HF 2489 requires the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa to sign the federal Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education by December 31, 2026. Each institution and the Board of Regents must take all necessary steps to complete the signing by that deadline. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment.
HF 2495 modifies Iowa law regarding seized weapons and ammunition. It allows the Iowa Department of Public Safety to sell or transfer non-illegal, non-offensive weapons and ammunition to law enforcement agencies (with approval) instead of only destroying them. The bill also requires the Department to conduct an annual audit tracking all forfeited weapons, documenting their use and location. This directly affects law enforcement agencies that may receive transferred weapons and the Department of Public Safety, which must now manage disposal and maintain detailed records. The changes update how seized property is handled and reported, focusing on transparency and practical use.
HF 2503 modifies Iowa's gambling regulations, state building codes, and residential care facility rules. It raises the annual reimbursement cap for gambling commission members from $30,000 to $70,000 and expands lifetime bans from sports wagering and advance deposit sports wagering to include those convicted twice of unlawful betting or certain gambling violations. The bill requires building code officials to consult with homeland security (instead of public defense) when setting safe room standards and redirects building code fees to a licensing fund. It also creates a new classification for pediatric palliative care facilities, allowing them to serve zero patients (unlike the current minimum of three). These changes directly affect gambling regulators, offenders, building code administrators, and specific residential care providers.
HF 2540 requires Iowa high schools to offer at least one semester of computer science and artificial intelligence (AI) instruction to satisfy graduation requirements, beginning with the 2030-2031 graduating class. The bill mandates that all courses include foundational AI concepts, how AI works, and its societal and ethical impacts. Schools must provide this instruction starting in 2022 (for grade-level offerings), and the state must publish approved course lists and a teacher-training plan by 2027, with special support for small schools. This directly affects all Iowa public and accredited nonpublic high schools and their students, integrating AI education into graduation standards.
HF 2528 requires Iowa's workforce development board, state board of education, and department of education to address cyber and artificial intelligence workforce needs. It mandates K-12 public schools to develop cyber/AI literacy standards, establishes partnerships between colleges and private industry for internships and degree programs, and creates a grant program for training (subject to funding). The bill also directs the state board to set statewide education standards, create a voluntary school certification program for AI/cyber compliance, and requires the education department to launch a community awareness initiative with digital resources and targeted outreach for groups like seniors and law enforcement. These provisions directly affect Iowa students, educators, schools, and professionals seeking career transitions in cyber/AI fields.
HF 2486 requires all Iowa public schools, charter schools, and innovation school zones to adopt a student dress code policy for grades K-12 by July 1, 2026. The policy must ensure attire is appropriate, presentable, modest, clean, and fully covering (prohibiting midriff exposure or undergarments), while banning clothing promoting illegal activities or disruptive elements like gang-related attire. Schools must uniformly enforce the policy without discrimination, provide accommodations for religious or medical needs, and clearly communicate rules to students and parents annually. This bill directly affects school districts, students, and families by standardizing dress code requirements across all public K-12 educational settings.
HF 2504 prohibits distributing nitrous oxide with the intent to induce unlawful inhalation or knowing it will be inhaled unlawfully, making such acts a serious misdemeanor. It directly affects retailers and businesses selling nitrous oxide, creating a rebuttable presumption that they violated the law if they distribute it or possess it with intent to distribute. The bill targets commercial sales (like whipped cream chargers) by shifting the burden to businesses to prove they didn’t intend for illegal use, without changing general sales rules. The bill is currently pending after introduction on February 16, 2026.
HF 2415 requires health insurance plans sold in Iowa to provide a special enrollment period for pregnant women. It allows women to enroll in coverage after a health care professional certifies pregnancy, up to 16 weeks gestation, without fees or penalties. Coverage becomes effective the first day of the month when pregnancy is certified (or the following month if chosen). The bill applies to most individual and group health insurance plans sold in Iowa after January 1, 2027, but excludes dental, vision, short-term, Medicare supplement, and accident-only plans.
HF 2350 creates a special instruction permit pathway for Iowa drivers whose licenses were suspended due to physical or mental incapacity to operate a vehicle safely. It allows eligible individuals to obtain this permit by providing a favorable medical report (from a physician or qualified provider), meeting other requirements, and paying a fee, which temporarily halts the license suspension. The permit remains valid for up to six months and requires no driving test, but the original suspension automatically reinstates if a driver's license isn't obtained before the permit expires. This bill specifically waives reinstatement fees for suspensions under section 321.210, subsection 1, paragraph "a", subparagraph (3), related to incapacity.
HF 2347 requires public health agencies and schools in Iowa to include clear information about medical and religious exemptions to vaccine requirements in specific communications. This includes posting exemption details on agency and school websites, including them in registration materials for schools and childcare centers, and sharing them directly with parents or guardians when schools or health agencies communicate about immunization recommendations. The bill directly affects public health agencies, schools, childcare centers, and parents/guardians of students enrolled in these institutions. It does not change exemption eligibility but mandates consistent, accessible disclosure of existing exemption options through multiple channels. The policy ensures families receive standardized information about vaccine exemptions when enrolling children or receiving health communications.
HF 2351 standardizes the design for certain military-themed license plates in Iowa, allowing eligible owners to request a specific navy-blue top and red bottom plate with a white space for license numbers and a gray bald eagle image. It directly affects Iowans who qualify for military special plates, such as Purple Heart, Gold Star, Veterans, or combat badge plates. The bill permits both new applicants and current plate holders to exchange qualifying plates for this standardized design at no additional cost. This change aligns the appearance of these military plates with the existing "Flying Our Colors" plate design.
HF 2346 modifies Iowa law regarding substance use disorder evaluations for individuals convicted of operating while intoxicated (OWI). The bill removes the current requirement that these evaluations must occur "prior to sentencing," changing the timing of when the evaluation must be completed. This directly affects OWI offenders who would no longer need to undergo the evaluation before their sentencing hearing. The key change is solely procedural, altering the sequence of court processes without changing the requirement for the evaluation itself or its cost. The bill was introduced on February 9, 2026, and is pending further legislative action.
