HF 937 Iowa House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

A bill for an act relating to certain administrative procedures involving law enforcement officers, including the revocation or suspension of law enforcement officer certification and communications in professional confidence, and including effective date provisions.

HF 937 modifies administrative procedures for law enforcement officers, primarily impacting their professional certification and confidentiality in peer support. The bill narrows the specific grounds for revoking or suspending an officer's certification, limiting it to instances where an officer was discharged for just cause or resigned during pending disciplinary action warranting discharge. It also applies standard rules of evidence to contested certification cases and ensures officers receive investigative reports. Additionally, the bill expands confidentiality protections for communications made by officers and certain civilian employees to peer support counselors during crisis interventions.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 12, 2025 Last action Apr 22, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Reprinted · 8 edits
MODERATE
The bill was substantially revised to expand its scope beyond just revocation or suspension of law enforcement certification to include administrative procedures, communications in professional confidence, and effective date provisions. The revised version adds new definitions for key terms, establishes rules for evidence in contested cases, and creates protections for peer support counselors regarding confidential communications. Several sections were reorganized and new subsections were added to clarify procedures and rights.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded from focusing solely on revocation or suspension of law enforcement certification to include broader administrative procedures, communications in professional confidence, and effective date provisions.
SCOPE

Title and introductory language changed to include 'certain administrative procedures involving law enforcement officers, including the revocation or suspension of law enforcement officer certification and communications in professional confidence, and including effective date provisions'.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for 'Final' (meaning all appeals have been exhausted), 'Officer' (expanded list of certified personnel), and 'Peer support group counselor' (including training requirements and designation authority).

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement that rules of evidence shall apply to contested cases involving revocation or suspension of certification.

Added requirement that the academy must promptly provide copies of complete investigative reports and records to the officer or their legal counsel upon written request.

Modified discharge grounds language from 'good cause' to 'just cause' in Section 4 subsection a.

ENFORCEMENT

Added provision stating that if certification was suspended pursuant to council order or settlement agreement, the officer is not required to apply for reinstatement upon completion of suspension.

Added protection preventing peer support counselors or crisis intervention individuals from being allowed to disclose confidential communications entrusted to them by officers or civilians during counseling sessions.

TIMELINE

Added effective date provision stating the Act takes effect upon enactment due to being deemed of immediate importance.

Floor votes · House Mar 26, 2025

How they voted

970
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 101
Mar 26, 2025
D Democratic33
32 Yea 1
96% Yea
R Republican68
65 Yea 3
95% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
10
Key actions
4
Committee
1
Amendments
2
Mar 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
Subcommittee: Schultz, Blake, and Bousselot.
upper
Mar 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed House, yeas 95, nays 1.
lower
Mar 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amendment H-1196, yeas 96, nays 0, adopted.
lower
Mar 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amendment H-1183 adopted.
lower
Mar 25, 2025
Introduced
Amendments H-1183 and H-1196 filed.
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, placed on calendar.
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.