2026
Source: iowaunitycoalition.com
Voted yes on Senate File 2442, which lowered Iowa income tax to a single 3.8% rate. It passed the House 68-24.
April 19, 2024
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted yes on Senate File 2340, which made it a state crime for some immigrants to reenter Iowa after deportation. It passed the House 64-30.
March 19, 2024
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted no on House File 2612, which cut funding to area education agencies and changed their duties serving special education students. It passed 53-41.
February 29, 2024
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted no on Senate File 542, which let teens work more hours and in more kinds of jobs. It passed the House 60-34.
May 2, 2023
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted no on Senate File 538, which banned gender transition treatments such as puberty blockers and surgery for minors. It passed the House 58-39.
March 8, 2023
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted no on House File 2317, which phased in a single 3.9% state income tax rate. It passed 61-34.
February 24, 2022
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted no on House File 756, which let adults carry handguns without a permit. It passed 60-37.
March 17, 2021
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted no on Senate File 413, which shortened early voting and tightened absentee ballot rules. It passed the House 57-37.
February 24, 2021
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Became the ranking Democrat on the House health and human services budget subcommittee, a post he held until leaving office in January 2025.
November 27, 2019
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted yes on House File 732, which expanded the state medical cannabis program. It passed 96-3; the governor later vetoed it.
March 26, 2019
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted no on Senate File 2417, a package of state income tax cuts and tax law changes. It passed the House 54-32.
May 5, 2018
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted no on Senate File 359, which banned most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. It passed the House 51-46.
May 1, 2018
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted no on House File 295, which barred cities and counties from setting their own minimum wage. It passed 56-41.
March 9, 2017
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted no on House File 291, which sharply limited collective bargaining for most public employees. It passed 53-47.
February 16, 2017
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted no on Senate File 2323, the state budget for the Department of Education and state universities. It passed the House 52-41.
April 21, 2016
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Introduced House File 470 as lead sponsor, to allow growing and selling industrial hemp. It died in committee.
March 4, 2015
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Introduced House File 392 as sole sponsor, on state certification of outpatient diabetes education programs. It died in committee.
February 25, 2015
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Voted yes on Senate File 2360, which legalized cannabis oil (cannabidiol) for people with severe epilepsy. It passed the House 77-20.
April 30, 2014
Source: legis.iowa.gov
Past race John Forbes ran in:
- County Supervisor District 1 · November 3, 2026 · Polk County, Iowa