HF 2156 modifies Iowa's unemployment insurance rules for educational staff employed between academic terms. It removes the current provision that allowed workers to receive retroactive benefits if they had "reasonable assurance" of returning to the same role but were not rehired. Under this bill, individuals performing services for an educational institution before a vacation or holiday break are ineligible for unemployment benefits during that break, even if they had assurance of continued work afterward. This change directly affects non-instructional, non-research, and non-principal administrative staff at schools who might otherwise qualify for benefits during academic transitions. The bill does not create new funding requirements, as school districts will cover costs using existing state foundation aid.
This bill (SSB 3087) enhances safety protections for judicial officers and related legal professionals in Iowa. It allows judicial officers, attorneys general, deputy attorneys general, and assistant attorneys general to obtain permits to carry weapons openly or concealed (with specific courtroom restrictions), while establishing new criminal penalties for threatening these individuals or their immediate family (a class "C" felony) and for maliciously sharing their personal information like addresses or phone numbers (a serious misdemeanor). The law directly affects judges, prosecutors, and their families by creating clearer legal safeguards against threats and harassment. Penalties aim to deter intimidation that could disrupt judicial work or endanger families.
This Iowa bill (SSB 3014) requires state agencies to track and report on artificial intelligence (AI) systems used for employment and public-facing purposes. Agencies must maintain a public inventory of all AI tools - including purpose, use, and data handled - and publish a list of employment-related AI tools within 90 days of use, with annual reports to the legislature. The bill prohibits using AI to alter employee rights, benefits, or job terms (including layoffs, pay cuts, or transferring duties), or to impact collective bargaining agreements. It defines "AI systems" broadly to include tools like machine learning and generative AI, while excluding basic software like spreadsheets.
This bill (SSB 3072) updates Iowa's apprenticeship laws to clarify roles and support training programs. It defines key terms like "intermediary sponsor" (an organization training apprentices for multiple employers) and "partner employer" (an employer using an intermediary). The bill protects intermediaries from being penalized for their partner employers' actions but requires them to address partner breaches. It also establishes that apprenticeship programs receiving state financial aid must provide at least 100 contact hours of training per apprentice annually. These changes directly affect apprenticeship programs, intermediaries, and employers participating in registered apprenticeship training in Iowa.
HF 2072 prohibits the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) from including noncompete clauses in employment contracts with physicians. It requires the university's board of regents to create a policy banning these clauses, which are restrictions preventing doctors from practicing in certain areas or for specific time periods after leaving UIHC. The law applies to all new or renewed physician contracts entered into on or after the bill's effective date (which is immediately upon enactment). This directly affects physicians employed by UIHC by removing geographic and time-based restrictions on their future practice options.
This bill (SSB 3005) modifies Iowa's unemployment benefits rules to allow certain individuals with disabilities to meet weekly work search requirements through specific support programs. It directly affects people with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, or traumatic brain injury (who can use vocational rehabilitation programs) and blind individuals (who can use programs offered by the Department for the Blind). The key provision adds two new options: participation in approved vocational rehabilitation services or blindness employment programs counts as a required work search activity. This change aims to align work search expectations with disability-specific support services. The bill is currently in committee review with a subcommittee recommending passage.
This bill (5502XD) amends Iowa Code section 70A.24 to provide paid parental leave for state employees without requiring them to first qualify for leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). It directly affects Iowa state employees who are welcoming a newborn or adopting a child, making them eligible for paid leave within 12 months of the birth or adoption. The key change removes the previous requirement that employees must be entitled to federal FMLA leave to receive state-paid parental leave. This policy shift expands access to paid leave for qualifying state employees by decoupling it from federal eligibility rules.
This bill (5501XD) requires Iowa's Department of Workforce Development to establish a mandatory reemployment case management program for unemployment claimants. It directly affects individuals filing for unemployment benefits who must participate in this program to maintain eligibility, starting within two weeks of filing an initial claim. The program provides individualized job search services to claimants no longer attached to work, replacing previous work search requirements for certain groups like partially unemployed workers. The bill modifies eligibility rules (Section 96.4) and creates the new program requirement (Section 96.11, subsection 17) without changing benefit amounts or payment schedules.
SSB 1240 appropriates funds from the sports wagering receipts fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025. It allocates $14 million to the Department of Education to supplement the compensation of non-salaried education support personnel in school districts. School districts must report staff information by July 1, 2025, to receive these funds, which will be distributed based on student enrollment. Additionally, the bill appropriates $8 million to the Department of Public Safety for its public safety equipment fund.
HF 856 prohibits public entities (like government agencies, schools, and state-funded programs) from implementing certain diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities. The bill creates a private right to sue for individuals who believe a public entity violated its provisions. Key mechanisms include banning specific DEI training, assessments, or hiring practices tied to protected characteristics, and allowing affected individuals to file lawsuits. It became law after the Governor signed it on May 27, 2025.
