This bill requires Iowa's Department of Administrative Services to create a master contract for government entities to purchase fire fighting foam made primarily from soybean-based materials, excluding harmful chemicals like PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances). It directly affects all state agencies and local governments that buy fire fighting foam, mandating they use this specific contract unless an exception applies. Local governments with fire departments must decide by January 1, 2027, whether to adopt the soybean-based foam through a new ordinance. The policy shifts procurement away from foam containing toxic fluorinated chemicals, prioritizing safer alternatives.
HF 2620 prohibits local authorities without a valid permit from posting signs that claim they use automated traffic enforcement systems. It specifically targets misleading signs - such as those falsely indicating a system is in use when the local authority lacks a DOT-issued permit. Violators face a $1,000 civil penalty per day, with fines deposited into the road use tax fund. The bill does not change permit requirements for using traffic enforcement systems but ensures signs only appear when legally authorized.
HF 2624 expands DNA collection requirements in Iowa by mandating that individuals arrested for a felony or aggravated misdemeanor must submit a DNA sample, in addition to those already required to provide samples upon conviction or deferred judgment. This applies to anyone arrested for these offenses, including those later found not guilty or having charges dismissed. The bill also requires probationers to report if they have pending or resolved offenses requiring DNA submission, and establishes automatic expungement of DNA records within 30 days if a conviction is overturned, charges are dismissed, or no felony/misdemeanor charge is filed within one year of arrest. It clarifies that DNA samples are not required if a valid sample already exists in the state DNA database and hasn't been expunged.
HF 2623 changes Iowa school district and city election timing, moving regular elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years (aligning them with general elections). It affects school boards, city councils, and local officers by requiring their regular elections to occur on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years, starting in 2028. The bill also includes a transition provision: current officeholders whose terms would expire in January of an even-numbered year will serve until the following January and be eligible for reelection in the November election before that January. This change applies to all regular school district and city elections held after November 2, 2027.
HF 2698 regulates business entities that own residential properties (like apartment complexes or multi-unit homes) by requiring clear disclosure that buyers are purchasing an ownership interest in the business, not the property itself. It prohibits businesses from charging transfer fees for ownership interests, restricting sales based on discrimination, or forcing disputes to non-court forums. The law also bans businesses from taking actions that would violate Iowa’s civil rights laws (Chapter 216) if the interest were real estate, such as denying sales to qualified buyers. Violations are enforced under Iowa’s consumer fraud laws, allowing courts to issue injunctions or impose penalties. This directly affects residential property owners operating as businesses and their residents.
HF 2518 requires Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services to establish new processes for reviewing and adjusting Medicaid reimbursement rates for specific providers. It mandates biennial reviews of shelter care and residential treatment costs against current rates (reporting by October 1), annual comparisons of medical service rates to Medicare (non-dental) or neighboring states' Medicaid (dental) (reporting by January 15), and four-year updates to home and community-based waiver service rates using provider cost data. Providers must submit annual cost and supply data by July 1, which the department uses to develop cost-based reimbursement systems. The bill ensures regular rate adjustments based on actual costs and market data, with detailed fiscal impact reports submitted to lawmakers before implementing new rates.
HF 2584 establishes "drug-free homeless service zones" around facilities that provide shelter or housing for homeless individuals and receive government funding. It prohibits selling, transferring, or possessing drugs within 300 feet of these facilities and requires operators to display bilingual signs identifying the zone. Violations carry increased prison sentences (up to one year longer), mandatory fines of at least $2,000, and disqualify operators from state homelessness grants for three years if they allow drug use on premises. The bill directly affects homeless service providers, individuals using these services, and law enforcement operating within designated zones.
HF 2102 prohibits using any language other than English for driver's license examinations in Iowa. It directly affects individuals applying for or taking driver's license tests at state offices. The bill amends Iowa law to remove an existing exception, requiring the Iowa Department of Transportation or third-party examiners to conduct all written and oral tests in English. This change applies specifically to the examination process, not other official communications or documents. The bill does not alter requirements for other driver's license procedures or materials.
This bill (SF 523) changes Iowa's legal custody rules for children in divorce cases. It allows courts to award parents "separate rights and responsibilities" under joint legal custody when it benefits the child, rather than requiring shared decision-making. Parents can also propose a parenting plan outlining specific duties and time-sharing, which courts must approve unless it harms the child's best interest. The bill creates a clear process for resolving custody disputes: a parent files a court application, and the court must hold a hearing to decide in the child's best interest. It directly affects parents and children involved in divorce proceedings where custody is contested or modified.
HF 2510 modifies Iowa's K-12 social studies curriculum requirements. It mandates specific instruction on U.S. founding documents (including the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Federalist Papers), "admirable Americans" like Lincoln and Douglass, and Holocaust education for both students and teachers. The bill requires grades 5-6 to study key historical documents, adds a semester of civics focusing on U.S. founding principles and government structures, and specifies that U.S. history instruction must emphasize "exceptional and praiseworthy history" using primary sources. It directly affects all public school students in grades 1-12 and their educators across Iowa.
HF 2645 requires Iowa's state court administrator to establish an opt-out electronic notification system for criminal cases by July 1, 2027. The system will send text messages to people involved in criminal cases - including defendants, victims, witnesses, and their attorneys - providing reminders for court dates, fee notifications, and payment options. It mandates clear opt-out options, protects nonpublic case information, and limits system use to enrolled individuals. The bill does not require participation, and the system may be run by Iowa courts or a qualified outside vendor.
This bill (SF 2400) strengthens penalties for assaults against specific public safety and service workers in Iowa. It adds "employee or contractor of a public utility engaged in public utility responsibilities" to the list of protected occupations, expanding existing assault penalty tiers. Assaults causing injury or using weapons against these workers become class C felonies, while assaults involving spitting or saliva contact are classified as aggravated misdemeanors requiring a minimum 7-day jail term. The bill directly affects public utility employees and contractors, as well as other covered professions like police, firefighters, and healthcare workers, by increasing legal consequences for violence against them.
