HF 2076 changes how Iowa electric utilities handle unused energy credits for customers with distributed generation (like rooftop solar). It requires utilities to keep excess kilowatt-hour credits in a customer’s account to offset future bills, rather than automatically cashing them out annually. Customers must now actively request a cash-out or when ending service, at the utility’s avoided cost rate, with funds split between the customer and the low-income energy assistance program. This bill directly affects residential and small business solar customers who generate excess electricity.
HF 2139 amends Iowa law to address fleeing police across state lines. It defines "aggravated eluding" as knowingly crossing into another state while being pursued without yielding to police, making it a class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to $10,245. The bill also allows Iowa officers to continue pursuing and arresting drivers in other states during "fresh pursuit" (defined as pursuit without unreasonable delay), requiring them to report the arrest to that state's authorities and subjecting the driver to extradition. This directly affects drivers fleeing police across state borders and Iowa law enforcement officers conducting interstate pursuits.
SF 2061 creates a dedicated fund within Iowa's state treasury to provide competitive grants for school safety and security infrastructure projects at accredited nonpublic schools. Starting fiscal year 2027, $1 million annually will be transferred from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund into this new program. The Department of Education will administer the grant program, using funds exclusively for defined safety infrastructure improvements at eligible nonpublic schools, with unawarded funds rolling over to future years. The bill establishes clear rules for grant eligibility, application processes, and project types without specifying outcomes or policy preferences.
This bill requires all Iowa public and nonpublic high schools to include one semester of computer science and artificial intelligence (AI) education in their graduation requirements, beginning with the 2030-2031 graduating class. Starting in the 2023-2024 school year, schools must offer AI and computer science courses meeting state standards that cover AI concepts, ethics, societal impact, and foundational skills. The bill also mandates a statewide plan for teacher training by 2027, especially for smaller schools, and establishes online course options for districts. Additionally, it modifies science and math graduation units to allow limited AI instruction to count toward requirements.
This bill removes the expiration date for an annual $20 million appropriation from Iowa's general fund to the Resources Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Fund. Currently, this funding is set to end June 30, 2028, but the bill makes it permanent. The REAP Fund, which supports conservation and environmental projects, will continue receiving this $20 million annually unless lottery funds are also appropriated to the fund (in which case the general fund amount would be reduced by the lottery contribution). The bill directly affects the long-term funding mechanism for the REAP Fund's conservation programs.
SF 2123 requires individuals who manufacture firearms (not licensed dealers) to obtain a unique serial number or identification mark from Iowa's Department of Public Safety by December 1, 2026, and permanently affix it to the firearm or unfinished frame/receiver. It prohibits removing, altering, or defacing existing identification marks on firearms and bans possession of unfinished frames/receivers without a mark after 2026. The bill exempts federally licensed manufacturers, antique firearms, pre-existing firearms, and transfers to law enforcement. Violations carry class C felony penalties, but the law focuses on creating a tracking system for homemade firearms and parts.
This bill creates a civil lawsuit option for victims harmed when an unsecured firearm owned by someone else is used in a crime. Specifically, if a firearm owner fails to secure their gun against theft or unauthorized use, and the gun is later used to commit a crime by a third party, the victim may sue the owner for damages. The owner can defend against the lawsuit by proving they reported the theft to police before the crime occurred. The law applies to cases arising on or after July 1, 2026.
This bill requires new applicants for a permit to acquire pistols or revolvers in Iowa to complete firearm safety training, expanding a current requirement that previously applied only to applicants for permits to carry weapons. It specifies that training is not needed for permit renewals issued after July 1, 2026, or for certain renewal scenarios. The bill also adds penalties: transferring a pistol or revolver to someone who hasn’t completed the required training becomes a class D felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $1,025-$10,245. These changes align with federal requirements for pistol purchases and aim to standardize safety training across permit types.
SF 2106, the "Iowa Residential Rent Fairness and Anticollusion Act," prohibits landlords managing five or more properties from coordinating rent prices with other landlords or using algorithmic rent-setting systems that rely on nonpublic competitor data. It specifically bans software, AI, or automated tools that set rent based on secret data from other landlords without human review, treating this as price fixing. Violators face civil penalties of up to $5,000 per rental unit per month, injunctions, and restitution for tenants overcharged. The bill also requires landlords and algorithm providers to maintain records for five years and allows tenants to sue for damages if harmed by violations.
This bill, Iowa's "Charlie Kirk and Melissa Hortman Firearm Regulation Act," requires background checks for pistol and revolver purchases from any seller (not just dealers), prohibits sales to those under 21, and mandates unique serial numbers for homemade firearms by December 2026. It also requires identification markings on all firearms and unfinished frames/receivers, prohibits altering or removing these marks, and includes provisions for extreme risk protective orders and mental health funding. The law directly affects firearm manufacturers, sellers, and buyers by adding new registration and marking requirements for homemade weapons and tightening background check processes for pistols. Key mechanisms include the new serial number system for homemade firearms, age restrictions on pistol purchases, and penalties for tampering with identification marks.
SF 2097 requires all Iowa state law enforcement agencies and officers to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal immigration agencies when requested. It specifically mandates that if law enforcement has custody of a person named in an immigration detainer request from ICE, they must fully comply with that request and any related legal documents. The bill directly affects Iowa police departments, sheriff's offices, and state troopers by changing how they handle federal immigration detainer requests. This policy change shifts responsibility to state agencies to comply with federal immigration holds rather than allowing them to independently decide whether to honor such requests.
This bill requires firearm owners in Iowa to report lost or stolen firearms to local law enforcement within 48 hours of discovery. It directly affects individuals who own firearms and experience loss or theft. Violating this requirement is a simple misdemeanor punishable by a $50 fine. The law creates a specific reporting obligation and penalty for non-compliance, without altering broader firearm regulations.
