Past Commissioners/Board Members

The Iowa Board of Railroad Commissioners, one of the oldest agencies in Iowa state government, had three elected commissioners who were charged with the duty to regulate railroad passenger and freight rates and operations. This oversight of the network that transported Iowans and their products was critical to pioneer farmers and businesses.

In 1911 the Iowa Legislature established the Office of Commerce Counsel within the Railroad Commission. With the growing use of electricity, the Board was authorized to regulate the location of electric transmission lines in Iowa.  The agency began licensing grain warehouses in Iowa in 1921 and was authorized to regulate passenger and freight rates for intrastate motor truck transportation in 1923. Authority to regulate natural gas pipeline construction was granted in the early 1930s. Because of its expanded authority, the agency was renamed the Iowa State Commerce Commission in 1937.

After World War II ended, sentiment grew for centralized regulation of public utilities. By 1953, Iowa was one of only two states that lacked a public utility commission. In 1963 the Iowa Legislature added the regulation of the rates and service of public utility companies to the Commission’s responsibilities. Also in 1963 the commission terms were extended from two years to six years and the positions became appointed rather than elected.

State government reorganization in 1986 renamed the Iowa State Commerce Commission and included the agency in an umbrella regulatory agency, the Department of Commerce. The new name, the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB), reflected the absence of the grain warehouse function that was transferred to the Department of Agriculture.