HF 2382 establishes a state grant program within Iowa's Department of Education to help school districts cover costs for hiring or keeping school resource officers (SROs), as defined by federal law. School districts must contribute a 1:1 match (e.g., $1 for every $1 granted) and may receive up to $12,000 per SRO per grant. The program is funded by a $480,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2026-2027, with grants awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Funds must supplement, not replace, existing district funding for similar SRO costs.
HF 2369 requires law enforcement to obtain a search warrant before using reverse-location searches (like tracking all devices in a crime area or cell tower locations) for violent felony investigations with an imminent public safety threat. Warrant applications must include a map of the area, evidence of probable cause, and a notice that the search may capture innocent people's devices. Courts must order all collected location data to be anonymized before sharing it with police. This bill directly affects how law enforcement gathers location data and protects the privacy of individuals not suspected of a crime.
HF 2367 prevents homeowners' associations in Iowa from banning unit owners from planting native vegetation (like Iowa's indigenous grasses, flowers, shrubs, and trees) on their personal lawns, provided the area is kept free of weeds, invasive species, and trash, and the plants don't extend onto public areas, neighboring properties, or interfere with traffic or utilities. Associations may still set reasonable rules for planned native vegetation landscapes, but cannot impose height restrictions that hinder proper maintenance. The bill applies only to individual unit owners' lawns, not common areas or properties where owners lack landscaping authority.
This Iowa bill establishes new requirements for scrap metal sales, primarily affecting individuals selling scrap metal or telecommunications copper and scrap metal dealers. It requires sellers to provide ID at time of sale for regular scrap metal and mandates a $5 permit from a sheriff for selling telecommunications copper (defined as copper from telecom infrastructure). Dealers must maintain confidential transaction records for two years and accept only check/electronic payments for sales over $50. Violations carry escalating civil penalties ($100-$1,000) for repeat offenses, with exemptions for small transactions ($50 or less) and business-to-business sales.
HF 2371 requires anyone selling scrap metal in Iowa to obtain a permit from their county sheriff, pay a $5 fee, and provide ID at the time of sale. Scrap metal dealers must collect and retain seller information (name, address, ID) for the first transaction and keep all records confidential for two years. The law exempts small sales ($50 or less), dealer-to-dealer transactions, and sales from established businesses to their own employees. Violations carry civil penalties: $100 for a first offense, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for third or subsequent offenses within two years.
HF 2364 requires Iowa legislators' salaries to be suspended if the state fails to enact specific budget funding levels (state percent of growth and categorical state percent of growth) within 30 days of the governor's budget transmission. This applies directly to Iowa legislators during the regular legislative session. If the required budget provisions aren't passed by the deadline, salaries are suspended starting on day 31 and remain suspended until the funding levels are enacted. Any withheld salary is forfeited and not paid retroactively upon later enactment of the budget provisions.
HF 2374 creates a special "Iowa’s delta waterfowl" vehicle registration plate, requiring an initial fee of $25 for standard plates and $50 for personalized plates (including a $25 personalization fee), plus annual fees of $10 for standard plates and $20 for personalized plates on top of regular registration fees. The collected fees are transferred to the Department of Natural Resources to fund grants for delta waterfowl habitat conservation and hunting initiatives, with priority given to state chapters of supporting nonprofit organizations. This bill does not require a minimum order for the plates and establishes a new funding stream for conservation through vehicle registration fees.
HF 2379 would amend Iowa law to allow individuals with a valid permit to carry weapons to possess firearms on school grounds under specific conditions. The bill creates a new exception to the current prohibition (which treats carrying weapons on school grounds as a class D felony), permitting permit holders who carry a firearm for a lawful purpose on their person, with the firearm continuously under their control. This directly affects licensed gun permit holders who wish to carry firearms on school property for permitted activities, such as security roles or personal protection during lawful school events. The key change removes the felony charge for these permit holders when meeting the defined conditions of continuous control and lawful purpose.
HF 2386 allows Iowa cities to require the first buyer of a single-family home in a new housing development to live in the home as their primary residence for one year after purchase. Cities may impose fines of up to 25% of the home’s fair market value for violations, but must include a good-faith sale exemption if the owner needs to sell during the occupancy period. The bill defines "new housing development" as homes sold for the first time, including newly built properties under city-developer agreements, and specifies "occupy" means physically living in the home as a residence. This bill directly affects first-time homebuyers in new developments and gives cities a regulatory tool to address potential investor speculation.
HF 2373 proposes a state-run retirement savings program for Iowa workers. It requires employers with five or more employees to automatically enroll eligible workers (aged 18+ working 120+ days annually) in a trust managed by the Iowa Treasurer, with a default contribution rate set by the Treasurer. Participants can opt out, adjust contribution levels, or choose from low-risk investment options, including a target date fund as the default. Employers must provide annual enrollment periods and educational materials about the program. The bill is currently in committee and aims to expand retirement savings access for Iowa workers through employer-based enrollment.
HF 2387 changes early retirement rules for Iowa peace officers in the retirement system. It raises the required service years from 22 to 25 for early retirement eligibility (ages 50-54), and replaces the board’s discretionary calculation with fixed benefit percentages: 84% for 25-31 years of service, 88% for 32-33 years, and 90% for 34+ years. The bill also adds a 1.5% annual pension adjustment on July 1 for early retirees. These changes directly affect peace officers qualifying for early retirement under the system.
HF 2390 changes how Iowa's economic development authority issues tax incentives for workforce housing projects. It removes a requirement that incentives be issued on a first-come, first-served basis until the annual budget limit is reached. Instead, the authority can now determine when a project is complete and meets requirements before issuing incentives, continuing until the maximum allowable amount is achieved. This bill directly affects developers of workforce housing projects seeking tax incentives under the program and takes effect immediately upon enactment.
