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HF 856 Iowa House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

A bill for an act prohibiting public entities from engaging in certain activities relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion, creating a private cause of action, and including effective date provisions.

HF 856 prohibits public entities (like government agencies, schools, and state-funded programs) from implementing certain diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities. The bill creates a private right to sue for individuals who believe a public entity violated its provisions. Key mechanisms include banning specific DEI training, assessments, or hiring practices tied to protected characteristics, and allowing affected individuals to file lawsuits. It became law after the Governor signed it on May 27, 2025.
Issues: ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBans DEI hiring practices tied to protected characteristics, restricting anti-discrimination efforts central to labor rights and workplace equality.95% confidence
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Mar 7, 2025 Signed May 27, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

Enrolled with Governor's Action → Reprinted · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was reprinted with minor formatting and wording adjustments, removing the original certification signatures and adding committee information. The substantive policy language regarding definitions, funding restrictions, and enforcement mechanisms remains unchanged from the enrolled version.
Scope change
No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability; the text remains the same except for formatting and header information.
TECHNICAL

Removed original certification signatures and replaced with committee reprinting information and page headers.

Changed the title line from 'AN ACT' to 'A BILL FOR' and added a descriptive subtitle.

Adjusted line breaks and spacing throughout the document for reprinting purposes.

Floor votes · Senate May 9, 2025 · House Mar 18, 2025

How they voted

33–16
Passed
Total votes 49
May 9, 2025
D Democratic16
16 Nay
100% Nay
R Republican33
33 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
29
Key actions
11
Committee
4
Amendments
6
May 27, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by Governor.
lower
May 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed House, yeas 59, nays 32.
lower
May 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
House concurred in Senate amendment H-1298.
lower
May 12, 2025
Introduced
Senate amendment H-1298 filed.
lower
May 9, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate, yeas 34, nays 16.
upper
May 9, 2025
Introduced
Amendment S-3149 filed, adopted.
upper
May 9, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amendment S-3073 adopted.
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Introduced
Amendment S-3073 filed.
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report, recommending amendment and passage.
upper
Apr 1, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Subcommittee recommends amendment and passage.
legislature
Mar 31, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Subcommittee Meeting: 04/01/2025 3:00PM Senate Lounge.
legislature
Mar 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
Subcommittee: Rozenboom, Kraayenbrink, and Quirmbach.
upper
Mar 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed House, yeas 61, nays 37.
lower
Mar 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amendment H-1094, yeas 61, nays 37, adopted.
lower
Mar 17, 2025
Introduced
Amendment H-1094 filed.
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Introduced
Amendment H-1087 filed.
lower
Mar 7, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, placed on calendar.
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.