HF 2592 allows Iowa cities, counties, and other local governments to invest up to 25% of their public funds in joint investment trusts. Before investing, governing bodies must provide written acknowledgment that funds in these trusts are not insured, guaranteed, or collateralized, and that losses could occur based on trust performance. The bill also clarifies that uninsured portions of public funds may be invested in insured deposits or certificates of deposit at federally insured credit unions. Violating these provisions would constitute a breach of fiduciary duty, potentially leading to civil, criminal, or administrative penalties.
HF 2590 directs Iowa's Department of Management to sell the state-owned communications network as soon as feasible. It requires the sale to include a 10-year guarantee that existing authorized users (like government agencies and schools) can continue receiving network services on reasonable terms. The department must submit quarterly progress reports starting October 2026 and provide a detailed sale plan 10 days before closing. Proceeds from the sale will go to the state general fund, and the bill removes previous restrictions that limited how the network could be used or resold. The sale authorization takes effect immediately, while other changes to network rules take effect July 1, 2027.
HF 2647 allows retail alcohol licensees (like liquor stores) owned by the same business to transfer unopened alcoholic beverages between their own locations. It clarifies that these transfers are not considered "deliveries" under existing rules and specifies that inventory ownership shifts to the receiving location only after the alcohol is physically placed there. Licensees must keep detailed records of each transfer (date, quantity, type) for three years and make them available for inspection. The bill directly affects multi-location businesses holding identical retail alcohol licenses, streamlining internal stock movement without requiring new delivery permits. It does not change rules for deliveries to homes or other non-owned locations.
HF 2608 requires state verification of U.S. citizenship and immigration status for certain rights and privileges. It mandates that Iowa's state employment, professional licensing boards, and voter registration processes use federal systems (e-Verify and SAVE program) to confirm applicants' lawful presence. The bill creates a SAVE program clearinghouse within the state department to handle these verifications, with denials of licenses or voter registration subject to appeal. It defines "unauthorized alien" as someone unlawfully present under federal law and adds citizenship affirmations to voter registration forms. The bill directly affects individuals applying for state jobs, professional licenses, voter registration, and those facing bail decisions involving immigration status.
HF 2499 creates a dedicated "technology reinvestment fund" to finance state IT infrastructure projects. It appropriates $17.5 million annually starting July 2026 from the general fund, plus $18.27 million for fiscal year 2025-2026 from the Rebuild Iowa fund, for projects that enhance technology infrastructure, improve government services, and promote economic development. The Department of Management must prioritize projects based on strategic alignment, ROI, feasibility, rural access benefits, and scalability, then submit a prioritized list to the governor for budget recommendations. All funded projects require annual reporting to the legislature on progress, costs, and outcomes, with unspent funds carrying over for two years.
HF 2673 prohibits driverless-capable vehicles from operating without a human driver when transporting hazardous materials in Iowa. It specifically applies to vehicles carrying substances defined as hazardous materials under state law (substances posing unreasonable risk to health, safety, or property during transport). The bill amends existing law to require a conventional human driver to be physically present in the vehicle during all operations involving hazardous materials, overriding previous allowances for driverless operation. Violating this provision is a simple misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $105-$855 fine. This applies directly to companies and operators using autonomous vehicles for hazmat transport within Iowa.
HF 2691 clarifies ownership rights for artificial intelligence (AI) content and trained AI systems in Iowa. It states that users who provide input to an AI to generate content (like text, images, or predictions) own that output unless the AI's terms of service or a separate contract specifies otherwise. The bill also grants ownership of the trained AI system itself to the person who legally trained it with their own data, provided they haven't transferred that ownership via contract. These rules apply directly to Iowa residents and businesses using AI tools or developing AI systems.
HF 2304 sets a statewide 5% cap on indirect costs (administrative expenses like office space or general management) charged to state-funded grants, effective July 1, 2026. It directly affects grantees - including nonprofits, local governments, schools, and for-profit organizations - and state departments managing grants by requiring separate budgeting of direct and indirect costs, prohibiting cost reclassification to bypass the cap, and mandating documentation for audits. The bill requires grant budgets to detail indirect cost calculations and retain records for ten years, with departments enforcing compliance through pre-award reviews and payment controls. Grantees must also adjust allocations if indirect costs exceed the limit, with disallowed costs recoverable through future payments or repayment.
HF 2646 restricts state agencies and local governments from purchasing, leasing, or operating drones made by companies on a federal "covered list" (e.g., certain foreign manufacturers), requiring replacement with drones on a federal "blue list" and auditing their security protocols. It creates a class D felony for flying foreign-made drones within 400 feet of critical infrastructure like power plants or national guard facilities. The bill also mandates foreign entities lobbying in Iowa to register within 48 hours and file detailed records of their activities, with daily civil penalties for non-compliance. Finally, it prohibits using state tax funds to enforce international agreements (like UN or WHO guidelines) unless formally adopted by Iowa’s legislature, affirming state sovereignty over public health and safety policies.
HF 2512 modifies Iowa's education licensing rules to allow revocation of teaching licenses for educators who publicly celebrate politically motivated violence, such as posting "Good riddance" or "He deserved it" about incidents like the killing of Charles J. Kirk. It defines "celebrate" broadly to include social media posts or public statements that demonstrate unfitness to teach, disrupt learning, or undermine public trust, with a single verified instance being sufficient grounds. The bill also requires schools to count student protests (involving three or more students leaving class) as unexcused absences and extend the school calendar by one day per protest. These provisions apply retroactively to September 10, 2025, and clarify that license revocation cannot target protected speech like political viewpoints alone.
HF 2681 requires all Iowa school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to install video recording systems in every special education classroom at each school building. The recordings must comply with privacy laws like FERPA (federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act). The bill specifies that school districts will fund this requirement using existing state school foundation aid, without needing new state funding. This policy directly affects schools serving students with special needs and their privacy practices.
HF 2690 requires data centers in Iowa to submit quarterly reports on water and energy usage to state agencies. Data center owners must report specific metrics like total water input (including sources), water usage effectiveness, total energy consumption, power usage effectiveness, and waste heat reuse. The reports must include facility details and performance data, and the state will publish this information publicly within 30 days. The bill also establishes separate electricity tariff rules for data centers to ensure costs are allocated fairly and prevent shifting expenses to other consumers. These requirements apply to all data centers operating in Iowa, with deadlines based on their operational history.
