Iowa Bills

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2442: A bill for an act providing for the repair of certain equipment associated with farm implements, and providing penalties.

HF 2442, the "Iowa Fair Repair for Farm Implements Act," requires original farm equipment manufacturers to provide diagnostic and repair information, including embedded software updates, to independent repair shops and farm equipment owners at no extra cost - on terms equal to those offered to the manufacturer's own authorized repair providers. It directly affects farmers (as "interest holders"), independent repair businesses, and manufacturers of farm implements containing digital electronic equipment. Key provisions mandate that manufacturers make this information available in standardized formats, prohibit forcing repair providers to use proprietary systems if standardized options exist, and define "fair and reasonable terms" for any potential charges. The law aims to increase repair accessibility and affordability for agricultural operations across Iowa.

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2474: A bill for an act relating to reimbursement for certain audit expenses to the auditor of state.

HF 2474 requires Iowa state departments and agencies to reimburse the Auditor of State for costs incurred during audits or examinations of their operations. It applies to departments like health, education, transportation, and veterans affairs, as well as state funds and federal assistance programs. The bill establishes that the Auditor must set annual hourly billing rates for audit services through formal rules. This replaces a previous list of specific departments with a broader requirement for all audited entities to cover these expenses.

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2332: A bill for an act relating to elective abortion and feticide, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.

This Iowa bill (HF 2332) prohibits most elective abortions after the second trimester and creates criminal penalties for "feticide" (intentionally causing fetal death during pregnancy). It defines "elective abortion" narrowly - excluding miscarriage treatment, medical emergencies, and procedures to save the mother's life - and bans knowingly performing or aiding such procedures. Feticide is classified as a felony (class C or D depending on intent), while unintentional fetal death during non-forcible crimes is a lesser offense. The law directly affects pregnant individuals seeking later-term abortions, healthcare providers, and anyone assisting in such procedures, with exceptions only for medical emergencies or preserving maternal life.

Topics ✗ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2443: A bill for an act providing for a country of origin label for certain products, allowing for injunctive relief, and making penalties applicable.

HF 2443 requires Iowa's Department of Agriculture to create a labeling program for retail beef and pork products (including muscle cuts and ground meat) to show their country of origin. The bill directs the department to base its rules on prior USDA regulations, but only after securing a USDA waiver under federal law. Retailers selling these products in Iowa would be required to label country of origin, with violations subject to existing misdemeanor penalties and potential court injunctions. The department must report on progress by January 1, 2027, and may seek additional state legislation if needed.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SF 2329: 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.

SF 2329 modifies Iowa's area education agencies (AEAs), which provide educational services to schools across the state. The bill requires AEAs to adjust their boundaries to avoid splitting school districts and to align with school district mergers, while mandating that they offer educational services to accredited public and nonpublic schools at least comparable to those available in 1974. It also establishes new budget rules requiring AEAs to submit annual budgets for approval by the Department of Education and the State Board of Education, and caps AEA administrator salaries at 125% of the average superintendent salary in their region. Additionally, the bill creates a special education division within AEAs led by a director appointed by the Department of Education to oversee special education services.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2366: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to private instruction and dual enrollment, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

HF 2366 modifies Iowa's education laws regarding private instruction and dual enrollment. It removes the requirement for parents to provide immunization records or blood lead tests when first placing a child in private instruction, while adding specific reporting details like the child's age, course outline, and instructor information to school districts. The bill ensures privately instructed students can participate in public school academic and extracurricular activities through dual enrollment and guarantees that diplomas from private instruction programs are treated equally to public school diplomas. These changes directly affect parents of privately instructed children, school districts, and private instruction providers.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2484: A bill for an act creating a permit transparency program under the administration of the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing.

HF 2484 creates a public online portal managed by Iowa's Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing to track permit applications. It requires all state agencies issuing permits (like building or business licenses) to map their processes, set clear timelines, and integrate with the portal. The portal must let applicants track applications, view fees and processing times, submit documents electronically, and access historical data. Agencies must also conduct an audit within 180 days to identify unnecessary permits or redundant steps for potential elimination. This directly affects agencies and applicants by making permit processes more visible and standardized.

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HJR 2009: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa limiting years of service for members of the general assembly and certain statewide elected officials.

HJR 2009 proposes a constitutional amendment limiting lifetime service for specific Iowa elected officials to 24 years total across all covered positions. It would prevent individuals from being elected or appointed to offices including governor, state legislators, attorney general, or statewide executive roles if they have already served 24 years in any combination of those offices. The amendment must first be approved by the next Iowa General Assembly (92nd) before being submitted to voters for ratification. This bill directly affects current and future officeholders in these specific state positions.

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2463: A bill for an act relating to the operation of state government, including the commencement of audits, information made available to the auditor of state, and disputes between governmental agencies.

HF 2463 clarifies the auditor of state's access to government information, allowing review of confidential records (with exceptions for individual tax returns and health data identifying people with reportable diseases). It requires most audit reports to be public, while protecting sensitive details from disclosure without consent. The bill also removes a prior requirement that disputes between state agencies must be resolved by a binding arbitration board within 60 days. These changes streamline audit processes and simplify inter-agency dispute resolution.

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2477: A bill for an act relating to English language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers and commercial carriers, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable.

HF 2477 requires commercial drivers in Iowa to demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency to understand safety instructions, read logs and signs, and communicate safety information. Drivers failing this assessment face an immediate out-of-service order, while commercial carriers employing such drivers face $100,000 civil penalties per violation, escalating to "high-risk" designation with increased inspections and permit restrictions for repeated offenses. The bill also mandates English comprehension during winter emergency conditions, including electronic acknowledgment of advisories and understanding emergency routing. These provisions apply neutrally to all drivers regardless of origin or license state, aiming to enhance highway safety through enforceable language standards.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SF 2331: A bill for an act establishing a classroom supply stipend for certain public school teachers, and making appropriations.

This bill establishes a $250 annual stipend for eligible public school teachers in Iowa, starting with the 2026-2027 school year. Eligible teachers are those providing primarily in-person instruction and employed by a school district before the school year begins. The stipend must be paid automatically by school districts by September 15 each year and can only be used for classroom supplies directly supporting student learning (e.g., books, technology, materials), not personal items. Funding comes from the state general fund, and the stipend is exempt from Iowa income tax.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HJR 2011: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to benefits accrued under public retirement systems.

HJR 2011 proposes a constitutional amendment in Iowa to protect public retirement benefits. It would declare that membership in state or local government retirement systems creates an enforceable contract, making accrued retirement benefits (those earned by employees) legally protected from future reductions or changes. This amendment, if approved by voters, would build on existing constitutional language about contracts to specifically shield retirement benefits. The bill does not alter current benefits but prevents future legislative action that could diminish them. The resolution must first pass the legislature and be ratified by Iowa voters.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill results