SF 113 modifies Iowa school curriculum and library policies. It requires all public school districts and charter schools to provide age-appropriate human growth and development education (including STD and HPV information) in grades K-12, and mandates school library programs to contain only age-appropriate materials. The bill establishes penalties for violations, including written warnings for first offenses and potential disciplinary hearings for repeated violations by school staff. It defines "age-appropriate" to exclude explicit sexual content and requires school libraries to maintain diverse, updated collections supporting curriculum needs. The law directly affects school districts, charter schools, and their employees in implementing these educational and library standards.
This bill requires Iowa school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to provide free breakfast and lunch programs to all students whose families earn at or below 300% of the federal poverty level starting July 2025, increasing to 400% for 2026-2027, and becoming universal (no income limit) beginning July 2027. It appropriates state funds to cover costs not covered by federal programs, ensuring meals meet nutrition standards. The bill directly affects all eligible schools and their students, expanding access to free meals while mandating compliance with federal and state nutrition rules. The state board of education must adopt rules to administer these provisions, effective upon enactment.
SF 134 requires Iowa employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, upon request supported by a healthcare provider's advice. These accommodations include modifications like accessible workspaces, equipment adjustments, job restructuring, or flexible schedules, but cannot impose undue hardship on the employer. Employers violating this requirement face civil penalties of up to $750, with enforcement handled by the Iowa Office of Civil Rights through inspections and interviews. The bill specifies that compliance with these standards cannot be altered through collective bargaining agreements.
HF 121 requires Iowa school districts, nonpublic schools, charter schools, innovation zone schools, and area education agencies to develop and distribute resources enabling school staff to provide testing services. These resources help parents or guardians of enrolled students submit applications for home and community-based services waivers through the Department of Health and Human Services. The waivers are Medicaid programs that allow individuals to receive necessary care at home or in community settings instead of in institutional facilities. The bill specifically authorizes area education agencies to offer these testing services to eligible schools upon request.
HF 255 enacts Iowa's participation in the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, allowing licensed psychologists from other participating states to provide temporary in-person services (up to 30 days per year) or telepsychology services to Iowa patients without needing an Iowa license. It directly affects psychologists seeking to practice across state lines and Iowa patients needing access to out-of-state psychological services. Key provisions include mutual recognition of licenses, a coordinated system for sharing disciplinary information between states, and temporary practice certificates ("IPC") for in-person visits or telepsychology. The compact does not apply to permanent practice or psychologists already licensed in both states, while maintaining each state's authority to protect public safety through its own licensing standards.
HF 279 clarifies procedures for declaring and managing state disaster emergencies, including public health disasters. It requires governors to issue written proclamations detailing the affected area, basis for the emergency, and specifically noting public health designations. The bill explicitly prohibits emergency measures that infringe constitutional rights without strong justification, restrict religious interactions, use surveillance without consent, or limit healthcare professionals' licensed practices. It also bans mandatory disease contact monitoring that violates freedom of association and ensures individuals retain final authority over medical exams and vaccinations during emergencies. These provisions aim to balance emergency response with protected rights and healthcare access.
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Emergency Management
HF 104 allows minors to consent to medical care for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like testing, treatment, or prevention, but creates an exception for STI vaccinations. It specifically states minors cannot legally consent to receiving STI vaccines without parental or guardian involvement. The bill modifies existing law (Code 139A.35) to clarify that consent for vaccinations requires a parent or guardian, while other STI-related care (diagnosis, treatment, prevention) remains accessible to minors without parental consent. This directly affects minors seeking STI-related health services in Iowa.
HF 424 establishes Iowa's "Work Without Worry" program, providing health coverage through the state's medical assistance program for employed individuals with disabilities aged 18-64 who meet income requirements. It removes typical Medicaid barriers by allowing participants to keep coverage while working, with premiums calculated as 6% of "countable income" (income used for basic needs), and automatically enrolling Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients. The program includes a 6-month grace period for temporary job loss or health issues without requiring premium payments during that time, and participants retain access to all standard Medicaid services plus additional community-based support. This directly affects Iowans with disabilities who work but would otherwise lose health coverage due to income limits under current Medicaid rules.
HF 487 modifies Iowa's drug paraphernalia laws to exempt specific harm reduction tools from criminal penalties. It explicitly excludes fentanyl/xylazine test strips, drug-checking equipment, and materials used by authorized harm reduction organizations (like public health departments) from the definition of "drug paraphernalia." The bill protects individuals from arrest, housing loss, or other penalties when using these tools for testing substances, and prohibits using drug-checking results as evidence in court. It also permits state opioid settlement funds to support these activities, directly affecting people who use substance-checking services and harm reduction programs.
HF 661 creates a comprehensive child care package in Iowa. It expands the state's child and dependent care tax credit to match the federal credit amount (retroactive to 2025), establishes a state grant program to raise wages and provide health insurance/benefits for child care workers, and introduces a new small business tax credit for employers offering on-site or nearby child care (capping at $3,000 per employee annually, with a total $2 million annual limit). The bill also adjusts state child care assistance eligibility, raising required work hours for parents and increasing income thresholds to 265% (basic care) and 290% (special needs) of the federal poverty level, while requiring state reimbursement rates to match private-pay rates. These changes directly affect child care workers, small employers providing child care benefits, and low-income families seeking state assistance.
