Iowa Bills

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 11, 2026

HF 606: A bill for an act relating to certain health insurance policies, contracts, and plans and a special enrollment period for pregnant women.

HF 606 requires health insurance plans (including individual/group accident/sickness, hospital/medical, HMOs, and public employee plans) to provide a special enrollment period for pregnant women. This allows pregnant women to enroll in coverage at any time after a healthcare professional certifies their pregnancy, without fees or penalties. Coverage becomes effective the first day of the month when pregnancy is certified (or the next month if chosen by the woman). The bill applies to most health insurance policies delivered or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, but excludes accident-only, Medicare supplement, dental, vision, and similar coverage types.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 10, 2026

HSB 654: A bill for an act prohibiting specified provisions in agreements between employers and health care providers relating to location of practice.

This bill prohibits employment agreements from restricting health care providers' ability to practice at hospitals in rural areas or critical access hospitals after leaving a job. It directly affects licensed health care providers (like doctors, nurses, dentists, and pharmacists) in Iowa who may have signed contracts with former employers. The key provision voids any location-based restrictions in such agreements upon termination, except for rules limiting patient solicitation. The law applies to all agreements made before, on, or after the bill's effective date. It does not change existing rules about restricting patient contact.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SSB 3129: A bill for an act providing for the beginning farmer tax credit program administered by the Iowa finance authority and department of revenue, providing for fees, and including effective date provisions.

SSB 3129 establishes a tax credit program in Iowa to support beginning farmers. It allows eligible current landowners (taxpayers) to receive a tax credit when they transfer agricultural assets - via lease or sale - to qualified beginning farmers through formal written agreements. The program requires agreements to last at least two years (with renewal limits), prohibits assignment of agreements, and caps total credits at $250,000 per taxpayer over 15 years. It directly affects Iowa landowners who transfer assets to new farmers and beginning farmers who meet eligibility criteria like prior farming experience and asset ownership limits. The Iowa Finance Authority and Department of Revenue will administer the program.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SSB 3130: A bill for an act relating to health-related matters, including health-related professions, nutrition, medication, and taxes on certain products, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

This bill requires physicians in specific specialties (including family medicine, pediatrics, surgery, and others) to complete one hour of nutrition and metabolic health continuing education every four years to renew their licenses (Division I). It revises Certificate of Need rules for hospitals, adding new requirements for approvals related to outpatient behavioral health services, organ transplants, major equipment purchases over $1.5 million, and bed capacity changes (Division II). The bill also establishes a Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program for children, aligning Iowa's program with federal SNAP guidelines to provide summer food benefits (Division III). These changes directly affect licensed healthcare providers, hospitals, and eligible children in Iowa.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 10, 2026

HF 2279: A bill for an act relating to driver’s licenses marked to reflect veteran status.

HF 2279 allows honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. armed forces to have "VETERAN" prominently marked on their Iowa driver's licenses. It expands eligibility to include National Guard members regardless of their active duty service days (previously requiring at least 90 days), directly affecting veterans seeking this designation. To qualify, licensees must provide proof like a DD-214 showing honorable discharge; the Department of Transportation will then mark the license and notify the local veteran affairs commission, which will contact the veteran. The bill clarifies that "veteran" includes National Guard service without minimum active duty requirements.

Topics ✓ Veterans

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SF 2225: A bill for an act relating to property law, including rental properties, manufactured home communities, mobile home parks, and actions relating to such properties, making penalties applicable, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

This Iowa bill (SF 2225) sets new rules for landlords in rental properties, manufactured home communities, and mobile home parks. It limits when landlords can evict tenants (requiring serious violations or business reasons), mandates 180 days' written notice for rent increases, and caps late fees based on rent amount (e.g., $12/day max for rents under $700/month). Landlords must justify rent hikes above inflation with specific costs like repairs, property taxes, or utility expenses. The changes apply to new evictions and rent increases starting upon the bill's effective date.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SF 2228: A bill for an act relating to school district funding provisions, including reducing the foundation property tax and repealing the education savings account program, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

This bill lowers the statewide school district foundation property tax rate from $5.44 to $4.44 per $1,000 of assessed property value, effective July 1, 2026. It also repeals Iowa’s education savings account program, which allowed families to use public funds for private school tuition. The tax rate change directly affects all Iowa school districts and adjusts tax credit calculations for agricultural landowners under existing family farm tax credit programs. The bill’s provisions apply to school budgets beginning July 1, 2026, with phased increases for reorganized school districts.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✗ Education

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SF 2226: A bill for an act relating to the use of automated adjudication systems by health carriers, and including civil penalties.

This bill (SF 2226) requires health insurance carriers in Iowa to use human clinical reviewers before automatically denying or downcoding claims submitted by health care providers. It mandates detailed written notices to providers explaining any automated denial or downcode, including the reason, policy justification, and appeal rights (with 30 days to appeal). Health carriers must also disclose their automated system use and oversight processes to the insurance commissioner and maintain documentation for five years. The law applies directly to health carriers (insurance companies, HMOs, etc.) and affects health care providers who submit claims for reimbursement.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✗ Technology

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SF 2234: A bill for an act relating to U.S.S. Iowa

This bill creates special license plates for Iowa vehicles displaying the U.S.S. Iowa (SSN-797) emblem. Owners pay a one-time $35 fee for standard plates or $60 total ($35 base + $25 for personalization) for personalized plates (max 5 characters), plus annual fees of $10 (standard) or $5 (personalized). All fees collected are deposited into the road use tax fund and then transferred monthly to the state general fund to support veterans' suicide prevention grants through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill prohibits the state from restricting plate issuance based on order volume.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SF 2229: A bill for an act relating to education funding, including the amounts for the statewide preschool program and eligibility for payments under the education savings account program, and including applicability provisions.

SF 2229 adjusts Iowa's preschool program funding and education savings account eligibility. It revises how preschool funding is calculated based on weekly instructional hours: districts offering 10-14 hours per week receive 50% of enrollment funding, rising to 100% for 30+ hours. For education savings accounts, it expands eligibility to all nonpublic school students for 2025-2026, but starting July 2027, only households with income ≤400% of federal poverty guidelines will qualify. The bill directly affects school districts receiving preschool funding and families using education savings accounts.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SF 2210: A bill for an act relating to sexual abuse by fraud, concealment, or artifice regarding marital status, and providing penalties.

This bill (SF 2210) makes it a crime to commit sexual abuse by deceiving someone about your marital status to obtain their consent. It specifically targets situations where a person intentionally hides their marital status (e.g., falsely claiming to be single) and the other person would not have consented without that deception. If convicted, the offense is classified as a class "C" felony (up to 10 years in prison and a $1,370-$13,660 fine), and the perpetrator must register as a Tier III sex offender. The bill directly affects individuals who commit sexual abuse through marital status deception, expanding the definition of sexual abuse under Iowa law.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 10, 2026

HF 2372: A bill for an act relating to mechanical insulation inspections for public buildings.

HF 2372 requires Iowa's Department of Administrative Services to contract with qualified contractors to assess mechanical insulation (insulation around pipes, boilers, and HVAC systems) in all state-owned public buildings within 10 years. The assessment must identify energy-saving opportunities, health risks, and necessary repairs, with findings posted online within 30 days. If repairs could cut carbon emissions and energy use by over 30%, the department must implement them within 12 months; immediate action is required for health or safety issues. The law expires on July 1, 2037.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Bill results