This Iowa bill modifies the state tax refund program specifically for biodiesel producers. The legislation increases the refund rate from four cents to five cents per gallon of biodiesel produced within the state. It also extends the expiration date for this tax benefit from January 1, 2028, to January 1, 2031. These adjustments apply to the total number of gallons produced by eligible producers during each quarter of a calendar year.
This bill modifies Iowa's urban renewal law to change how property tax revenue is shared for emergency medical services. Specifically, it prevents taxes collected for emergency medical services from being used to pay off municipal loans or fund urban renewal projects. Instead, these taxes must be collected from all property within the taxing district without being diverted to a special fund for city debt or low-income housing assistance. The changes apply to property taxes due in fiscal years starting on or after July 1, 2026, and take effect immediately upon signing.
This bill creates a new state fund to provide financial assistance for building highway overpasses and underpasses across railway tracks. The Department of Transportation will manage the fund and distribute grants to cities and counties to help cover construction costs. Unlike current rules that only apply to cities, this measure extends similar support to counties, ensuring both local governments can address safety and convenience issues related to railway crossings. The bill also specifies that any interest earned on the fund will remain within it and that the money will not automatically revert to the general treasury at the end of each fiscal year.
This bill allows certain Iowa school districts to temporarily exceed their usual cash reserve tax limits for the 2026-2027 school year if a single property tax correction caused their taxable value to drop by at least $100 million. To do this, the districts must offset the extra money raised for reserves by reducing other local property taxes, such as the management levy, ensuring the total tax amount remains within legal limits. The process requires the district to notify the Department of Management, which will then adjust the official tax rates to reflect these changes. This measure is designed to help districts maintain financial stability after a significant administrative error in property valuation.
HF 2792 allocates state funds from three specific infrastructure and technology funds to various departments for projects in fiscal year 2026-2027. The bill directs money to the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship for water quality demonstration projects on agricultural land, the Department of Administrative Services for building maintenance, and the Economic Development Authority for tourism and community grants. Additionally, it provides funding for IT system updates at the Department of Health and Human Services and for building repairs at the Department for the Blind. The legislation also includes provisions to keep certain agricultural data confidential and sets an effective date for these financial transfers.
SF 2205 requires massage therapy establishments (locations where massage is practiced, excluding home visits, sole practitioners, or school clinics) to obtain a license starting January 1, 2027. Owners must apply with the board, pay a fee, submit fingerprints for criminal background checks, and undergo sanitary inspections. Operating without a license incurs civil penalties up to $1,000 per offense (or $10,000 for ongoing violations), and establishments must maintain client and staff records for three years. The bill directly affects business owners of commercial massage facilities, not individual therapists or home-based services.
This bill establishes a flat 3% monthly interest rate on all regulated loans in Iowa, replacing the previous tiered system (which charged higher rates for larger loan balances). It also increases the maximum allowable service charge for consumer credit transactions from $30 to $100, while maintaining the existing cap of 10% of the amount financed. The changes apply to licensed lenders and directly affect borrowers taking out regulated loans, such as personal or small-amount credit. The bill eliminates prior provisions allowing the superintendent of banking to adjust interest rates or investigate loan conditions.
SF 2284 restricts how law enforcement uses automated traffic systems. It prohibits sharing historical license plate data collected to monitor potential crime with private companies if the data could identify a person or vehicle, creating a misdemeanor for violations. The bill also bans citations for noise violations based on brake or exhaust sounds while slowing down, and requires local authorities to let vehicle owners contest automated citations by proving they weren’t driving at the time - allowing citations to be transferred to the actual driver if evidence is provided. This affects police departments using automated systems and vehicle owners who receive automated traffic violation notices.
HF 2543 updates rules for specialized mental health care facilities in Iowa. It requires facilities to create a written treatment plan within 24 hours of a patient's admission, eliminates a previous 10-day limit on stays, and prohibits insurance companies from requiring prior authorization for the first 15 days of care. The bill also mandates that insurers cover subacute mental health services and prevents discharges until a mental health professional confirms appropriate support systems are in place to prevent harm. Additionally, it establishes an electronic bed-tracking system for children's psychiatric facilities and adjusts facility staffing and bed capacity requirements to ease access.
HF 2532 updates Iowa's probate and trust laws with several key changes. It sets a two-year deadline (for deaths on or after July 1, 2026) to challenge beneficiary designations or asset transfers obtained through fraud, undue influence, or other wrongful conduct. The bill allows courts to award attorney fees in estate disputes and requires wrongful death damages to first cover estate costs (like court fees and medical bills) before being distributed to survivors. It also extends the probate inventory filing deadline from 90 to 120 days and specifies that trust contests must be handled in probate court. These changes directly affect individuals managing estates, contesting trusts, or claiming wrongful death damages.
HF 2563 requires physicians to obtain specific written consent before prescribing abortion-inducing drugs (like mifepristone or misoprostol), including confirming patients understand risks such as hemorrhage, incomplete abortion, or infection. It mandates providing the FDA patient agreement form and information about potential "reversal" of chemical abortions, along with follow-up care guidance. The bill also requires health care providers to report drug complications to the state and post reversal resources online. This directly affects physicians, clinics, and women seeking medication abortions in Iowa, adding new consent, information, and reporting obligations for chemical abortion procedures.
HF 2655 amends Iowa law to clarify that drivers of authorized emergency vehicles (including police officers riding bicycles in the line of duty) may proceed through red lights after slowing safely and exceed speed limits without reckless endangerment. The bill explicitly extends these traffic exemptions to privately owned emergency vehicles like towing trucks and specifies the conditions under which officers may operate without audible or visual warning devices (e.g., pursuing speed violators or transporting critical patients). These exemptions remain conditional on using warning devices unless specific safety or operational circumstances apply. The bill does not change which vehicles qualify as emergency vehicles but refines when traffic law exemptions apply.
