This bill establishes a new specialty business court in Iowa to handle complex commercial disputes involving various organizations, such as corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies. This court would have statewide jurisdiction, concurrent with existing district courts, over specific types of cases. These include derivative actions, disputes over an organization's internal affairs or governance, and certain contract or securities-related actions where the amount in controversy often exceeds $10 million or involves "qualified transactions" worth at least $1 million. However, it generally excludes cases involving governmental entities or claims for personal injury or death, unless all parties agree to proceed in the business court.
HSB 222 proposes to expand the locations where raw milk producers can distribute raw milk and associated products directly to individuals. Currently, distribution is primarily limited to the producer's dairy farm. This bill would allow distribution at farmers markets and grocery stores, defining these as "distribution points." Raw milk producers would be required to make summaries of animal health tests available at these distribution points upon request. Additionally, at the dairy farm, producers must provide access to detailed health records, including coliform count, standard plate count, and antibiotic administration for their dairy animals. Containers used for distribution must also be labeled and sanitized.
This bill lowers the minimum age requirement for acquiring and carrying certain weapons in Iowa. It reduces the age from 21 to 18 for obtaining a nonprofessional permit to carry weapons and for purchasing or possessing pistols and revolvers. The bill also changes the age at which it is illegal to sell or give handguns and their ammunition to another person, from under 21 to under 18. Additionally, it adjusts the minimum age for individuals who can supervise younger persons using handguns, from 21 to 18, and makes conforming changes to related liability provisions. These changes directly affect individuals aged 18 to 20.
HF 953 revises legal representation requirements for children involved in foster care proceedings. For children aged ten or older, the court must appoint counsel, while children younger than ten will receive both appointed counsel and a guardian ad litem. The bill allows the same person to serve as both counsel and guardian ad litem for children under ten, unless a conflict of interest exists. This representation continues for as long as a child remains in foster care. Appointed counsel for a child will perform many guardian ad litem duties, such as interviewing relevant persons and inspecting records, but are not required to submit written reports to the court.
HF 872 proposes to amend the criteria for an enterprise to qualify as a "targeted small business" in Iowa. The bill directly affects small businesses that are majority-owned and operated by women, minority persons, service-disabled veterans, or persons with a disability. It increases the maximum annual gross income threshold for these businesses to qualify, raising it from less than $4 million to less than $10 million, averaged over the three preceding fiscal years. This change would allow more businesses to be recognized under the "targeted small business" designation.
House File 807, the "Compassion and Care for Medically Challenging Pregnancies Act," establishes a framework for supporting pregnant women diagnosed with a lethal fetal anomaly. The bill allows healthcare practitioners to inform these women about available perinatal hospice services and offer referrals. It also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to compile and post a geographically organized list and information sheet about perinatal hospice services in Iowa and nationally, available in both English and Spanish, on its website.
HF 937 modifies administrative procedures for law enforcement officers, primarily impacting their professional certification and confidentiality in peer support. The bill narrows the specific grounds for revoking or suspending an officer's certification, limiting it to instances where an officer was discharged for just cause or resigned during pending disciplinary action warranting discharge. It also applies standard rules of evidence to contested certification cases and ensures officers receive investigative reports. Additionally, the bill expands confidentiality protections for communications made by officers and certain civilian employees to peer support counselors during crisis interventions.
SSB 1229 aims to exclude the amount of certain taxes from the interchange fees charged by payment card networks on electronic payment transactions. The bill requires payment card networks to deduct the tax amount from the interchange fee calculation at the time of settlement or rebate a proportionate amount to the seller. If a seller cannot transmit the tax amount at the point of sale, the network must credit the seller's account upon proof. Payment card networks that violate these provisions face a civil penalty of $1,000 per violation, which can be enforced by the state or through a private action.
SF 234 modifies the existing law concerning the intentional misrepresentation of an animal as a service animal or service-animal-in-training. The bill removes two elements previously required to establish this offense. Under SF 234, a person commits the offense if they intentionally misrepresent an animal as a service animal to obtain associated rights or privileges. It eliminates the need to prove the person received a prior warning or knew the animal was not a service animal. This change affects individuals who falsely claim an animal is a service animal, with the offense remaining a simple misdemeanor.
SF 457 amends the address confidentiality program, which serves victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, stalking, and human trafficking. The bill allows program participants to provide a shelter's name and contact information instead of a physical address for their residential or mailing address. It also updates reasons for canceling program certification, including death or a participant's request to remove an adult household member. Additionally, the bill enables the Secretary of State to hold a participant's mail for up to 30 days upon request and allows participants to register as absentee voters for the entire length of their certification period, rather than annually. Finally, it requires election officials to cancel a participant's voter registration if they are registered in another state.
HF 653 mandates that individuals and businesses responsible for sales and use tax must file their returns electronically. If a required electronic return is submitted non-electronically without an exception, it will not be considered a valid filing. Taxpayers can request permission from the department director to use an alternative filing method if they are unable to file electronically. The bill also grants the department authority to adopt rules for administering these provisions and takes effect upon enactment.
SF 317 increases the annual registration fee for individuals listed on the sex offender registry. Currently, these individuals pay $25 annually to the sheriff of their principal residence county. This bill raises that annual fee to $50, effective for their first required in-person appearance after July 1, 2025. Sheriffs will continue to collect these fees and retain the discretion to allow payment over time, in installments, or waive the fee if the person is unable to pay. The collected fees are used to help cover the costs associated with sex offender registration duties.
