Iowa bill 5520DP requires the Utilities Commission to adopt rules prohibiting gas and electricity disconnections from residential properties during periods of severe cold or severe hot weather. The bill directs the Commission to define "severe weather" in its rules, building on existing cold-weather protections. This change directly affects residential utility customers by preventing service interruptions during extreme temperature events, as specified by the Commission's adopted definitions.
HF 876 requires sellers to disclose whether a property has lead service lines (pipes carrying water) as part of standard real estate disclosure forms. This directly affects home buyers and sellers in Minnesota during property transactions. The bill adds specific language to existing disclosure documents to ensure buyers are informed about potential lead pipe risks before purchasing. It became law after passing unanimously in both chambers and receiving the Governor's signature on June 6, 2025.
HF 957 establishes the Natural Hazard Mitigation Financing Program and outlines its funding mechanisms. It creates dedicated funds and accounts, managed by the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Iowa Finance Authority, which are separate from the state's general fund. The bill authorizes the Iowa Finance Authority to issue tax-exempt bonds and notes to finance the program and secure state matching funds for federal disaster relief. These bonds are secured by program revenues and are not considered state debt, providing a specific financial structure for natural hazard mitigation projects.
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Emergency Management
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 92 modifies Iowa's urban renewal law by changing which property tax revenue funds urban renewal projects. It specifies that taxes for emergency medical services (under Chapter 422D) are excluded from the revenue pool used for urban renewal financing and low/moderate income housing assistance. The bill ensures that only certain property taxes - excluding those for emergency medical services, school levies, and other specific programs - are allocated to the municipality's special fund for urban renewal projects and housing. This change applies to property taxes due in fiscal years starting July 1, 2026.
SF 143 strengthens Iowa's consumer data protection laws by granting individuals new rights regarding automated data processing. It defines "profiling" as automated analysis of personal data to predict factors like health or behavior, requiring businesses to notify consumers and allow opt-outs for decisions affecting housing, employment, health care, or financial services. The bill expands "health data" protections and clarifies exemptions for entities already regulated under federal laws like HIPAA and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. It applies retroactively to January 1, 2025, affecting businesses handling consumer data in Iowa.
HF 662 allocates $2.5 million from Iowa's general fund to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for fiscal year 2024-2025 to support refugee resettlement services. The funds are specifically for nonprofit resettlement agencies partnering with the U.S. Department of State to assist refugees in Iowa, covering costs like housing, employment, and healthcare. HHS must distribute the money proportionally to each agency based on the number of refugees they sponsor, and all funds must be disbursed within seven days of the bill taking effect. This direct funding supports refugees and the nonprofits providing their resettlement services in Iowa.
This bill creates a new "foundation property tax reduction fund" in Iowa's state treasury, funded by redirecting interest earnings from several existing state funds (including the Iowa economic emergency fund, cash reserve fund, and taxpayer relief fund) starting in 2026. The fund's primary purpose is to lower property tax levies for school districts by making direct payments to them, effectively reducing the amount homeowners and businesses would pay in property taxes. School districts and property taxpayers - particularly those with agricultural land eligible for existing tax credits - will directly benefit as the fund supplants funds that would otherwise be collected through the standard property tax system. The fund operates separately from the general state fund and is specifically designed to lower the foundation property tax levy rate under existing school finance rules.
This bill maintains the pre-development property tax assessment for land used in housing or commercial development starting January 1, 2020, or later. It prevents local assessors from changing a lot's tax classification until the property is improved with permanent construction, sold, or five years pass after the subdivision plat is recorded - whichever happens first. The rule applies to all development activities, including zoning changes, clearing lots, or installing utilities, but excludes special assessments. It takes effect immediately and applies retroactively to tax assessments beginning January 1, 2025.
Iowa's SSB 1182 requires counties and cities to allow at least one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on single-family residential lots, with specific limitations on local restrictions. It prohibits municipalities from imposing stricter rules on ADUs than on main homes (e.g., size, appearance, parking, or rental use) and bans restrictions based on occupancy relationships, income, or age. The bill mandates that ADU permit applications be approved within 30 days without discretionary review, unless denied in writing with specific reasons. It directly affects homeowners seeking to add secondary housing units, such as in-law suites or rental cottages, by reducing local barriers to construction. The law applies to all counties and cities in Iowa, ensuring consistent rules for ADU development across the state.
