Iowa Bills

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 752: A bill for an act relating to the compensation of county officers.

HF 752 amends Iowa law to change salary rules for county officers. It removes the requirement that county attorney salaries (in counties under 200,000 population) must be 45-100% of a district court judge’s salary. Instead, it sets new limits: deputy salaries (like sheriff’s deputies or auditor/treasurer deputies) cannot exceed 85% of their principal officer’s salary, and assistant county attorneys’ salaries cannot exceed 85% of a full-time county attorney’s salary. The bill also gives county boards more flexibility to adjust individual salary increases for elected officers without reducing others’ increases, provided justification is given.

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 749: A bill for an act providing an early retirement option under the municipal fire and police retirement system.

HF 749 creates an early retirement option for municipal firefighters and police officers in Iowa who have completed at least 22 years of service. It allows eligible members aged 50 to 54 to retire early and receive a reduced retirement payment, rather than waiting until age 55. The reduction percentage is determined annually by the retirement system's board of trustees based on actuarial calculations to ensure the change doesn't increase system costs. This provision takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies specifically to the municipal fire and police retirement system.

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 804: A bill for an act requiring schools to perform criminal history checks prior to engaging any person to construct a new attendance center or to perform certain specified renovations or remodeling work.

HF 804 requires Iowa public and nonpublic schools to conduct criminal history checks on contractors and their employees before hiring them for specific construction or renovation projects at school buildings. It mandates schools to review three public registries (sex offenders, child abuse, and dependent adult abuse) for anyone working on new school buildings or renovations occurring during school hours with students present. Schools must document compliance, may charge contractors for the check costs, and must bar individuals listed in those registries from performing any construction work. This applies to all school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools.

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HSB 286: A bill for an act relating to homelessness including unauthorized use of public land, sanctioned camping, drug-free homeless service zones, and funding for homeless services, and providing penalties.

This bill establishes rules for cities and counties to create designated "sanctioned camping" zones for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. It requires these zones to provide assigned spaces, safety measures, sanitation (including water and showers), and access to health services, while banning alcohol and drugs. Local governments must follow specific standards when creating these zones, and residents or businesses can seek legal action if requirements aren't met. The bill also prohibits local policies that block enforcement of rules against unauthorized public sleeping/camping, requiring first-time violations to be addressed with a warning and service offer before potential misdemeanor penalties.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HSB 304: A bill for an act modifying property tax calculations, and including applicability provisions.

This bill modifies Iowa's property tax calculation system by introducing a cap on annual tax increases for qualified properties starting in fiscal year 2026. It limits tax increases for residential and agricultural properties to 103% of the previous year's tax (108% for commercial/industrial), unless improvements occurred during the base year. A "qualified parcel" must not have changed ownership, undergone new construction, or been subject to exemptions in the base year. The cap applies only to standard annual property taxes (excluding special assessments or bond payments) and aims to prevent sudden large tax jumps for eligible property owners.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Education

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 748: A bill for an act relating to child endangerment, and providing penalties.

HF 748 amends Iowa's child endangerment law to clarify that willfully depriving a child under 18 of necessary food, clothing, shelter, health care, or appropriate supervision - when the caregiver can provide it and the deprivation harms the child’s health - constitutes a crime. It includes a religious exemption: refusal of specific medical treatment due to religious beliefs does not automatically count as willful deprivation, though courts may still intervene for the child’s best interest. Penalties range from an aggravated misdemeanor (up to 2 years in jail) for less severe cases to a class C felony (up to 10 years) for the most serious deprivation, or a class D felony (up to 5 years) for cases involving bodily injury or other specified violations. The bill directly affects parents, guardians, and household members responsible for children’s well-being.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 746: A bill for an act relating to the Iowa law enforcement academy including the renaming of the academy for use in communication with the public, in signage, and in other forms of communication.

HF 746 renames Iowa's law enforcement academy to the "Gil Hansen law enforcement academy" for public communication, signage, and other public-facing materials. The bill amends Iowa Code sections 80B.3 and 80B.4 to officially adopt this name, allowing the academy director to use it in all public interactions. This is a procedural change that does not alter the academy's operations, funding, or training programs. The bill directly affects how the academy is identified to the public and in official communications.

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 741: A bill for an act relating to human trafficking including law enforcement intervention and victims, and making penalties applicable.

HF 741 amends Iowa's human trafficking laws to clarify and expand key definitions. It explicitly includes knowingly purchasing services involving commercial sexual activity from undercover law enforcement officers posing as trafficking victims as a form of human trafficking. The bill also broadens the definition of "victim" to include people targeted for trafficking or identified as such, not just those currently subjected to it. These changes ensure penalties - ranging from class D to class A felonies - apply to traffickers engaging in these specific acts. The bill focuses on strengthening legal tools for law enforcement intervention and victim protection.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 74: A bill for an act relating to the maximum power output for low-speed electric bicycles and pedestrian conveyances powered by an electric motor.

This bill clarifies Iowa's regulation for low-speed electric bicycles and pedestrian conveyances (like scooters and mobility devices) by defining their maximum motor power output as "not more than 750 watts." It directly affects owners and users of these devices, ensuring they remain classified separately from standard motor vehicles. The bill specifies that devices meeting this power limit - equipped with pedals for e-bikes or designed for pedestrian use - will not be subject to standard vehicle laws. Devices exceeding 750 watts would instead fall under motor vehicle regulations. The change primarily clarifies existing language without altering the 750-watt threshold.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 140: A bill for an act providing for the direct shipment of alcoholic liquor, providing fees, and including effective date provisions.

HF 140 allows licensed alcohol manufacturers (not retailers) to ship alcohol directly to Iowa residents who are 21 or older, subject to specific limits. Manufacturers must obtain a new "alcoholic liquor direct shipper license," ship only to personal-use consumers (with quantity caps based on their production volume), and include required labeling. The bill also requires manufacturers to pay the state 50% of the wholesale price for shipped alcohol and register products with the department. This applies only to manufacturers who produce or import limited volumes of alcohol, and it does not permit retailers to ship directly to consumers.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 4, 2025

SF 362: A bill for an act relating to administrative investigations under the peace officer, public safety, and emergency personnel bill of rights, civil service disciplinary hearings and appeals, and communications in professional confidence, and including effective date provisions.

SF 362 amends Iowa law to clarify procedures for administrative investigations and disciplinary actions involving public safety personnel, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical staff. It requires agencies to provide officers with complaint details, witness statements, and complete investigation reports upon request, and establishes new court review processes for officers placed on Brady-Giglio lists (disclosure lists for misconduct records). The bill also adds confidentiality protections for communications during peer support counseling and defines key terms like "formal investigation" and "interview" to limit their scope. These changes directly affect Iowa public safety employees facing disciplinary actions under civil service rules.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 4, 2025

HF 731: A bill for an act relating to mold remediation.

HF 731 establishes standards for mold removal in indoor environments across Iowa. It requires mold remediation companies to register with the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing and prove their direct supervisor holds third-party certification (from groups like IICRC or NORMI). The bill mandates compliance with ANSI/IICRC S520 standards for all mold removal work and directs the Department of Health and Human Services to run a public awareness campaign about mold risks and removal. Additionally, the health department must submit annual reports to the legislature on new mold-related health research and changes in training standards. This directly affects mold removal companies, their supervisors, and public health communications.

Bill results