HF 2376 appropriates $2 million from the general fund for the fiscal year 2026-2027 to expand Iowa's Return to Community program, which helps individuals transition from institutional care to community living. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to report on the program's outcomes by December 31, 2027. The bill also increases reimbursement rates by 5% for adult day care services under home and community-based services waivers, while maintaining other existing reimbursement rates for medical assistance and social services. This directly affects providers of community-based care and participants in the Return to Community program.
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.
HF 2452 establishes a state-run data security program within Iowa's Department of Education, allowing school districts to opt in for enhanced protection of student and district data. The department must select data security vendors through a request for proposals process, and participating school districts must commit for an entire school year without mid-year withdrawal. The bill appropriates $250,000 from the state general fund for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to fund this program, with money in the dedicated fund rolling over annually instead of reverting to the general fund. This program directly affects school districts choosing to participate and aims to standardize data security practices across Iowa's educational institutions.
HF 2299 requires retail fuel dealers in Iowa to timely file reports of total gasoline and diesel gallonage sold during a specific period. This reporting is directly tied to eligibility for three tax credits: E-85 gasoline promotion (section 422.11O), biodiesel blended fuel (section 422.11P), and E-15 plus gasoline promotion (section 422.11Y). Retailers who fail to file the required report by their tax year end lose access to these credits for that year and all future years until the report is submitted. The bill also imposes a $100 civil penalty per missed filing, with penalties deposited into the state general fund. The reports are used to calculate excise taxes on higher-blend fuels like E-15 and B-20 biodiesel.
HF 2394 creates a state-funded matching program for private donations to Iowa's nonprofit food banks. It appropriates $1 million annually (starting July 1, 2026) from the general fund to match the total private donations reported by qualifying food banks for tax purposes in the prior fiscal year. The Department of Health and Human Services manages the fund and distributes these matching dollars annually to nonprofit food banks that meet federal tax-exempt criteria (501(c)(3)). Unspent funds carry over to the next fiscal year, and any interest earned stays in the fund.
SF 2386 sets a 5% cap on administrative costs (indirect costs) charged to state-funded grants in Iowa, effective July 1, 2026. It applies to all state departments awarding grants and grant recipients, including nonprofits, schools, and local governments. The bill requires grants to separately list direct and indirect costs in budgets, mandates documentation for all indirect cost calculations, and prohibits reclassifying indirect costs as direct costs to bypass the cap. Departments must enforce the limit during grant approval and monitoring, and disallowed costs must be recovered.
SSB 3100 establishes a 1.75% state percent of growth for school funding starting in the 2026 budget year (July 1, 2026), with a separate 1.75% categorical growth rate for specialized programs like transportation equity aid. It modifies how school districts calculate property tax replacement payments by basing them on weighted student enrollment and a formula comparing current and 2021 per-pupil costs, plus a fixed $153 base amount. This directly affects all Iowa public school districts receiving state funding, as it determines their annual property tax replacement payments. The bill sets the framework for future funding adjustments, requiring annual legislative action to set new growth rates after 2026.
This bill establishes new formulas for calculating state funding increases for schools starting in 2026, directly affecting all public school districts. It modifies how property tax replacement payments are handled, changes transportation equity aid funding rules, and sets new methods for adjusting school district budgets based on enrollment changes. The bill also creates a salary supplement for education support personnel and includes funding appropriations to implement these changes. All provisions take effect for the 2026 budget year.
HF 2421 ensures uninterrupted SNAP benefits for Iowa households if federal funding for the program stops due to a government shutdown. It requires Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to use leftover state general fund money - unspent or uncommitted for that fiscal year - to continue providing full SNAP benefits at the same level as federal funding would have covered. This mechanism keeps eligible households receiving assistance until federal funds are restored, with HHS developing implementing rules. The bill directly affects Iowa SNAP recipients and prevents benefit disruptions during federal funding gaps.
This bill establishes a $250 annual stipend for eligible public school teachers in Iowa, starting with the 2026-2027 school year. Eligible teachers are those providing primarily in-person instruction and employed by a school district before the school year begins. The stipend must be paid automatically by school districts by September 15 each year and can only be used for classroom supplies directly supporting student learning (e.g., books, technology, materials), not personal items. Funding comes from the state general fund, and the stipend is exempt from Iowa income tax.
