Iowa Bills

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SR 5: A resolution celebrating over one hundred sixty years of Lutheran Services in Iowa’s achievements in helping the people of Iowa, and designating March 11, 2025, as Lutheran Services in Iowa Day.

This resolution commemorates Lutheran Services in Iowa's 160-year history of providing human services across the state. It formally designates March 11, 2025, as "Lutheran Services in Iowa Day" to honor their work in areas like early childhood programs, foster care, mental health services, and support for people with disabilities. The resolution has no policy or funding impact; it is purely ceremonial recognition of the organization's contributions to Iowans.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SF 528: A bill for an act relating to the personal needs allowance for residents of certain facilities under the Medicaid program, and providing an appropriation.

This bill increases the monthly personal needs allowance for Medicaid residents in specific facilities from $50 to $85. It directly affects residents of nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities for intellectual disabilities or mental illness, and children's psychiatric medical institutions. The bill requires the state to supplement residents with income below $85 per month to reach the full $85 allowance, using annual appropriations from the general fund to the Department of Health and Human Services. This change provides a concrete policy adjustment to support residents' personal expenses within the Medicaid program.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SF 529: A bill for an act relating to nursing facilities and cost reports.

SF 529 requires nursing facilities in Iowa to include a signed affidavit in their annual cost reports submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services. The affidavit, signed by the facility owner or chief executive officer, must state that all reported costs are accurate and that Medicaid claims were submitted in good faith. This bill directly affects nursing facilities that submit cost reports for Medicaid reimbursement. The key provision adds a verification step to ensure transparency in cost reporting, without changing Medicaid payment rules or facility requirements.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SF 432: A bill for an act relating to the rights and obligations of certain state and local government entities in erecting, rebuilding, or repairing partition fences, including the allocation of moneys from accounts in the Iowa resources enhancement and protection fund.

SF 432 updates Iowa's fence law to treat the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and county conservation boards the same as private landowners when building or maintaining partition fences along property lines. It requires these government entities to share fence costs equally with adjoining landowners through a formal fence viewers' order process, just like private owners. The bill specifies that DNR will pay its share using funds from the REAP fund's open spaces account, while county conservation boards will use funds from their specific REAP account. This change ensures government land managers follow the same cost-sharing rules as private landowners under Iowa Code chapter 359A.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SF 534: A bill for an act relating to options for long-term care, and making appropriations.

SF 534 focuses on improving long-term care options in Iowa by adjusting Medicaid reimbursements and funding new initiatives. It requires increased reimbursement for home health providers to cover travel time in per-visit rates and raises adult day care provider rates by 5% for fiscal year 2025-2026. The bill also mandates a study group to review state and national long-term care models (like adult family homes and "greenhouse" systems) and report by December 2025, while appropriating $2 million to expand community reintegration services and $750,000 for a statewide dementia care coordinator. These provisions directly affect home health providers, adult day care centers, nursing facilities, and Iowans seeking community-based long-term care or dementia support.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SF 558: A bill for an act relating to Medicaid program improvements, making an appropriation, and providing penalties.

SF 558 updates Iowa's Medicaid program to improve service delivery and provider rights. It requires Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) to provide conflict-free case management and independent assessments for long-term care members, and allows them to opt into a fee-for-service program. The bill creates a new external review process for providers denied services or reimbursement, mandating MCOs to clearly notify providers of their appeal rights and pay a $1,000 penalty if they fail to comply with notification requirements. Providers automatically win reviews if MCOs miss deadlines for documentation or notifications. These changes directly affect Medicaid providers, MCOs, and long-term care recipients in Iowa.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SF 559: A bill for an act relating to speech language pathologist assistants and the medical assistance program, and including effective date provisions.

SF 559 would allow speech language pathologist assistants (SLPAs) working under licensed speech pathologists to be reimbursed for services provided to medical assistance program recipients (Iowa's Medicaid program). The bill requires Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to adopt rules enabling this reimbursement and to seek federal approval via a waiver or amendment to Medicare/Medicaid rules. This change would directly affect SLPAs and medical assistance recipients by expanding covered services, but only takes effect after HHS receives federal approval. The bill does not change current reimbursement for licensed speech pathologists.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SF 556: A bill for an act relating to eligibility requirements for pregnant women, postpartum women, and infants under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children.

This bill (SF 556) seeks to expand continuous eligibility under Iowa's WIC program for pregnant women, postpartum women, and infants whose family income is at or below 375% of the federal poverty level. It requires Iowa's health department to request a federal waiver by August 2025 to provide continuous coverage during pregnancy (instead of periodic renewals), and 12 months of continuous postpartum and infant eligibility. If federal approval is denied, Iowa must report the costs by December 2025 and could fund the expanded eligibility starting July 2026 using state funds, if the legislature appropriates money. The policy directly affects low-income families seeking nutrition support during pregnancy and early childhood.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 10, 2025

HF 68: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to open enrollment policies and English-language learners.

HF 68 modifies Iowa's open enrollment rules by requiring school districts to define "insufficient classroom space" in their policies to explicitly include standards about their capacity to teach English learners. This directly affects school districts managing enrollment and English learners, who are students whose primary language is not English and whose English proficiency may hinder academic success in standard classrooms. The bill changes current law by mandating that districts' space definitions must account for their ability to provide appropriate instruction to these students. This ensures space limitations considered during enrollment decisions specifically address the needs of English learners.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 7, 2025

SSB 1211: A bill for an act modifying supplemental aid and modified supplemental amounts for certain school districts relating to open enrollment, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

This bill modifies how Iowa school districts receive supplemental funding based on open enrollment. It sets a 35% threshold for open enrollment (students from outside the district) to qualify for aid, requires districts to hold a public hearing before applying, and caps aid at 50% of the net enrollment increase multiplied by specific per-pupil costs (like teacher salaries and professional development). Districts where over half of open-enrollment students use private online instruction are excluded. The changes apply to school budgets starting July 1, 2025, and repeal a prior tax levy limitation.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Education

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 7, 2025

HF 839: A bill for an act relating to the publication of candidates’ and elected officers’ home addresses.

HF 839 prohibits state election officials from publishing candidates' home addresses in any publicly available election materials. It requires candidates for state legislative, county board, or city council positions to acknowledge in their nomination paperwork that they may later request their home address be excluded from official publications if elected. The bill also amends existing law to allow elected officials to formally request their home address be excluded from all official publications by their governing body. This directly affects candidates running for local and state office and election officials responsible for certifying nominations. The policy change focuses solely on modifying election procedures for address publication and acknowledgment.

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 7, 2025

HF 837: A bill for an act establishing the armed forces reserve component scholarship program within the college student aid commission.

HF 837 establishes a scholarship program for Iowa residents serving in U.S. military reserve components (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, or Space Force). The program covers tuition and mandatory fees up to 100% of financial need at eligible Iowa colleges or universities, including community colleges and state universities. To qualify, students must complete required active duty training, maintain full-time enrollment, and meet academic progress standards while enrolled in a high-demand career program. Scholarships are distributed by the College Student Aid Commission, with priority given to those with demonstrated financial need, and include special provisions for students ordered to active duty.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Bill results