HF 2271 modifies Iowa's world language instruction requirements for grades 9-12 in public school districts, nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools. It prohibits educators from altering languages that use grammatical gender (like Spanish or French) to incorporate gender-neutral terms. The bill specifically requires that instruction maintain the language's original grammatical structure, including gendered nouns and pronouns. This policy change directly affects how world language courses are taught in participating schools across Iowa.
HF 2282 requires school districts to obtain approval from a city council (if the building is within a city) or county board (if outside a city) before selling any building or structure with 2,500 square feet or more of floor space. The bill also mandates that state agencies and cities must consider leasing vacant school buildings owned by public school corporations before leasing, purchasing, or constructing new facilities. It does not apply to sales or agreements finalized before the bill’s effective date. These provisions aim to ensure local oversight for large school property sales while promoting the reuse of existing school facilities.
This resolution (HR 105) urges Congress to support the Major Richard Star Act, which would remove a rule affecting medically retired veterans. Specifically, it targets veterans with less than 20 years of service and a disability rating under 50%, who currently lose $1 in retirement pay for every $1 in disability benefits they receive. The resolution does not change law itself but calls for Congress to back legislation that would allow these veterans - estimated at 50,000 - to receive full retirement pay and VA disability benefits simultaneously. The bill text notes this rule costs veterans an average of $1,900 monthly in reduced benefits.
This resolution symbolically honors Easterseals Iowa for its 100 years of service supporting Iowans with disabilities, recognizing its mission since 1926 to foster inclusion and community. It designates January 20, 2026, as "Easterseals Iowa Centennial Celebration Day" to commemorate the organization's history and impact. The resolution has no binding effect but formally acknowledges Easterseals Iowa's role in providing advocacy, programs, and resources for people with disabilities across Iowa.
This Iowa bill (SF 2053) helps military parents with court-ordered visitation rights during short military deployments. It allows a deploying parent (a uniformed service member with a deployment under 30 days that prevents family travel) to make up missed visitation time within 30 days before or after deployment, without exceeding the actual missed days or a 30-day total. The bill requires the deploying parent to notify the other parent in writing within seven days (or as soon as possible if service prevents it) and provide a written plan for the make-up time, which must also be filed with the court overseeing the child custody arrangement.
SF 2069 imposes a tax on pipeline companies transporting liquefied carbon dioxide (CO2) through or within Iowa. It charges $2.50 per metric ton for general transport and $1.00 per metric ton when CO2 is used for enhanced oil recovery (an oil extraction technique). Pipeline companies must file annual returns by March 31 detailing transported volumes and EOR usage, with revenues deposited into the taxpayer relief fund. The bill includes penalties for late filings or inaccurate returns, administered by the Iowa Department of Revenue.
SF 2013 would classify kratom (any part of the Mitragyna speciosa plant, including its compounds) as a Schedule I controlled substance in Iowa. This would directly affect anyone possessing kratom, with penalties escalating based on prior offenses: first offenses face a serious misdemeanor (up to 1 year jail, up to $2,560 fine), subsequent offenses become aggravated misdemeanors (up to 2 years, up to $8,540), and third+ offenses would be class D felonies (up to 5 years, up to $10,245). The bill establishes these specific penalty tiers through amendments to Iowa's controlled substances code. The bill was introduced in January 2026 and referred to the Judiciary Committee for review.
This bill changes Iowa's vehicle registration rules for nonresidents who own property in the state. It allows nonresident property owners to use an out-of-state driver's license number instead of providing the primary user's full details (like name, address, and Iowa ID) when registering a vehicle primarily used at their Iowa property. To qualify, applicants must submit reasonable proof of property ownership, and the state transportation department will establish rules for acceptable proof. The change applies only to vehicles registered under this exception, not general registration requirements.
HF 2154 modifies Iowa law regarding sibling placement in foster care. It removes the requirement for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or a placement agency to place siblings together when custody has been transferred to HHS, *if* all three conditions are met: (1) custody was previously transferred to HHS and HHS placed one sibling, (2) HHS placed the child or sibling, and (3) HHS determined the siblings have little or no established relationship. This bill directly affects children in foster care under HHS custody whose siblings are also in care. The change applies specifically to cases where HHS has already made a placement decision and assessed the sibling relationship.
SF 2117 requires thoroughbred and quarter horse racing seasons to operate separately, with thoroughbred seasons lasting at least 67 days and quarter horse seasons at least 26 days. The bill mandates that races for each breed cannot occur on the same calendar day or overlap in timing, meaning one season must end before the other begins, unless a written agreement is reached between the racing owner associations and the Polk County racetrack licensee. This directly affects horse racing associations and racetracks in Polk County, particularly the licensee operating at the racetrack there. The bill corrects a recent commission interpretation that allowed overlapping races without such agreements.
This bill classifies black bears as "fur-bearing animals" under Iowa law, bringing them under existing wildlife regulations. It allows the Natural Resources Commission to permit hunting or trapping of black bears through a special fur harvester license, subject to commission rules. Unlawfully taking a black bear incurs a $2,500 civil penalty, and the bear may be seized by the Department of Natural Resources. The law directly affects hunters, trappers, and wildlife management authorities in Iowa.
This Iowa bill (HSB 574) simplifies vehicle registration plate requirements. It allows school buses, transit buses, and certain older vehicles (1948 model year or older) to display only one plate instead of two, with the second plate kept in the vehicle. The bill also introduces annual validation stickers to replace new plates for most vehicles during renewal, reducing paperwork. Additionally, it permits replica/street rod vehicle owners to display period-appropriate plates alongside current registration. These changes primarily affect vehicle owners, transit operators, and school bus services by streamlining registration administration.
