HF 766 modifies regulations for motor vehicle window tint, directly affecting individuals who operate vehicles on Iowa highways. The bill establishes specific light transmittance standards in state law, removing the Department of Transportation's authority to set these rules. It prohibits front windshields from having less than 70% light transmittance and side windows immediately next to or forward of the driver from having less than 50% light transmittance. Operating a vehicle in violation of these standards would be subject to a scheduled fine.
This bill modifies procedures for child placements, affecting children removed from parental custody, their relatives, and foster parents. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to employ dedicated staff to identify and notify a child's grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other adult relatives within 30 days of the child's removal from parental custody. Additionally, if a child has resided with a licensed foster parent for at least nine months, a court cannot order a new placement unless it specifically finds that doing so is in the child's best interests and provides reasons.
HF 640 modifies regulations for self-storage facilities and rental agreements. It clarifies that using a leased self-storage space for residential purposes constitutes an immediate default, allowing operators to limit access. The bill also specifies that if an occupant takes possession of a unit but fails to sign a written agreement within 30 days, they are deemed to have accepted its terms. Furthermore, when an occupant is in default or their agreement is not renewed, operators must provide 15 days' notice to remove personal property, during which access can be restricted if outlined in the rental agreement.
SF 542 allows courts in Iowa to temporarily pause child support and medical support payments when a juvenile court places a child with someone who already has a support obligation. It directly affects individuals ordered to pay support (payors) and those receiving support (payees) when custody changes. The bill requires payors to file a specific application with court details and a custody notice, triggering a suspension effective with the next payment date. Courts must waive filing fees for these applications, and the suspension ends automatically 60 days after the juvenile court case concludes or if custody returns to the original recipient.
This bill (SF 93) sets specific qualifications for members of Iowa county veteran affairs commissions and their executive directors. It requires all commission members to be veterans meeting one of three criteria: (1) a veteran as defined in Iowa law, (2) an active Iowa National Guard/reserve member with a unit recommendation, or (3) a former Guard/reserve member with an honorable discharge (DD214 or letter). The executive director must also meet these same veteran qualifications, except for those hired before July 1, 1989. The bill directly affects county-level veteran affairs leadership positions across Iowa.
This bill authorizes members of Iowa's general assembly, judicial officers, and specific attorneys (including the attorney general, deputies, and assistants) to obtain professional permits allowing them to carry weapons anywhere in the state, including schools. It also establishes new criminal offenses for threatening these officials or their immediate family members, and defines true threats against them as harassment with penalties. The law expands existing weapon permit eligibility to cover these judicial and legislative professionals while creating specific criminal penalties for threats targeting them or their families.
HF 2337 makes it a class D felony to falsely claim possessing an academic degree or credentials for employment or personal gain. The bill directly affects individuals who misrepresent their educational background to secure jobs or other advantages. It adds a new provision (Section 714.8, subsection 6A) criminalizing this specific fraud, punishable by up to five years in prison and fines between $1,025 and $10,245. This law targets deception in credential claims, not general fraud or academic dishonesty.
HF 2360 amends Iowa's child endangerment law to define "child" as any person under 18 years old (replacing "minor" references) and clarifies specific actions that constitute endangerment. It directly affects parents, guardians, household members, and caregivers by prohibiting behaviors like reckless endangerment, unreasonable force, medical neglect (with a religious exemption for treatment refusal), allowing abuse, abandonment, exposure to drug manufacturing, and unsupervised access by sex offenders (with parental exceptions). Key mechanisms include establishing penalties: class B felony for endangerment causing death, class C for serious injury, and class D for bodily injury or specific violations. The bill focuses on concrete policy changes to standardize definitions and strengthen accountability for endangering children under 18.
HF 2348 redefines animal torture in Iowa to include intentional acts like crushing, burning, drowning, suffocating, or impaling animals, causing serious injury or death. It increases penalties from an aggravated misdemeanor to a class D felony (up to 5 years in prison and $10,245 fine) for first offenses, and to a class C felony (up to 10 years and $13,660 fine) for repeat offenders with prior convictions for related offenses like animal abuse, neglect, or prohibited animal contests. The bill directly affects individuals who commit animal torture, with harsher penalties applying if they have a prior record of animal-related crimes. The bill was introduced in February 2026 and is pending further action.
HF 2635 sets new rules for health insurance companies and claim review organizations (utilization review organizations) in Iowa, directly affecting health care providers and patients. It prohibits using artificial intelligence as the sole method to deny, delay, or downgrade prior authorizations for medically necessary services, requiring instead a qualified physician review. The bill also establishes strict timelines for audits (45 days to complete after receiving documents) and appeals (30 days for a final decision), with penalties including 10% interest for violations. These changes apply to most health insurance plans in Iowa starting January 1, 2027, but exclude certain coverages like dental, Medicare supplements, and short-term policies.
SF 2114 amends Iowa law to define intimidation involving a dangerous weapon as a felony, directly affecting anyone who threatens or shoots/throws such a weapon at others to cause fear of serious injury. It creates two felony classifications: Class C (up to 10 years in prison and up to $13,660 fine) for more severe cases, and Class D (up to 5 years and up to $10,245 fine) for less severe cases. The bill removes the previous reference to "assembly of people" but keeps the core offense of threatening with a weapon at individuals or occupied spaces (like buildings or vehicles). Penalties apply when the threat causes reasonable fear of serious injury or is carried out under circumstances that make the threat credible.
SJR 11 proposes an amendment to the Iowa Constitution that would change the requirements for passing certain state tax laws. It mandates that any bill increasing state individual or corporate income tax rates, or establishing a new state tax on income or reserves, must receive a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate. This requirement does not apply to taxes imposed by local governments. The amendment also sets a one-year limit for legal challenges to the enactment of such tax bills. If passed by two consecutive General Assemblies, Iowa voters would consider this amendment in the November 2026 general election.
