Iowa Bills

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 29, 2026

HF 2206: A bill for an act relating to the manufacture, delivery, and possession of marijuana, the licensure of retail marijuana, providing fees, including excise taxes, establishing funds, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.

HF 2206 reclassifies marijuana offenses in Iowa, reducing penalties for possession while maintaining criminal penalties for larger quantities. It establishes specific penalties based on amount: possession of 4 ounces or less is now a simple misdemeanor (or a $100 civil penalty for under 1/2 ounce, with community service for minors), while amounts over 12 ounces become serious misdemeanors and over 2 kilograms are felonies. The bill also adds enhanced penalties for distributing marijuana near schools or parks. It directly affects anyone possessing or distributing marijuana in Iowa, with key changes found in sections 124F.2 and 124.401G. The bill does not legalize marijuana but modifies how possession is punished.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

introduced · Iowa · House Jan 29, 2026

HF 2203: A bill for an act relating to epinephrine delivery systems in schools, food establishments, carnivals, recreational camps, youth sports facilities, and sports arenas.

HF 2203 requires schools, food establishments, carnivals, recreational camps, youth sports facilities, and sports arenas to maintain a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors (like EpiPens) for emergencies. Facilities must obtain a prescription from a healthcare professional, store the auto-injectors securely, and replace them after use or expiration. Trained staff can administer the auto-injectors to anyone showing signs of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) in good faith, with legal protection from liability for those actions. The bill also sets standards for staff training, storage, and replacement to ensure quick access during emergencies.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 29, 2026

HF 2205: A bill for an act relating to the prescribing, ordering, dispensing, and administering authority of pharmacists and practitioners.

HF 2205 prohibits state licensing boards and employers from restricting pharmacists or practitioners (like doctors, nurses, or dentists) from using their professional judgment to prescribe, order, dispense, or administer medications within their legally defined scope of practice. It specifically bans any rule, policy, or contract term that discourages using a medication or treatment based on the professional's best judgment. Employers cannot enforce such restrictions or use them for disciplinary action, and practitioners following this judgment cannot face license discipline. The bill directly affects healthcare providers by protecting their clinical decision-making autonomy from workplace barriers.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 29, 2026

HF 2212: A bill for an act establishing a state minimum hourly wage for direct care professionals.

HF 2212 establishes a new state minimum hourly wage for direct care professionals in Iowa, directly affecting workers providing personal care, independent living support, and basic health services in nursing facilities, homes, or childcare centers. The bill sets a $20.00 hourly minimum wage for these workers starting July 1, 2026, with a $19.10 minimum for those with less than 90 days of employment at the same employer. This rate supersedes the federal minimum wage when higher, applying to defined roles like home health aides, certified nurse aides, and direct support professionals. The law amends existing wage provisions to specifically address direct care workers' compensation, with enforcement under Iowa’s labor laws.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 29, 2026

HF 2204: A bill for an act relating to the requirements for chatbot deployers, including required protocols, limitations on data collection, and requirements for minors to interact with artificial intelligence companions and therapeutic chatbots, and providing civil penalties, punitive penalties, and civil causes of action.

HF 2204 regulates chatbot developers and companies (called "deployers") that make AI chatbots publicly available. It requires deployers to implement safety protocols to detect and mitigate harm, limit user data collection to what's necessary, and verify users' ages to prevent minors from accessing certain chatbots. Specifically, it bans AI companions that simulate emotional bonds from being used by minors without age verification, prohibits impersonating people without permission (with limited exceptions), and sets strict rules for therapeutic chatbots (like mental health tools) to include disclaimers, professional recommendations, and safety testing. Violations can result in civil penalties up to $2,500 per incident or allow minors to sue for damages. The law does not apply to generic chatbots offering only basic responses without creating emotional connections.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 29, 2026

HF 87: A bill for an act relating to public access to vertiports.

HF 87 establishes rules for public access to vertiports - infrastructure for landing and takeoff of vertical take-off aircraft used for passenger and cargo services. The bill requires local authorities to ensure equitable access and prohibits exclusive rights for vertiport operators, preventing monopolies or discrimination. It mandates compliance with federal aviation design standards and requires operators to submit layout plans to the FAA before operations begin. The law also gives injured parties the right to sue for damages if the bill's requirements are violated. This applies to any public-use vertiport authorized by federal agencies for interstate services.

Topics ✓ Transportation

passed · Iowa · Senate Jan 29, 2026

SF 384: A bill for an act relating to notices required for the closure of railway crossings for repairs or upgrades, and providing penalties.

SF 384 requires railway companies to provide local governments with at least 30 days' notice before closing a railway crossing for repairs or upgrades, unless the closure is unexpected or an emergency. The notice must include an estimated completion date, and companies must update the government if the work extends beyond that date. This applies to all railway corporations operating in Iowa and directly affects local governments managing crossings. Violations carry a $100 penalty, aligning with existing fines for similar violations under current law.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 29, 2026

SF 580: A bill for an act relating to monetary donations that may be received and gifted by local officials and local employees to offset medical or health care expenses, and making penalties applicable.

SF 580 allows local Iowa officials and employees to receive monetary donations from colleagues through online crowdfunding platforms to cover medical expenses related to a diagnosed condition. The bill permits donations of up to $100 per year per donor, with all transactions required to use approved online fundraising tools. It creates an exception to existing ethics laws that generally prohibit public employees from accepting gifts, while imposing penalties for violations including serious misdemeanors punishable by fines up to $2,560 or job sanctions. The law specifically applies to "local officials" (elected or appointed political subdivision roles) and "local employees" (not independent contractors).

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 28, 2026

HF 2130: A bill for an act relating to noncompliance with and circumvention of ignition interlock device requirements, and providing penalties.

HF 2130 strengthens penalties for drivers required to use ignition interlock devices (IIDs) after DUI convictions. It creates a simple misdemeanor offense for operating a vehicle without an approved IID installed or removing it without authorization, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $105-$855 fine. The bill also elevates tampering with or circumventing an IID to a serious misdemeanor and mandates automatic revocation of a temporary restricted license (TRL) for both violations. This directly affects individuals with DUI-related license restrictions who fail to comply with IID requirements.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 28, 2026

HSB 590: A bill for an act requiring the department of health and human services to pay for the costs of a child’s placement in shelter care.

This bill requires Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to cover all costs for a child's temporary shelter care placement, eliminating the current requirement that a child's custodial parent's county pay any remaining costs. It directly affects children in juvenile justice temporary care and their families, who previously faced potential out-of-pocket expenses if HHS didn't cover full costs. The key provision amends existing law to mandate HHS pay 100% of shelter care costs, as defined by state code (temporary care from initial contact with authorities until case resolution), and directs HHS to update its rules accordingly. This changes the current system where counties covered cost differences, shifting full financial responsibility to HHS.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2026

SSB 3026: A bill for an act relating to dates for elections to issue bonds or other indebtedness.

This bill amends Iowa law to allow local governments (like cities and counties) to hold elections on bond or debt approval questions on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June during even-numbered years. This aligns bond elections with existing primary election dates in June, providing a consistent, predictable schedule. The change applies specifically to special elections where the sole or primary purpose is approving bonds or other debt. It does not alter the content of bond proposals, only the timing options for holding the vote. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on election scheduling.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2026

SSB 3051: A bill for an act relating to public retirement systems by allowing for the forfeiture of certain portions of the pension of a public employee who commits a felony.

This bill requires public retirement systems in Iowa to revoke pension benefits for public employees convicted of a felony before they receive their pension (a "bona fide retirement"). It applies to employees covered under the state's peace officers' system (97A), public employees' system (97B), or judicial retirement system (602), including public officials. If convicted, the employee must return any pension benefits received that exceed their own contributions to the system, and the non-contribution portion of the pension becomes subject to forfeiture under state property laws. The bill ensures existing marital, child support, or victim compensation obligations remain unaffected by this provision.

Bill results