This bill (SF 2079) increases the age limit for parole eligibility for young offenders convicted of class "A" felonies in Iowa. It raises the cutoff from 18 to 21 years old for two sentencing scenarios: first-degree murder (under §707.2) and all other class "A" felonies. Currently, individuals under 18 convicted of these crimes face life sentences with limited parole options; the bill extends these eligibility provisions to those under 21 at the time of the offense. The change modifies specific sections of Iowa’s sentencing code to adjust when these parole considerations apply.
SF 2112 eliminates Iowa's 2023 law (Senate File 315) that permitted raw milk producers to operate under specific conditions. The bill repeals Chapter 195 and related sections, removing legal provisions that allowed raw milk dairies to produce, distribute, or manufacture raw milk products without standard dairy regulations. This directly affects raw milk producers who previously operated under Chapter 195's exemptions. The bill returns regulation of raw milk production and distribution to standard dairy oversight under Chapter 192, requiring pasteurization for consumer sales.
SF 2093 modifies Iowa's emergency powers during disaster and public health crises. It requires governors to issue written declarations detailing affected areas and justifications, limiting initial emergencies to 30 days (extendable by 60 days by the governor), with legislative oversight allowing 60-day extensions via concurrent resolution. The bill explicitly prohibits emergency measures that infringe constitutional rights, restrict religious interactions in healthcare, use surveillance tech without consent, deploy drones/AI for enforcement, or limit licensed health professionals' practice. These provisions directly affect governors, the legislature, and public health authorities during declared emergencies.
SF 2102 allows public school district employees and elected officials who are not covered by collective bargaining agreements for health insurance (defined as "nonstate public employees") to enroll in Iowa’s state health insurance plan. School districts must apply for this coverage, pay monthly premiums matching rates for state employees plus administrative fees, and deposit payments into a new trust fund. Unpaid premiums incur interest, and the state may withhold other district funds until payments are made. The bill requires annual reports on coverage costs and enrollment, effective July 1, 2027.
This bill (SF 2021) changes Iowa's sex offender registry rules. It requires individuals convicted of a second or subsequent sex offense (including those with expunged prior convictions) to register for life, with no option to apply for removal from the registry. It also mandates that sex offenders update their photographs annually - taken facing the camera with eyes open - while requiring law enforcement to retake blurry or distorted images. Additionally, offenders with any history of sex offense reoffending (including expunged cases) cannot request modifications to their registration requirements. These changes apply directly to individuals already required to register under Iowa's sex offender laws.
SF 2101 requires Iowa gambling and sports wagering licensees to distribute at least 3% of gambling game receipts and 0.75% of sports wagering net receipts for nonprofit purposes (like education, charity, or civic projects). It mandates that these funds be allocated proportionally to Iowa counties based on where contributors reside, using data from player rewards programs. Licensees must report contributor locations to the Department of Revenue, which calculates each county’s share; if a county receives less than 3% or no nonprofit applies, funds may be held for up to three years before being transferred to a county endowment fund. The bill applies to receipts collected in fiscal years starting after its effective date.
SF 2080 requires Iowa school districts to allow Area Education Agency (AEA) employees who provide educational services to students to access relevant school district records. This directly affects AEA staff (such as special education providers) and school districts, ensuring AEA employees can access necessary student information to deliver effective services. The bill mandates that school districts permit this access when needed for educational programs, and resolves disputes by requiring districts to comply if either the AEA's special education director or the school district's special education director directs it. It removes barriers to information sharing while maintaining oversight through designated education leadership. The policy change focuses on enabling coordinated student support without expanding access beyond what is necessary for service delivery.
This bill requires Iowa public universities and private colleges participating in the state's tuition grants program to waive tuition and mandatory fees for education students during their student teaching semester. It directly affects teacher education students in their final year of training, who must complete a full-time, supervised teaching experience under a licensed instructor. The key provision mandates institutions to adopt this waiver policy as a condition of their participation in the Iowa tuition grants program, defining "student teaching" as the final-year clinical teaching experience. The policy applies only to the specific semester of student teaching, not the entire degree program.
SF 2072 prohibits state entities and school districts in Iowa from implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs or curricula covering specific "defined concepts." It requires termination of employees who violate these prohibitions, revocation of professional licenses for licensed individuals, and imposes civil fines of $50,000 or $100,000 on affected schools or state entities based on their budget size. The bill allows students, alumni, or employees to sue school districts for violations, with prevailing parties triggering these penalties. It directly affects school staff, state employees, and licensed professionals (like teachers or attorneys) who work in programs deemed non-compliant.
SF 2065 amends Iowa law to increase penalties for purchasing sex services. It classifies buying sex from an adult as a class D felony (previously an aggravated misdemeanor), and buying sex from someone under 18 or someone believed to be under 18 (including undercover officers posing as minors) as a class C felony. The bill directly affects individuals who purchase sexual services, with harsher penalties for transactions involving minors or minors posing as minors. This is a policy change to strengthen criminal penalties for clients of commercial sex, not a new prohibition on the act itself.
This bill requires a court hearing before a magistrate for individuals on felony probation or parole who are arrested for new felony charges. Currently, such people could be released under pretrial guidelines without an immediate court appearance, but this bill mandates that they must have their initial hearing first. The key change ensures that people under court supervision for prior felony convictions cannot be released on pretrial bond without a prompt judicial review. This applies specifically to new felony charges while the person is already on probation or parole supervision.
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment in Iowa that would remove courts' power to review whether state laws comply with the Iowa Constitution. It would replace the current constitutional language to state that "the judicial power shall not include the power of judicial review" for most laws, except for the Supreme Court's review of legislative apportionment plans. If approved, the amendment would require ratification by voters after being referred to the next general assembly. The change would directly affect all Iowa courts by preventing them from striking down laws as unconstitutional.
