Iowa Bills

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 11, 2025

HF 526: A bill for an act providing for the direct shipment of beer, levying a barrel tax, providing fees, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.

HF 526 allows Iowa breweries with existing "class A" permits to ship beer directly to consumers within Iowa and to out-of-state customers (where permitted by law). It requires breweries to obtain a $25 "beer direct shipper permit," pay a $5.89 per-barrel tax on direct shipments, submit biannual electronic reports, and follow labeling/shipping rules (e.g., age verification, personal use only). The bill creates new reporting requirements and tax collection mechanisms for direct shipments, while exempting shipments to out-of-state wholesalers. It specifically applies to breweries already licensed under Iowa law with federal brewer’s notices.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 536: A bill for an act relating to the office of long-term care ombudsman and making an appropriation.

SF 536 appropriates $300,000 from Iowa's general fund for the fiscal year 2025-2026 to increase the number of local long-term care ombudsmen. This funding directly supports residents and tenants in nursing homes by enabling more staff to conduct site visits and fulfill ombudsman duties focused on protecting health, safety, and rights. The bill specifies that the funds are in addition to existing appropriations and must prioritize facilities that recently changed ownership, especially those transitioning to private equity. The key mechanism is expanding staffing capacity through dedicated funding for salaries and operational resources.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 532: A bill for an act relating to health care facilities, providing penalties, making an appropriation, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.

SF 532 affects state-funded nursing homes and long-term care facilities in Iowa. It bans facilities from requiring residents to sign arbitration agreements that limit their right to seek full court review of disputes, and adds retaliation against residents or staff who file complaints as a serious violation. The bill also mandates more frequent unannounced inspections (at least one per facility every 12 months), increases penalties for repeated safety violations (tripling fines for second offenses), and includes new funding for oversight. These changes aim to strengthen resident protections and enforcement of facility safety standards.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 245: A bill for an act providing for the direct shipment of alcoholic liquor, providing fees, and including effective date provisions.

This bill (SF 245) allows Iowa-based alcoholic beverage manufacturers (like distilleries) to ship products directly to consumers within Iowa, subject to specific rules. Manufacturers must obtain a new "direct shipper license" ($25 fee), ship only to residents aged 21+ for personal use (not resale), and comply with volume limits (e.g., up to 9 liters annually per customer if producing over 150,000 proof gallons yearly). Shipments require federal registration, special labeling ("SIGNATURE OF PERSON AGE 21+ REQUIRED"), and must be delivered by licensed carriers. Manufacturers must also pay Iowa a 50% fee on the wholesale price of shipped products. The bill does not affect existing retail sales or delivery by licensed stores.

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 11, 2025

HF 912: A bill for an act relating to state services and benefits provided to veterans, including state grants, public assistance programs, business fee waivers, substance use disorder programs, mental health and disability services, undergraduate tuition and fees, disabled veteran tax credits, department of natural resources’ licenses and fees, permit to carry weapons fees, vehicle registration fees, and driver’s licenses, making penalties applicable, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

HF 912 creates a new fee waiver program for veteran-owned businesses in Iowa. It requires the Secretary of State to establish rules allowing qualified veteran-owned businesses (including LLCs, corporations, and nonprofits) to receive waivers for specific business filing fees. Veterans or veteran interest holders can file qualifying documents (like partnership registrations or corporate filings) without paying the standard fees. This applies to documents listed in existing statutes for business formations, making it a concrete administrative change for eligible businesses. The bill does not alter other veteran benefits listed in its title, such as tuition or tax credits, which remain unaffected by this specific provision.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 11, 2025

HF 469: A bill for an act relating to state services and benefits provided to veterans, including state grants, public assistance programs, business fee waivers, substance use disorder programs, mental health and disability services, undergraduate tuition and fees, disabled veteran tax credits, department of natural resources’ licenses and fees, civil litigation priority, permit to carry weapons fees, vehicle registration fees, and driver’s licenses, making penalties applicable, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

HF 469 expands benefits for Iowa veterans across multiple state services. It requires state agencies to give veterans preference for state grants and public assistance programs like food assistance and housing vouchers. The bill's key provision creates automatic fee waivers for veterans-owned businesses (including LLCs, corporations, and partnerships) when filing specific documents with the Secretary of State, eliminating associated fees for eligible veterans. It also extends benefits like tuition exemptions, tax credits, and priority in civil litigation, with penalties for noncompliance. The bill affects all Iowa veterans and veterans-owned businesses filing designated documents.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing ✓ Veterans

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 11, 2025

HSB 308: A bill for an act relating to the low-income home energy assistance program eligibility requirements.

This bill (HSB 308) expands eligibility for Iowa's Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) by raising the income threshold from 150% to 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL). It specifically allows households to qualify if they live in an area where an electric utility raised rates between July 2023 and July 2025, meet other standard program requirements, and have income at or below 250% FPL. Eligibility ends four years after the utility's rate increase. The bill also requires electric utilities to cover increased program costs through fees - nonprofits may charge non-participating customers, but for-profits cannot pass fees to ratepayers.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 11, 2025

HF 916: A bill for an act modifying provisions relating to the additional property tax credit for elderly persons and including applicability provisions.

HF 916 modifies Iowa's property tax credit for elderly residents by expanding eligibility. It removes the income requirement for seniors aged 65 and older who file claims, meaning they qualify regardless of household income (previously only those 70+ with income under 250% of the federal poverty level qualified). The bill directly affects Iowa residents aged 65+ who claim this property tax credit. It applies to claims filed on or after January 1, 2026, changing how the credit is calculated for this age group.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 537: A bill for an act relating to the requirements for authorized electronic monitoring in nursing facilities, and providing penalties.

SF 537 establishes rules for residents of Iowa nursing facilities who wish to use personal electronic monitoring devices (like video cameras) in their rooms. It requires written consent from the resident or their legally authorized representative, and in shared rooms, it mandates obtaining written consent from all roommates before installing or continuing monitoring. Nursing facilities must provide a 30-day waiting period after roommate consent is received and make reasonable efforts to accommodate residents by offering room changes if roommates refuse consent. The bill directly affects nursing facility residents, their representatives, roommates, and the facilities themselves, creating a structured process for consent while prohibiting facilities from monitoring rooms without authorization.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 547: A bill for an act relating to area agencies on aging, dementia service specialists, and a dementia services coordinator, and providing an appropriation.

SF 547 requires each of Iowa's area agencies on aging to hire a dementia service specialist to support people living with dementia, their families, and caregivers. The bill also creates a dementia services coordinator position within the Department of Health and Human Services to oversee statewide dementia initiatives. Key duties for specialists include providing referrals, conducting cognitive screenings, building dementia-friendly community programs, and training first responders. The bill appropriates $750,000 for fiscal year 2025-2026 to fund these positions across all area agencies and the coordinator role.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 535: A bill for an act relating to nursing facility change of ownership applications.

SF 535 requires nursing facility ownership change applications in Iowa to include detailed financial and compliance information. Applicants must verify sufficient funds for 12 months of operations, disclose regulatory history across all jurisdictions (including complaints, investigations, and facility closures), and provide documentation on wage changes for health workers. The bill increases the required escrow period for financial reserves from two to four months and gives the licensing department authority to reject applications that threaten long-term facility finances or resident safety. This directly affects nursing facility owners seeking to sell or buy properties, with the goal of protecting resident health and safety through stricter vetting of new ownership.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 539: A bill for an act relating to oversight for long-term care facilities.

SF 539 creates a Long-Term Care Facility Safety Council to improve oversight of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Iowa. The council, composed of state health officials, the ombudsman, aging agency directors, AARP representatives, consumer advocates, and health professionals, sets safety standards, reviews facility violations, and recommends actions to the state department. It must approve ownership changes for nursing facilities and provide annual reports to the legislature. This bill directly affects long-term care facilities, their residents and tenants, and state agencies responsible for licensing and enforcement. The law amends existing statutes to require the council's involvement in license decisions and facility inspections.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Bill results