Technology (Artificial Intelligence) in Iowa

signed · Iowa · Senate May 2, 2026

SF 2417: A bill for an act establishing requirements and guidelines for conversational AI services, and providing civil penalties, and including applicability provisions.

Iowa's SF 2417 establishes rules for conversational AI services - like chatbots that simulate human interaction - to protect users, especially minors. It requires operators to clearly disclose when users interact with AI (not humans), prevent harmful content (such as sexually explicit material or false romantic interactions), and provide privacy tools for minors and their parents. The law also mandates suicide crisis response protocols and bans AI from misleadingly claiming to offer professional mental health services. Violations can result in civil penalties up to $500,000 per operator, enforced by the Attorney General, with the law taking effect July 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 23, 2026

SF 2414: A bill for an act relating to automated decision systems used by employers.

Iowa's SF 2414 requires employers to provide written notice to employees (or their authorized representatives) about automated decision systems used in employment-related decisions - excluding hiring - before deployment or by January 1, 2027. The notice must explain the types of decisions affected (e.g., promotions, discipline, work assignments), describe the employee data used, and disclose key parameters that may disproportionately impact outcomes. It applies to employers in Iowa who use such systems to make decisions materially affecting wages, benefits, work conditions, or opportunities. The bill defines "automated decision systems" broadly but excludes tools like spam filters or basic databases. This is a transparency measure, not a restriction on system use.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

passed · Iowa · House Mar 17, 2026

HF 2609: A bill for an act relating to the use of synthetic media in campaign materials, and making penalties applicable.

HF 2609 requires political campaign materials containing synthetic media - digitally altered images, audio, or video that falsely mimic real people - to include a clear disclosure: "THIS CONTENT GENERATED USING SYNTHETIC MEDIA." It directly affects political advertisers, including websites, social media, TV ads, and printed materials like campaign signs. The law mandates this disclosure be prominently displayed, places sole responsibility on the publisher for compliance, and imposes penalties for willful violations (up to a year in jail or fines of $430-$2,560). The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board must create implementing rules, and the disclosure does not prevent other legal actions against harmful synthetic media use.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence Social Media

introduced · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2540: A bill for an act relating to computer science and artificial intelligence education, including high school curricula and graduation requirements, and practitioner preparation programs, and including applicability provisions.

HF 2540 requires Iowa high schools to offer at least one semester of computer science and artificial intelligence (AI) instruction to satisfy graduation requirements, beginning with the 2030-2031 graduating class. The bill mandates that all courses include foundational AI concepts, how AI works, and its societal and ethical impacts. Schools must provide this instruction starting in 2022 (for grade-level offerings), and the state must publish approved course lists and a teacher-training plan by 2027, with special support for small schools. This directly affects all Iowa public and accredited nonpublic high schools and their students, integrating AI education into graduation standards.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Teachers Artificial Intelligence

introduced · Iowa · House Mar 19, 2026

HF 2691: A bill for an act relating to the ownership of artificial intelligence output and trained artificial intelligence.

HF 2691 clarifies ownership rights for artificial intelligence (AI) content and trained AI systems in Iowa. It states that users who provide input to an AI to generate content (like text, images, or predictions) own that output unless the AI's terms of service or a separate contract specifies otherwise. The bill also grants ownership of the trained AI system itself to the person who legally trained it with their own data, provided they haven't transferred that ownership via contract. These rules apply directly to Iowa residents and businesses using AI tools or developing AI systems.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

passed · Iowa · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SF 2224: A bill for an act relating to computer science education, including by modifying provisions related to standards for computer science education, the curriculum provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, and practitioner preparation programs, and including applicability provisions.

SF 2224 requires all Iowa public high schools (grades 9-12) to include artificial intelligence fundamentals in computer science courses, mandating instruction on what AI is, how it works, and its societal impacts. It updates graduation requirements to mandate a half-unit of computer science starting in 2022, allowing schools to fulfill part of this requirement through applied science, technology, engineering, or manufacturing courses. The bill also adds new standards for teacher preparation programs, requiring future educators to complete training in AI and computational thinking relevant to their grade level. These changes apply to all Iowa public schools and teacher training institutions, directly affecting students, educators, and curriculum developers. The law modifies existing education codes (sections 256.7, 256.11, and 256.16) to implement these requirements.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Teachers Artificial Intelligence

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SF 2199: A bill for an act relating to the ownership of artificial intelligence output and trained artificial intelligence.

SF 2199 clarifies ownership rights for artificial intelligence (AI) output and trained AI models in Iowa. It states that a person who provides input to an AI owns the resulting output (like text or images) they create, as long as it doesn't infringe on others' copyrights. The person who trains an AI model using lawful data owns the trained AI, unless they've already sold those rights. If an employee uses AI for work within their job duties under employer direction, the employer owns the output or trained AI, provided it doesn't violate existing copyrights. The law explicitly states it doesn't override preexisting copyright or intellectual property rights.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HSB 610: A bill for an act relating to computer science education, including high school curricula and graduation requirements, practitioner preparation programs, and college admissions, and including applicability provisions.

Iowa's HSB 610 requires all public and accredited nonpublic high schools to include one semester of computer science as a graduation requirement for students graduating in the 2030-2031 school year and beyond. The bill mandates that computer science courses must cover fundamental concepts of evolving technologies and artificial intelligence - including how AI works, its societal impact, and ethical considerations - starting in the 2022-2023 school year for a half-unit requirement. The state must publish a list of approved computer science courses by June 2027 and create a plan to expand teacher capacity, especially for small schools (under 500 students in grades 9-12). This directly affects Iowa high school students, educators, and school districts implementing new graduation standards.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education K-12 Education Artificial Intelligence

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SF 2093: A bill for an act relating to powers and duties applicable to state of disaster emergencies and public health disasters.

SF 2093 modifies Iowa's emergency powers during disaster and public health crises. It requires governors to issue written declarations detailing affected areas and justifications, limiting initial emergencies to 30 days (extendable by 60 days by the governor), with legislative oversight allowing 60-day extensions via concurrent resolution. The bill explicitly prohibits emergency measures that infringe constitutional rights, restrict religious interactions in healthcare, use surveillance tech without consent, deploy drones/AI for enforcement, or limit licensed health professionals' practice. These provisions directly affect governors, the legislature, and public health authorities during declared emergencies.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence Tags Emergency Management

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 21, 2026

SSB 3039: A bill for an act relating to the use of synthetic media in campaign materials, and making penalties applicable.

This bill requires political campaign materials containing synthetic media - such as deepfakes or AI-generated videos/audio that falsely depict people - to include a clear disclosure: "THIS CONTENT GENERATED USING SYNTHETIC MEDIA." It applies to all campaign ads (websites, social media, print, TV, etc.) and holds the publisher directly responsible for the disclosure, not the creator. Violating this rule is a serious misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,560 fine. The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board must create implementing rules, and the disclosure does not limit other legal remedies for misuse.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence Social Media

All technology bills