Iowa Bills

passed · Iowa · Senate May 15, 2025

SF 395: A bill for an act relating to illegal gaming, and making penalties applicable.

SF 395 expands the definition of illegal gaming under Iowa law. The bill defines "account sharing" as sharing access to a gambling account to conceal a person's identity, and "proxy betting" as placing a wager on behalf of another to hide their identity. It adds these two activities, along with delivering funds received for a fee outside a gambling structure for wagering, to the list of prohibited acts considered illegal gaming. Individuals found engaging in these activities would be subject to existing criminal penalties for illegal gaming, which range from serious misdemeanors to class "C" felonies based on the amount involved and any prior offenses.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

passed · Iowa · Senate May 14, 2025

SF 624: A bill for an act relating to the opioid settlement fund, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

This bill establishes how Iowa's opioid settlement fund will be managed and used to address the opioid crisis, impacting state agencies, healthcare providers, and Iowans needing treatment. It mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Attorney General (AG) annually propose appropriations, with 75% of available funds going to HHS and 25% to the AG, and requires regular reports on disbursements. For fiscal year 2024-2025, the bill appropriates $12 million to HHS for grants to specific nonprofit organizations to expand a nature-based recovery campus, and an additional $30 million to HHS for general opioid crisis abatement efforts. These funds aim to support treatment, prevention, and recovery services for substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

passed · Iowa · Senate May 14, 2025

SCR 4: A concurrent resolution to provide for adjournment sine die.

SCR 4 is a concurrent resolution that sets the final adjournment date for the 2025 Regular Session of the Ninety-first General Assembly. It specifies that the legislature will adjourn for the final time on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.

passed · Iowa · House May 14, 2025

HF 949: A bill for an act concerning the duties of county commissioners and county auditors.

HF 949 modifies the duties of county commissioners and county auditors in Iowa. It significantly raises the threshold for county commissioners to formally bid on election-related goods and services from over $1,000 to over $50,000, allowing an informal bid process for costs up to $50,000. The bill also removes the requirement for county auditors and other officials to index official bonds by the principal's name and filing date. Additionally, it eliminates a wide range of specific administrative and record-keeping duties for county auditors, including those related to veteran assistance, school funds, and mental health treatment.

passed · Iowa · House May 13, 2025

HF 1013: A bill for an act establishing a partial exemption on property taxes for certain residential properties sold in disaster areas.

HF 1013 establishes a temporary partial property tax exemption for certain residential properties. This bill directly affects individuals who purchase homes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in areas declared major disaster zones. To qualify, the property must be sold by HUD specifically to provide housing after a disaster, and the new owner must occupy it as their primary residence. The exemption applies for four assessment years, starting with the first full year after the sale, decreasing from 80% of the property's actual value in the first year to 20% in the fourth year.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Iowa · House May 13, 2025

HR 19: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of Jay Byers for his exemplary leadership, dedicated public service, and transformative impact on the state of Iowa.

House Resolution 19 is a commemorative resolution that honors the life and legacy of Jay Byers. It recognizes his contributions to Simpson College, the Greater Des Moines Partnership, and the state of Iowa through his leadership in education, economic growth, and public service.

passed · Iowa · Senate Apr 30, 2025

SF 616: A bill for an act relating to the rights and obligations of certain state and local government entities in erecting, rebuilding, or repairing partition fences, including the allocation of moneys from accounts in the Iowa resources enhancement and protection fund.

This bill clarifies the rights and obligations of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and county conservation boards regarding shared partition fences. It establishes that these state and local government entities have the same responsibilities as private landowners for erecting, rebuilding, or repairing such fences. When fence viewers issue an order, both the private landowner and the DNR or county conservation board must deposit funds for their assigned portion of the fence costs and fees. The bill also allows the DNR to use moneys from the open spaces account and county conservation boards to use moneys from the county conservation account within the Iowa Resources Enhancement and Protection (REAP) fund to cover their contributions.

passed · Iowa · Senate Apr 30, 2025

SF 635: A bill for an act relating to the abatement of property taxes owed on property owned by certain volunteer emergency services providers and including effective date and applicability provisions.

SF 635 authorizes property tax abatements for eligible volunteer emergency services providers on their homesteads. To qualify, volunteers must have served for at least five years, earn less than $5,000 annually from their service, and be in good standing with their agency. They can petition their county board of supervisors, who will review the request and notify local taxing authorities, allowing them to object to the abatement. If approved, the abatement reduces property taxes and special assessments by 10%, up to $500 per year. Volunteers with ten or more years of service may receive this abatement for the remainder of their lives, provided their homestead remains in the service area.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Iowa · House Apr 30, 2025

HF 918: A bill for an act relating to motor vehicle financial liability coverage, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.

HF 918 modifies Iowa law regarding motor vehicle financial liability coverage. It requires vehicle owners to certify and provide proof of insurance when registering or renewing their motor vehicle registration, effective December 1, 2028. The bill also revises penalties for operating a vehicle without coverage, increasing fines, particularly for violations connected to an accident or for repeat offenses. Drivers cited for lacking coverage can have their charge dismissed if they provide proof that coverage was in effect at the time of the stop, though court costs will be assessed. Fines collected will be distributed among the victim compensation fund, counties, and the state general fund.

Topics ✓ Transportation

passed · Iowa · House Apr 30, 2025

HF 1022: A bill for an act exempting the sale of laundry soap or detergent from the sales tax.

HF 1022 proposes to exempt the sale of laundry soap and detergent from the state's sales tax. This change would directly affect consumers by reducing the cost of purchasing these household items. The bill amends existing state code to specifically remove sales tax from laundry soap and detergent, an exemption that would also apply to use tax.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Iowa · House Apr 29, 2025

HF 1032: A bill for an act creating a grocer reinvestment program, a local produce processing grant program, and a grocer reinvestment and local food processing fund under the purview of the economic development authority, and modifying the local food and farm program.

HF 1032 establishes a grocer reinvestment program and a local produce processing grant program, supported by a new state fund. The grocer program provides grants up to $100,000 to eligible grocery stores, particularly smaller ones, for capital improvements, equipment, and technology, requiring matching funds. The local produce processing program offers grants to Iowa-based entities to increase the availability and efficiency of processing local fruits and vegetables. Additionally, the bill modifies the existing local food and farm program to include grocery stores in its purpose of promoting local food economies and job growth.

passed · Iowa · House Apr 29, 2025

HF 1007: A bill for an act relating to the disposition of collected criminal case fines and establishing a victim restitution fund.

This bill modifies how criminal case fines collected within a county are distributed, reducing the percentages allocated to the state court administrator and county treasurer. It establishes a new "victim restitution fund" in the state treasury, which will receive 7% of these collected fines. The fund is dedicated to providing restitution for crime victims, covering "pecuniary damages" and restitution for the death of a victim, as defined by existing law. Monies in this fund will remain available for expenditure year-to-year and will not revert at the close of a fiscal year.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill results