HF 571, the "Medical Ethics Defense Act," protects medical practitioners, healthcare institutions, and health care payors from discrimination when refusing to provide or cover specific services based on conscience (e.g., religious or ethical beliefs). It prohibits adverse actions like termination or penalties for such refusals, requires health care payors to cover services they’re contractually obligated to pay for, and grants immunity from liability for good-faith conscience-based decisions. The bill also shields whistleblowers who report violations related to conscience protections or ethical violations to authorities like the attorney general or federal agencies. It explicitly does not override requirements for emergency care under federal law.
HF 960 expands Iowa's sales tax exemption to cover all purchases of central office or transmission equipment used by telecom companies providing commercial services, removing the prior requirement that such equipment be "primarily" used for those services. It directly affects local carriers, cable operators, municipal utilities, cooperatives, and other telecom providers that offer commercial telecommunications services. The key change broadens the existing tax exemption to include all qualifying equipment purchases, meaning these businesses will pay no sales tax on such equipment (and no use tax under Iowa law). This policy change simplifies the exemption without adding new regulations or costs to the state.
SF 472 establishes new procedures for retention and recertification elections for public employee collective bargaining units, affecting public employers and their employees. It requires the employment appeal board to issue a notice before an election and mandates public employers to submit a list of eligible employees within ten days. The bill makes it unlawful for public employers to fail to provide this list and requires the board to publicly identify those who have not complied. Iowa residents are authorized to petition district courts to compel non-compliant public employers to submit the required employee lists. The board must also extend election timelines as needed to resolve any legal challenges related to list submission.
HF 1036 aims to combat human trafficking by implementing several measures, primarily affecting child victims and those involved in the justice and social services systems. It mandates standardized screening for commercial sexual exploitation for children in certain court and child abuse cases and directs the Department of Health and Human Services to plan for increased restoration facilities for juvenile victims. The bill also extends the civil statute of limitations for actions related to child sexual abuse or human trafficking to five years after reaching majority or discovery. Additionally, it prevents the prosecution of minors under 18 who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation, instead referring them to protective services, and establishes an annual stakeholder meeting to develop legislative proposals.
Senate File 304 amends existing law concerning a minor's ability to consent to medical care related to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Currently, minors can independently consent to medical care or services for the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of STDs. This bill introduces a specific exception to that provision. Under SF 304, a minor will no longer have the legal capacity to consent to the provision of a vaccination for a sexually transmitted disease or infection without the consent of another person, such as a parent or guardian.
This Iowa bill updates the state corporate income tax code to allow a deduction for net controlled foreign corporation tested income, replacing a previous reference to the now-repealed global intangible low-taxed income. The change directly affects Iowa businesses with foreign income by ensuring they can still claim a tax break for this specific category of earnings despite recent federal tax law updates. By removing the outdated terminology and keeping the deduction mechanism active, the legislation maintains the state's alignment with current federal tax definitions. The law applies retroactively to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.
This Iowa bill expands the state's alcoholic beverage laws by allowing cities to establish social districts where drinking alcohol is permitted on public streets and highways. It also introduces a new category for nonnative wine manufacturers, enabling out-of-state producers to sell their fermented wines in Iowa without needing to be state residents. To support these changes, the legislation requires manufacturers, distillers, and importers to obtain annual certificates of compliance and pay a $200 fee, while creating specific rules for how beer and wine can be distributed within the state.
This Iowa bill allows existing partnerships to convert into other business structures like limited liability companies, corporations, or trusts without dissolving the entity. The law establishes clear definitions for converted and converting organizations and outlines the types of documents that govern each business form. Partners must approve a conversion plan that meets specific legal requirements before the change takes effect. The bill also sets up a fee system to cover administrative costs associated with processing these conversions through the state.
This bill requires sellers or buyers to submit a signed declaration of value when transferring real property in Iowa for recording purposes. The declaration must be filed with the county recorder at the time of recording, with separate declarations needed for multi-parcel properties located in different counties. The legislation exempts certain transfers from this requirement, including corporate mergers, internal entity property transfers without cash consideration, and trust asset distributions to beneficiaries. This change expands existing exemptions to cover more specific business and estate-related property transfers.
This bill increases the annual reimbursement amount from the Second Injury Fund for workers' compensation to the state attorney general from $450,000 to $900,000. The attorney general will appoint a staff member to represent the fund in legal proceedings and matters related to workers' compensation. The commissioner of insurance must treat this reimbursement as a liability when determining how much money is available for funding. This change directly affects the financial relationship between the Second Injury Fund and the attorney general's office.
This bill requires public corporations in Iowa to send written notice of final project acceptance to contractors, sureties, and labor/material claimants within 14 days after a public improvement project is completed and accepted. It directly affects public agencies managing construction contracts, contractors, and workers or suppliers who may file claims for unpaid labor or materials. The key provision mandates this notice to help settle payment disputes, while clarifying that public corporations won't face liability for failing to send it. The bill modifies existing law to standardize this notification process after project completion.
HF 2598 requires new applicants for Iowa class A, B, or C commercial driver’s licenses to complete a 30-minute human trafficking prevention training course using state-approved materials. The training must cover recognizing, preventing, and reporting human trafficking and be offered in English. The Iowa Department of Transportation will develop and update these materials every three years, collaborating with education and trafficking specialists. The law takes effect on or after March 1, 2027, or when the new licensing system is implemented.
