Healthcare

signed · Iowa · House May 19, 2026

HF 2788: A bill for an act relating to abortions including definitions, informed consent, dispensing of abortion-inducing drugs, and other abortion-related provisions.

This Iowa bill establishes new rules for abortions, specifically requiring doctors to perform in-person examinations to screen for coercion before any procedure and mandating detailed informed consent for drug-based abortions. Under the new provisions, physicians must obtain a patient's signature on a federal form and provide written warnings about specific medical risks, including potential hemorrhage, sterility, and the possibility of the pregnancy continuing. The legislation also restricts the dispensing of abortion-inducing drugs to licensed healthcare settings and creates a private civil lawsuit allowing individuals to sue providers who violate these dispensing rules, while protecting the identity of women involved in such cases. Additionally, the bill defines "pregnancy" as beginning at fertilization and clarifies that these requirements do not apply in cases of medical emergencies.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill restricts access to abortion services by mandating in-person exams, detailed consent, and specific drug warnings, limiting patient autonomy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 17, 2026

HF 2287: A bill for an act relating to liability for injuries caused by vaccines.

HF 2287 requires vaccine manufacturers to waive federal immunity for injuries caused by vaccine design defects before distributing, selling, or administering vaccines in Iowa. This directly affects vaccine manufacturers operating in the state, as they must affirmatively give up their protection under the federal National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (42 U.S.C. §300aa-1 et seq.) for design defect claims. The bill's key mechanism is that distributing a vaccine in Iowa automatically deems the manufacturer to have waived this immunity for design defect injuries. It does not impact the federal vaccine injury compensation program or immunity for other types of vaccine injuries. The bill is currently under review by the Judiciary Subcommittee.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill requires manufacturers to waive immunity for vaccine design defects, bypassing the federal no-fault compensation system and creating a more difficult legal path for patients, reducing patient benefits.80% confidence

Track

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2332: A bill for an act relating to elective abortion and feticide, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.

This Iowa bill (HF 2332) prohibits most elective abortions after the second trimester and creates criminal penalties for "feticide" (intentionally causing fetal death during pregnancy). It defines "elective abortion" narrowly - excluding miscarriage treatment, medical emergencies, and procedures to save the mother's life - and bans knowingly performing or aiding such procedures. Feticide is classified as a felony (class C or D depending on intent), while unintentional fetal death during non-forcible crimes is a lesser offense. The law directly affects pregnant individuals seeking later-term abortions, healthcare providers, and anyone assisting in such procedures, with exceptions only for medical emergencies or preserving maternal life.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts abortion access after second trimester, banning non-emergency procedures under 'feticide' penalties, directly limiting a healthcare service under medical care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

Track

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 5, 2026

HF 2288: A bill for an act relating to vaccination exemptions for certain students in clinical rotations and the qualification of postsecondary schools as eligible institutions for Iowa tuition grants.

This bill requires Iowa postsecondary schools offering health science programs (like nursing or medical training) to provide students with clinical rotation placements where they can skip certain vaccination requirements, upon request. It directly affects health science students needing clinical training and the schools they attend. Schools that fail to comply lose eligibility for Iowa tuition grants, which fund student financial aid. The law defines "clinical rotation" as supervised, credit-bearing healthcare training in facilities and updates eligibility rules for tuition grant programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables health science students to complete required clinical rotations by waiving certain vaccination requirements, enhancing educational access for program completion.85% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill permits vaccination exemptions for healthcare students, weakening public health vaccine requirements for clinical training programs.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Public Health

Track

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SSB 3115: A bill for an act relating to abortions including informed consent, dispensing abortion-inducing drugs, and reporting abortion-inducing drug complications.

SSB 3115 requires physicians performing abortions to conduct in-person exams screening for coercion before procedures and obtain specific written patient consent about risks of abortion-inducing drugs (like mifepristone and misoprostol). It mandates doctors to inform patients about gestational risks, potential complications (such as hemorrhage or incomplete abortion), follow-up care requirements, and information on reversing chemical abortions. The bill also requires the health department to publish reversal resources online and establishes reporting standards for complications like infection or retained tissue. This bill directly affects physicians, health care providers dispensing abortion drugs, and patients seeking medication abortions in Iowa.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill mandates restrictive abortion requirements (in-person exams, detailed consent) limiting patient access to abortion services, a healthcare service.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

Track

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SF 2424: A bill for an act relating to vaccination exemptions for certain students in clinical rotations and the qualification of postsecondary schools as eligible institutions for Iowa tuition grants, and providing civil penalties.

SF 2424 requires Iowa postsecondary schools offering health-related degree programs (like nursing) to identify clinical rotation placements where students can be exempt from vaccination requirements during their training. This directly affects healthcare students seeking clinical placements and accredited private colleges that must comply to maintain eligibility for Iowa tuition grants. Schools failing to provide such exemptions or respond to student reports of violations by September 30 face losing tuition grant eligibility and a $5,000 civil penalty. The bill enforces this through a student reporting process to the Attorney General, with penalties tied to annual compliance deadlines.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires vaccination exemptions for clinical rotations in health programs, enabling student access to training and maintaining tuition grant eligibility - directly supports educational access for healthcare students.85% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareAllows vaccine exemptions for healthcare students in clinical rotations, restricting immunization requirements for healthcare training settings.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Public Health

Track

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 24, 2026

SF 2459: A bill for an act relating to the certificate of need process.

SF 2459 modifies Iowa's certificate of need process for health facilities, requiring state approval before major expansions or service changes. It defines "new institutional health service" to include facility construction (with cost thresholds rising from $4 million to $5 million over time), equipment purchases over $1.5 million, bed capacity changes, or new services exceeding specified dollar amounts. The bill adds an application fee of 0.3% of project cost (minimum $600, maximum $21,000), exempting facilities serving people with intellectual/mental disabilities. This directly affects hospitals and health providers planning significant capital investments or service changes above the defined financial thresholds.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRequires state approval for facility expansions/service changes, raising cost thresholds and adding fees, restricting healthcare infrastructure development and access.85% confidence

Track

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HSB 704: A bill for an act relating to abortions including informed consent, dispensing abortion-inducing drugs, and reporting abortion-inducing drug complications.

This bill establishes new requirements for physicians performing abortions in Iowa, specifically targeting chemical abortions using drugs like mifepristone or misoprostol. It mandates that physicians obtain a patient's signature on a U.S. FDA form, provide written confirmation about specific risks (including hemorrhage, incomplete abortion, and potential reversal), and advise on emergency surgical options before dispensing abortion-inducing drugs. The bill also requires the state health department to publish online information about reversing chemical abortions and defines "abortion-inducing drug complications" to include issues like infection or retained tissue. These provisions directly affect physicians who perform abortions and pregnant women seeking chemical abortion services.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill restricts abortion access by mandating informed consent forms, risk disclosures, and surgical option advisement before dispensing abortion drugs, limiting patient access to healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

Track

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 12, 2026

HF 2368: A bill for an act relating to the Iowa medical freedom Act, including limitations on requiring medical interventions by businesses, governmental entities, and educational institutions, modifying state authority during public health disasters, and including effective date provisions.

HF 2368, the Iowa Medical Freedom Act, restricts businesses, schools, and government entities from requiring medical interventions (like vaccinations) as a condition for services, attendance, or employment - except for specific foreign travel requirements. It prohibits businesses from denying service or employment based on medical intervention status, and bans schools and government agencies from mandating such interventions for students, staff, or access to public services. Exceptions allow employers to require medical interventions only for international travel where foreign entry requires them, with written contracts or 14 days' advance notice. The bill aims to prevent discrimination in employment or service access related to medical interventions while preserving limited foreign travel exceptions.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts mandates for medical interventions (e.g., vaccinations) in schools/businesses, limiting public health program enforcement.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits businesses from denying employment based on medical intervention status, protecting workers' rights against mandatory medical requirements for jobs.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

Track

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SF 2310: A bill for an act relating to eligibility for certain public assistance programs.

This bill (SF 2310) requires Iowa's Health and Human Services (HHS) to verify the immigration status and U.S. citizenship of applicants and recipients before approving or continuing benefits for four specific public assistance programs: SNAP (food assistance), Medicaid (healthcare), FIP (cash assistance), and CHIP (children's health insurance). It mandates using the federal "Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Online" (SAVE) system to check this information. The change applies to both initial eligibility determinations and ongoing eligibility reviews for these programs. The bill does not alter benefit levels or eligibility criteria beyond this verification step.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill restricts Medicaid eligibility by mandating immigration/citizenship verification, limiting healthcare access for non-citizens in a key public health program.92% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationMandates immigration status verification for SNAP, Medicaid, and other public benefits, restricting access based on citizenship status per federal SAVE system requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Children's Health Insurance Medicaid Citizenship & Naturalization Driver Licenses & IDs Enforcement

Track