Iowa Bills

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 28, 2026

HF 494: A bill for an act relating to the operation of railroad trains by a crew of two or more persons, and providing penalties.

HF 494 requires class I and class II rail carriers (federal categories based on annual revenue) to operate passenger and freight trains with at least two qualified railroad employees on staff. The bill directly affects major freight and passenger rail companies operating in Iowa that meet the federal revenue thresholds. Violators face escalating penalties: $500-$1,000 for a first offense, $500-$5,000 for a second offense, and $5,000-$10,000 for third or subsequent offenses within a three-year period. These penalties are calculated based only on violations occurring within the three years prior to the most recent offense.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 28, 2026

HF 824: A bill for an act relating to consideration of the educational setting of a minor child in a child custody proceeding.

House File 824 requires courts in child custody proceedings to consider a minor child's educational setting when parents disagree on the issue. The bill defines "educational setting" broadly, covering public, charter, nonpublic, and private instruction. It establishes a rebuttable presumption that it is in the child's best interest to remain in the educational setting they attended the previous school year, which can only be overcome by specific evidence. Additionally, all child custody orders must specify each parent's rights and responsibilities concerning the child's education, such as access to records and decision-making authority. Parents with legal custody are required to provide a copy of the order to the child's educational setting.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2026

SF 119: A bill for an act relating to the minimum amounts required for motor vehicle financial responsibility, and making penalties applicable.

SF 119 increases Iowa's minimum required auto insurance coverage for bodily injury or death to $50,000 per person (up from $20,000) and $100,000 for two or more people (up from $40,000), while raising property damage coverage to $25,000 (up from $15,000). These changes apply to all drivers in Iowa and align with existing requirements for transportation network company drivers (like Uber/Lyft). The bill also updates penalties for violations, increasing the fine for driving without coverage to $645 if involved in an accident (up from $325). It ensures insurance policies and judgments reflect the new coverage limits, matching current standards for ride-share services.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 27, 2026

HF 2051: A bill for an act providing for supplementary weighting for school districts that share school and career specialists.

HF 2051 adds "school and career specialists" to the list of positions school districts can share with other entities (like other districts or political subdivisions) to qualify for extra state funding. It directly affects Iowa school districts that share these specialists for at least 20% of the school year. The key provision assigns each shared school and career specialist role a supplementary weighting equivalent to funding for two additional students, increasing resources for districts that collaborate on these services. This policy targets specialists who support at-risk students with career planning, life skills, and postsecondary transitions.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 27, 2026

HF 2067: A bill for an act creating temporary class “A” beer permits authorizing native breweries to manufacture and store beer off premises, and providing fees.

HF 2067 creates temporary "A" beer permits allowing native breweries (businesses with an existing class "A" permit) to manufacture beer off their primary premises or store beer overnight at temporary locations for up to nine months. The permit requires a $150 fee (half the standard annual fee) and cannot be refunded, though it may be renewed twice. Importantly, the permit only authorizes manufacturing and storage - not the sale of beer - at off-premises sites. This bill modifies existing Iowa beer regulations to provide limited flexibility for breweries during temporary operational needs.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SSB 3054: A bill for an act relating to utility disconnections of gas and electricity services during severe weather.

This bill prohibits Iowa gas and electric utilities from disconnecting service to homes during periods of severe cold or severe hot weather. It directly affects residential customers who rely on these utilities, preventing service shutoffs when extreme temperatures pose health risks. The bill requires the Iowa Utilities Commission to establish specific rules defining "severe cold" and "severe hot" weather, building on existing rules for cold weather. The commission will determine the exact temperature thresholds and conditions under which disconnections are banned. This creates a new policy requirement for utilities to maintain service during extreme weather events.

Topics ✓ Energy

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 27, 2026

HF 2109: A bill for an act relating to the disposition of collected criminal case fines and establishing a victim restitution fund.

HF 2109 redirects 7% of criminal case fines collected within a county to a new victim restitution fund, instead of allocating it to county general funds. The bill establishes this fund in the state treasury, with funds administered by the Department of Justice to cover financial damages victims incur from crimes (like medical costs or lost wages), as defined by existing law. It changes the current 91% to state court administrator and 9% to county funds to an 85% to state, 8% to county, and 7% to the victim fund. Unspent funds in the victim restitution account will carry over annually instead of reverting. This directly affects victims of crime who receive restitution payments and alters how criminal fines are distributed.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 27, 2026

HSB 593: A bill for an act relating to the purchase of lottery shares and tickets by a courier service.

HSB 593 defines "courier service" as a for-profit business that purchases, stores, and delivers Iowa lottery shares or tickets to customers physically located in Iowa (excluding tribal lands). It requires written agreements between courier services and retailers to include specific safeguards: verifying customer location and age via software, securely storing tickets until pickup/delivery, implementing responsible gambling controls (like spending limits), prohibiting credit card purchases, and using dedicated terminals. The bill also mandates annual audits of compliance and prohibits retailers from mixing courier service sales with regular lottery sales. This directly affects courier services, retailers, and Iowa residents purchasing lottery items through these services.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SSB 3014: A bill for an act relating to the use of artificial intelligence systems and related software by state agencies for employment and other purposes.

This Iowa bill (SSB 3014) requires state agencies to track and report on artificial intelligence (AI) systems used for employment and public-facing purposes. Agencies must maintain a public inventory of all AI tools - including purpose, use, and data handled - and publish a list of employment-related AI tools within 90 days of use, with annual reports to the legislature. The bill prohibits using AI to alter employee rights, benefits, or job terms (including layoffs, pay cuts, or transferring duties), or to impact collective bargaining agreements. It defines "AI systems" broadly to include tools like machine learning and generative AI, while excluding basic software like spreadsheets.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SF 2059: A bill for an act relating to prohibitions and requirements for state entities concerning certain actions of appointed officers of the executive branch, and making penalties applicable.

This bill expands whistleblower protections to include appointed officers in Iowa's executive branch, shielding them when disclosing violations of law, mismanagement, gross abuse of funds, abuse of authority, or substantial safety risks. It also protects these officers from adverse actions if they refuse to participate in charitable donations. Violations of these provisions would be punishable as a simple misdemeanor (fines up to $855). New appointees must be informed of these rights by the relevant state entity.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SF 2090: A bill for an act relating to school districts, including by modifying provisions related to the executive officers of the boards of directors of school districts and authorizing residents and employees to request audits of school districts.

SF 2090 modifies Iowa school district governance by requiring boards to annually elect a chief executive officer (CEO) who cannot be the superintendent, replacing the current system where the superintendent automatically held this role. It also creates a new process allowing any resident or employee of a school district to request a county auditor to review the district’s financial records if they believe funds are being misused. The bill mandates school boards to include specific safety rules for school buses in reduced visibility and permits employees to use school credit cards for work-related expenses. These changes directly affect school board members, superintendents, employees, and residents by altering leadership structure and increasing financial oversight options.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SF 2109: A bill for an act relating to a review of fire safety code requirements and enforcement mechanisms for basement egress windows.

SF 2109 requires Iowa's Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing to study current fire safety code requirements and enforcement mechanisms for basement egress windows. The study must examine compliance issues and available remedies for property owners or renters facing non-compliant windows, with a final report due to the legislature by January 1, 2027. This bill does not change existing codes or enforcement; it solely mandates a review to inform future policy decisions.

Bill results