Iowa Bills

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 11, 2025

HF 914: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the duties and powers of area education agencies, the department of education, and area education agency funding, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

HF 914 modifies Iowa's education structure by changing how area education agencies (AEAs) operate and interact with the Department of Education. It removes outdated sections and updates key provisions, including requiring AEAs to provide evidence-based professional development and special education oversight through a new "division of special education" within the Department (not AEAs). The bill also revises budget processes, mandating that AEA annual budgets must be approved by both the Department of Education and the State Board of Education before final adoption. These changes directly affect AEAs, local school districts, and students - particularly those with disabilities - by clarifying service responsibilities and oversight for educational programs.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 11, 2025

HF 436: A bill for an act relating to child restraint systems by excluding purchases from the sales and use tax and by including the value in the loss calculations for specified insurance settlements of automobiles, and including applicability provisions.

HF 436 exempts purchases of child restraint systems (like car seats) from Iowa's sales and use tax, reducing costs for parents buying them. It also requires insurance companies to include the value of these systems in auto insurance settlements when a vehicle suffers partial or total damage. The bill defines "child restraint system" as federally compliant seats meeting safety standards (per 49 C.F.R. §571.213) and applies to auto losses occurring on or after July 1, 2025. This directly affects families purchasing child seats and insurers handling auto damage claims.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 526: A bill for an act relating to nursing facility revenue requirements.

SF 526 requires Iowa nursing facilities to spend at least 70% of their total income on resident care goods/services (like staff salaries, medications, and supplies) and at least 40% specifically on direct care staff salaries, beginning January 1, 2026. Facilities must also send any income exceeding 105% of their expenses to a new "Aging Iowans Care Fund" in the state treasury. The bill prohibits new licenses or license renewals for non-compliant facilities and allows waivers for "unexpected circumstances" after review by the licensing department and the long-term care ombudsman. This directly affects all Iowa nursing facilities seeking licensing or renewal after 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 11, 2025

HSB 274: A bill for an act relating to tax credits awarded by the economic development authority for specific capital contributions made to certified rural business growth funds for investment in qualified businesses.

HSB 274 creates the "Iowa Rural Development Tax Credit Program," allowing tax credits for cash investments in certified rural business growth funds. These funds must invest in qualified rural businesses (under 250 employees, not in Iowa's 12 most populous counties) and must demonstrate a positive state revenue impact exceeding the tax credits issued. Investors receive credits based on eligible capital contributions - cash investments in equity or specific debt instruments - while funds must provide revenue impact studies and job creation/retention metrics. The program requires certification by Iowa's economic development authority, with applications due starting in 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 533: A bill for an act prohibiting certain changes of ownership of a previously licensed nursing facility.

This bill prohibits Iowa's Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) from approving ownership transfers of nursing facilities to private equity funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), or their majority-owned affiliates. It directly affects nursing facilities seeking to sell to these specific investment entities, blocking such sales without DIAL approval. The key provision requires DIAL to deny any ownership change where the buyer is a private equity fund (as defined by federal law), a majority-owned affiliate of one, a REIT, or a majority-owned REIT affiliate. The law aims to prevent ownership shifts to these investment structures without altering current approval processes for other buyers.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 511: A bill for an act relating to Iowa’s urban renewal law and urban revitalization law by establishing provisions governing certain property used for gaming, and including effective date, applicability, and retroactive applicability provisions.

SF 511 prohibits urban renewal and revitalization projects involving properties related to gaming licenses first issued on or after January 1, 2025, including the gaming property itself, nonprofits directly benefiting it, or commercial properties that directly benefit it. The bill blocks these properties from being included in urban renewal plans, excludes their taxes from revenue-sharing funds for urban projects, and removes tax exemptions for such properties in revitalization areas. It applies retroactively to assessment years beginning January 1, 2025, and affects property taxes due after July 1, 2025. This law directly impacts gaming licensees, their affiliated properties, and local governments managing urban renewal funds.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 530: A bill for an act relating to support of direct care services and the direct care workforce, establishing a state minimum hourly wage for direct care workers under the Medicaid program, and including a contingent effective date.

SF 530 establishes a phased minimum wage increase for direct care workers employed by Medicaid providers in Iowa, starting at $15/hour on July 1, 2026, rising $1 annually to $20/hour by July 1, 2031, with future cost-of-living adjustments. It directly affects home health aides, personal assistants, certified nursing assistants, and other direct care workers providing services under Medicaid. The bill requires Medicaid providers to pay these wages, but takes effect only after the state increases Medicaid reimbursement rates to cover the cost. The measure also includes requirements for workforce surveys and reviews of past funding impacts on wages.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 11, 2025

HF 915: A bill for an act relating to privileged communications between spouses.

HF 915 maintains the legal privilege protecting private communications between spouses during marriage. It states that neither a current spouse nor a former spouse can be forced to testify about such communications in court, even after the marriage ends. The bill specifically allows spouses to refuse testimony if subpoenaed regarding these private conversations. However, it preserves existing exceptions where spouses may be examined in cases involving child abuse, neglect, or criminal acts against children, as outlined in current law. This bill directly affects individuals in marital or divorce proceedings where private communications could be relevant.

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 11, 2025

HF 362: A bill for an act designating emergency medical services as an essential county purpose.

HF 362 designates emergency medical services (EMS) as an "essential county purpose" in Iowa, directly affecting counties that provide EMS. This change would allow county boards to issue general obligation bonds for EMS funding without requiring voter approval at an election - unlike general county purposes, which typically need voter consent. The bill amends Iowa Code section 331.441 to include EMS under the definition of "essential county purpose," referencing the statutory definition in section 147A.1, subsection 5. This policy change streamlines funding for EMS services by removing a voter approval hurdle for bond issuance.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 11, 2025

HF 419: A bill for an act exempting from the state sales and use tax the sales price of lodging supplies sold to a lodging provider.

HF 419 exempts from Iowa's state sales and use tax the cost of specific items purchased by hotels, motels, and similar lodging providers for direct guest use. The bill covers supplies like toiletries, towels, cleaning products, bottled water, and in-room amenities (e.g., coffee cups, TV service) when these items are actually consumed or used by the guest. This exemption applies only to supplies sold to the lodging provider for guest consumption, not for general business operations. The tax exemption also extends to use tax under Iowa law, as specified in the bill's explanation. The bill defines "lodging provider" as a business offering temporary lodging and "lodging supplies" as listed items used directly by guests.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 222: A bill for an act relating to workforce training, unemployment insurance, adult education, and other functions and programs of the department of workforce development, the workforce development board, and local workforce development boards, and making appropriations.

This bill (SF 222) updates Iowa's workforce development system by restructuring how the Department of Workforce Development, workforce development boards, and local boards administer training, unemployment insurance, and adult education programs. It requires local workforce development boards to create approved plans aligned with federal rules, establishes a statewide skills assessment for adult workers, and mandates annual reports tracking program outcomes like job placements and scholarship usage. The bill also formally integrates existing AmeriCorps programs into the "Iowa National Service Corps" and removes outdated sections of law. These changes directly affect job training providers, state agencies managing workforce programs, and residents accessing employment services.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 505: A bill for an act codifying a firsthome program administered by the Iowa finance authority.

SF 505 codifies Iowa's existing Firsthome program under the Iowa Finance Authority, providing financial assistance to eligible first-time homebuyers. The program offers down payment/closing cost grants (capped at $10,000), second loans (repayable upon home sale or refinance), and free title certificates. To qualify, applicants must be first-time homebuyers (including military members with specific service requirements), meet income/price limits, maintain a 640+ credit score, have ≤45% debt-to-income ratio, and occupy the home as a primary residence within 60 days.

Topics ✓ Housing

Bill results